The 33 Best Books For Students Who Don’t Like To Read

“Let’s get out our [independent/book club/whole class] books and open to page __!”

At least one student in the room experiences a shudder of disdain and a wave of despondency each time such words are uttered (many more students are likely experiencing this emotional response to the dread of reading on the inside).

Why Do Students Hate Reading?

Some students are revolted by the prospect of reading. Several common findings show up from teachers’ reports:

• They haven’t found a book, author, or genre yet that they like, and they don’t know where to begin
• They would prefer to occupy their time with different forms of media or more kinesthetic activities
• They find reading boring — not long after they start reading, they lose track of their place, get annoyed by having to reread difficult passages, or tune out when the author goes on and on about seemingly insignifcant details
• They have been ‘forced’ to read books in middle school that they didn’t enjoy, either because the books were neither interesting, relevant, nor accessible
• Their grades in ELA are somewhat dependent on scores from AR (accelerated reader) tests/quizzes, the questions of which mainly prompt students to recall basic information about the plot

See also What Are The Best Novels In Verse For Middle & High School Readers?

Here’s the thing — all of these reasons are totally valid. It can be physically and mentally challenging to decode a text that may be full of difficult vocabulary, unfamiliar cultural references, background/historical knowledge, and more. It can be emotionally straining to tackle controversial or sensitive topics. Additionally, teachers who engage students in reading through whole-class novels alone (as opposed to including independent reading or smaller book club groups) risk isolating and turning off readers for the sake of what feels like efficiency. At some point between elementary school and high school, many students fall out of love with reading, an act that used to involve play and imagination and risk and creativity and fun. Add in multiple-choice exams and reading timelines and annotations, and the magic is understandably less apparent.

In What I Tell Students When They Say They Don’t Like to Read, Terry Heick shares with a hypothetical student: “If you say you ‘hate reading,’ that means you hate ideas and emotions. Feeling things. Exploring things. Achieving things. Next time you say you hate reading, say instead, ‘I hate feeling things,’ or ‘I hate stories and ideas written with words on pieces of paper that can help me achieve anything I’ve dreamed and can help me dream if I haven’t.’”

Such a statement might warrant a good chuckle to a student who is struggling with reading. As educators, sharing one’s own challenges with reading — as a child, teen, and adult — can help reluctant readers feel like they’re less alone and reduce the pressure to appear like they’re engaged in a book they can’t stand. What comes next? An awesome book to reignite enjoyment in reading. Here’s where we can help.

We’ve compiled a list of 33 of the best books for students who don’t like to read. How did these books make it onto our list?

• The books are often told by multiple narrators
• The books are written by diverse authors
• The books are written in different forms
• The books are accessible for readers of all levels
• The books touch on topics that are relevant to students’ lives today
• The books touch on topics that adults often try to shield teens from reading (even though teens are experiencing them vicariously or in real life)

See Also 12 Reasons Students Don’t Read And What You Can Do About It

Upon finishing these books, students are likely to ask an ELA teacher’s five favorite words, “What should I read next?” The great thing about these books is that many of them are part of a series, many are written by authors who have since published additional books, and many can act as a bridge to a new genre (like historical fiction, mystery, poetry, or memoir). The more a student can find and read books that are enjoyable and meaningful, the more confident they will become in identifying books they think they will like.

We hope these books are catalysts for your students and for teachers, who might benefit from venturing outside of the traditional canon and experimenting with new ways of fostering a love of reading in their classes.

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The Best Books for Students Who Don’t Like to Read