How to Get Kids to Read More + Great Books for Ages 7–12

We read a lot of books this summer.

Between my three kids, we had everything from Harry Potter and The Wild Robot to Little House on the Prairie, The Bletchley Riddle, and plenty of Vanderbeekers!

The secret to this much reading was pretty simple: we prioritized reading.

We deliberately participated in summer reading programs, but I didn’t spend our summer tracking minutes or requiring book reports. Instead, we simply made time for books every day and made reading one of the easiest forms of entertainment available to our kids. 

Here are three simple things we did this summer that made a big difference.

The 3 Habits That Increased Our Reading

1. We Prioritized an Hour of Reading Every Day

Reading was part of our daily summer routine.

Our goal was to spend about an hour reading every day. Most days we chose to do that after lunch. We all got a book, including me. Other days, reading naturally happened throughout the day. 

Reading wasn’t something we tried to squeeze in if we happened to have time left over. We made time for it.

An hour may sound like a lot, especially if your child isn’t already a big reader. You certainly don’t have to start there. Start with 30 minutes and slowly build up. What mattered for us was consistency. And once kids get into a really good book, you often don’t have to tell them when their reading time is over.

2. We Went to the Library a Lot

We visited the library multiple times a week this summer.

I think one of the easiest ways to raise readers is simply to give them access to lots and lots of books. We placed books on hold so often that we were forced to go in and pick them up. But my kids also found books on their own when we went in. 

Not every book has to be educational. Not every book has to be a classic. And not every book has to be one I would have picked for them.

I spend a lot of time curating their book lists, and most of the time they enjoy what I pick for them. But sometimes they don’t. For example, my daughter did not enjoy Journey to the Center of the World, or Kidnapped (Check her full list below).

3. We Limited Screens

This is probably the biggest one. We limited video games, TV, iPads, and other recreational screens.

When screens are always available, books have some pretty tough competition. But when the automatic response to boredom isn’t a video game, YouTube, or TV, kids start looking for other things to do.

Often, if my kids had planned screen time, the rule of thumb was that they had to finish reading before asking for any screens. At this point, the expectation was either 60-100 pages or an hour of reading. 

I don’t expect my kids to choose a book over a screen every single time. Most kids probably won’t. So instead of constantly asking them to make that choice, I simply create boundaries around screens making it harder to achieve screen time.

What My 12-Year-Old Read

My oldest is my biggest reader, and historical fiction is one of her favorite genres. She also loves fantasy, mythology, and a good series. She will sometimes pre-read a book to make sure it is a good fit for her younger brothers such as Gamerville, and she also loves going back and rereading a favorite book or series she has enjoyed before such as the Vanderbeekers.

Here are some of the books she read this summer:

What My 9-Year-Old Read

My 9-year-old would much rather spend the entire day playing outside than reading a book, and he hasn’t quite reached the point of reading for leisure yet. However, he will gladly follow our house rules around reading without complaint. Because he is less likely to seek out books on his own, I tend to curate his reading list more than I do for my other two kids, while still trying to find books that match his interests. His list this summer was a mix of classics, adventure, and series books.

He read:

What My 7-Year-Old Read

My youngest made some big strides in his independent reading this summer. His list ranged from a few shorter chapter books and several longer novels like The Wild Robot, The Magic Faraway Tree Series, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I loved watching him discover that he could tackle some of these bigger books completely on his own. I generally don’t have trouble getting him to read. 

He read:

How to Start This Week

Looking back at these lists, what stands out to me isn’t really the number of books. It’s what can happen when we intentionally make space for reading.

Make books plentiful. Make reading part of the routine. And give kids enough screen-free time to actually get bored and reach for one.

And don’t underestimate the power of finding the right book. Sometimes a child who says they don’t like reading simply hasn’t found the book or series that makes them want to keep going.

I hope our summer reading lists give you a few ideas for your own kids.

More Book Lists to Try Next

Want more ideas from our shelves? Start with our kids’ book lists, try these easy chapter books for reluctant readers if you have a younger reader, or browse our best middle grade book series. For curious minds, you’ll also love these nonfiction books that build knowledge of the world and our middle grade historical fiction picks.

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