7 Ways to Get Your Reluctant Reader Excited About Books

Every parent knows the struggle. You've stacked the bookshelf with colorful titles, visited the library countless times, and tried every incentive in the book (pun intended). Yet your child would rather do anything else than read.

You're not alone. According to Scholastic's Kids & Family Reading Report, nearly 1 in 3 children ages 6-17 say they don't enjoy reading. But here's the encouraging news: reluctant readers can become enthusiastic readers. It just takes the right approach.

After researching what works and talking to parents who've successfully turned things around, we've identified seven strategies that consistently help reluctant readers discover the joy of books.

1. Let Them Choose (Even If You Cringe)

Here's a counterintuitive truth: more than 90% of kids enjoy books they choose themselves, according to reading research. Yet many well-meaning parents steer children toward "quality" literature that feels like homework.

If your child wants to read Captain Underpants for the fifteenth time? Let them. If they're obsessed with Minecraft guides or graphic novels? Embrace it. The goal right now isn't literary sophistication—it's building a habit of reading for pleasure.

"Any reading is good reading. Comic books, joke books, magazines about their favorite video game—it all counts, and it all builds skills."

Action step: Next library visit, let your child pick every single book with zero input from you. Watch what they gravitate toward naturally.

2. Make It Personal

Generic stories about generic kids doing generic things? Yawn. But a story where YOUR child is the hero, exploring places THEY love, with characters that match THEIR interests? That's a different game entirely.

Research shows that personalization dramatically increases engagement and comprehension. When children see themselves in stories, reading transforms from an abstract skill to a personal adventure.

This is exactly why we built Magic Quill—to create personalized stories where your child is the main character, at exactly their reading level. But even without an app, you can personalize reading:

• Look for books featuring characters who share your child's hobbies
• Find stories set in places your child knows or dreams about
• Create simple stories together where your child is the hero

3. Remove the Pressure

Nothing kills reading motivation faster than turning it into a performance. When kids feel judged for their reading speed, pronunciation, or comprehension, the stress response kicks in—and learning shuts down.

Signs you might be (unintentionally) creating pressure:

• Correcting every mispronounced word immediately
• Asking quiz-style comprehension questions after every page
• Comparing their reading to siblings or classmates
• Setting reading "requirements" with consequences for missing them

Instead: Focus on enjoyment first. Let mistakes slide sometimes. Ask open-ended questions like "What do you think will happen next?" rather than "What color was the dog's collar?"

4. Read Together (Yes, Even With Older Kids)

Here's something that surprises many parents: reading aloud benefits children well beyond the age when they can read independently. The research is clear—family read-aloud time builds vocabulary, comprehension, and positive associations with books.

For reluctant readers especially, hearing stories read aloud:

• Removes the struggle of decoding, letting them just enjoy the story
• Exposes them to more sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures
• Creates positive emotional associations with books
• Builds bonding time that makes reading feel like connection, not chore

Try audiobooks on car rides, or take turns reading chapters aloud before bed. Many "I hate reading" kids secretly love being read to.

5. Match the Reading Level Exactly

One of the biggest reasons kids resist reading: the books are too hard. When every sentence is a struggle, reading feels like punishment. But when the level is just right, stories flow and confidence builds.

The sweet spot is what educators call the "Goldilocks zone"—challenging enough to grow skills, easy enough to maintain engagement. For independent reading, your child should be able to read about 95% of the words without help.

How to find the right level:

• Use the "five finger test"—have your child read a page and hold up one finger for each unknown word. More than five fingers? Too hard.
• Ask your child's teacher about their assessed reading level
• Look for books with Lexile levels that match your child
• When in doubt, go slightly easier rather than harder

6. Create a Reading-Rich Environment

Kids who grow up surrounded by books develop reading habits more naturally. But it's not just about quantity—it's about accessibility and visibility.

Simple environment changes that help:

• Put books everywhere—in the car, by the bed, in the bathroom, at the breakfast table
• Create a cozy reading nook—pillows, good lighting, no screens nearby
• Display current reads face-out—covers are more appealing than spines
• Rotate books regularly—novelty increases interest
• Let them see YOU reading—modeling matters more than mandating

The goal: make grabbing a book easier than grabbing a screen.

7. Celebrate Small Wins (Without Bribing)

External rewards like money or screen time for reading can backfire—research shows they can actually decrease intrinsic motivation over time. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't celebrate progress.

The key is celebrating the experience rather than the output:

• Notice and comment on their engagement: "You were so focused on that book!"
• Ask what they loved: "What was the best part?"
• Share your own reading excitement: "I can't wait to see what happens next!"
• Celebrate finished books with a trip to choose new ones
• Track books read together on a visual chart (without attaching prizes)

The Bottom Line

Transforming a reluctant reader doesn't happen overnight. It requires patience, the right strategies, and often a shift in how we think about reading success.

The most important thing? Keep reading positive. Every forced reading session, every critical comment about book choices, every "you should be reading more" pushes kids further from loving books.

But every cozy read-aloud, every trip to the library where they choose freely, every story that features their interests—these build the foundation for a lifetime of reading.

Your reluctant reader has a book out there waiting for them. Sometimes it just takes a little magic to find it.