For The Love Of Reading - Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Twitter: @inkyelbows)

Ideas, Resources and Activities For Encouraging Lifelong Reading Habits In Young People

(Last updated: March 18, 2018)

**** Please note: For a list of ALL my free, print-ready posters, activity sheets, reading logs and other bonus material, please see DebbieOhi.com/printready.

I'm gradually adding print-ready activity sheets for children and teens, posters, resources and other bonus material focused on encouraging reading in young people. Many of these are inspired by ideas outlined in Donalyn Miller's excellent The Book Whisperer and Reading In The Wild books:

Also see my Summer Reading Activities and Resources Page.

*****To teachers, librarians and home-schoolers: you can find ALL my free, print-ready bonus material in my print-ready archives. If you have an idea for a new activity sheet that others could use as well, please do let me know (click on the first choice, "I'm a teacher, librarian or bookseller")...thanks so much!

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BOOK REVIEW, READING LOG AND RECOMMENDATION PRINT-READY SHEETS:

(Click on any thumbnail image to download a print-ready PDF). Also see my Summer Reading Recommendation print-ready activity sheets and find more Book Review and Recommendation Sheets here.

Preview - Download
Summer

Preview - Download
-Summer

Preview - Download

Before using the 40 Book Challenge sheets above, do read this post by Donalyn Miller.

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See my free print-ready reading & writing activity sheets with a Freckle Juice theme.

See my free print-ready reading and writing activity sheets with a Minecraft theme.

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PRINT-READY BOOKMARKS:

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PRINT-READY POSTERS (click any image for PDF, plus see Library Love Posters and Winter-Themed Posters):

Preview - Download

Print-Ready Add-Your-Own-Art Reading Poster Activity Sheets:

Add your own art and color!

Draw the place where you like to read.

Coloring sheet.

FUN ACTIVITIES TO HELP STUDENTS SHARE BOOKS WITH EACH OTHER:

Build A Book Buffet: Great idea from Julie D. Ramsay on Reading.org. Each year, Julie's class has a "book tasting" in which students collection reading suggestions from classmates with a fun buffet-style theme complete with red-checked tableclothes, '50s rock and roll music, and vases of flowers on each table. Each diner is given a blank menu with three sections: (1) appetizers: for books they want to try, (2) entrées: for longer/heavier books (but worth it!), and (3) desserts: books that are quick, light and fun reads. For more details, see the full post.

ON BEDTIME READING AND READING ALOUD TO CHILDREN:

Study finds reading to children of all ages grooms them to read more on their own: by Motoko Rich, NYTimes.com

Bedtime reading stimulates children's development and gives them a head start when they reach school: James Randerson, TheGuardian.com

The brainy benefits of bedtimes stories: by Pattie Jones, Parents.com

The importance of bedtime stories: on More4kids.info

It only takes 10 minutes, but reading your baby a bedtime story could yield benefits for years to come: by Fiona Macrae, MailOnline

I hate to get judgey, but how hard is it to read your kids a bedtime story?: by Lindsay Cross on Mommyish.com

SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO READ:

(Sources: Donalyn Miller, Pernille Ripp, Nerdy Book Club, Jon Scieszka, RIF, Scholastic.com, Improvingnet.com, School Library Journal)

Show them how important reading is in your life by example. Make time for pleasure reading yourself. Share your own reading interests with your students.

Teachers: make space in your classrooms for a book wall where students can cover chalk boards, bulletin board and closets with their book titles. This public display of book affection helps show students how central books are to their world.

Start a book club for young readers. Start small to make discussion easier and minimizing organization stress. Consider partnering with another club or group.

Find out what the young person is interested in, then help them find related reading material (whether's a book, magazine or newspaper article, graphic novel, short story, audiobook, etc.).

Don't try to force them to read certain types of books just because you think they should.

Encourage students to share their own book reviews and recommendations with other students.

For younger children, read aloud to them. For older kids, encourage them to read aloud to you sometimes.

Find out something that the child wants to learn to do, then encourage her to find out through reading.

Get a library card and visit your local library.

Create a comfy reading nook.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS AND THE LOVE OF READING:

There are many fun children's books about books, libraries and the love of reading. See Reading Rockets Favorite Stories About Libraries and Librarians, Picture Books About Reading, Picture Books About Books And Libraries For Young Readers, Picture Books About Reading, Books and Libraries, Picture Books About The Library.

OTHER RESOURCES:

Donalyn Miller: blog, info about her books, links to her popular posts

Pernille Ripp: Lots of excellent ideas for generating reading and writing excitement in the classroom.

Literacy & NCTE: Official blog of the National Council of Teachers Of English

Getting Kids Reading: Joyce Grant's blog with ideas on how to get young people excited about reading.

Reading At Home For Kids - by Andrea Davis (Thanks to Elizabeth Crowley for the suggestion)

Starfall - program service of Starfall Education Foundation. (Thanks to Elizabeth Crowley for the suggestion)

Reading Is Fundamental: RIF's mission: "To motivate young children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF's highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8."

15 Creative Ways To Get Kids Reading (That Really Work!): by Alice Kuipers, from Today's Parent.

Jon Sieszka on How To Get Kids To Love Reading (Tip: Stop Telling Them How Important Reading Is)

Getting Boys To Read website: managed by Mike McQueen.

Everyday Tactics That Will Encourage Your Teen To Read: by Denise Witmer on About Parenting.

Getting Teenage Boys To Read: on Parenting.co.uk.

Realistic Ideas To Get Teens Reading - by Ginny Wiehardt on the Scholastic site. Also see the rest of the site for other useful articles, resources and tools.

Little Ones Reading Resource

Tips For Enouraging Kids To Read: by Jessica Snyder, on Reading Rockets

Brightly: Penguin Random House's blog to help parents raise readers.