Reading in the Wild and the 40 Book Challenge!
Over the summer, I read a book that really changed the way I thought about inspiring readers. It is called Reading in the Wild and is written by Donalyn Miller. She is known as "the book whisperer" for good reason. She has found ways to inspire even the most reluctant readers...
Ways I plan to employ her teachings within my classroom are:
1 | Dedicate time to reading
Wild readers spend substantial time reading in spite of their hectic lives. They capitalize on the moments in their days when they are bored or waiting, and rack up significant reading time by stealing it.
Teaching tips:
• Books to Go: Encourage students to carry a book with them everywhere so that they have something to read when they finish assignments, wait for the bus, or ride to soccer practice.
• Reading Itinerary: Have students keep a reading itinerary for one week, noting the places in your classroom and school where they read and for what length of time. This will help students recognize their preferences about where and when they read, as well as note the obstacles that prevent them from reading.
2 | Successfully self-select
Wild readers are confident when selecting books to read, and they have the experience and skills to successfully choose books that meet their interests, needs, and reading abilities.
Teaching tips:
• Preview Stacks: Collect four or five books at a student’s reading level that match her interests and invite her to select from these.
• Selection Reflections: Have students reflect on their book selections. Create forms with questions that include the following:
- How did you find out about the books that you like to read?
- When you see a book, how do you decide whether you want to read it?
- Do you ever abandon a book? Why or why not?
3 | Share books with others
Wild readers enjoy talking about books almost as much as reading them. Reading communities provide a group of other readers who support us. As literacy expert Stephen Krashen reminds us, “Children read more when they see other people reading.”
Teaching tips:
• Seating Preferences: Foster reading relationships by seating students with common reading interests at the same table. They can suggest titles to one another for additional reading and participate in book discussions.
• Reading Graffiti: Stretch a sheet of butcher paper across a wall. Invite students to write the title of a book and a memorable quote from it. I scrawled The Hunger Games’ catchphrase, “May the odds be ever in your favor!” on our board. Every line serves as a book endorsement.
4 | Have reading plans
You can spot wild readers from a mile away. They’re usually the first to get their hands on the new Rick Riordan or Suzanne Collins and they can’t wait to fill out the latest book order form at school. Wild readers always plan to read beyond their current book. They anticipate new books by favorite authors or the next installment in a beloved series. Reading is habitual for them, not a casual, once-in-awhile pursuit.
Teaching tips:
• Super Series: Promote series, which become a reading plan for students who struggle to maintain reading momentum and motivation. Students who read series develop confidence and increased comprehension with each subsequent book because they build background knowledge as
they go.
• Set a Challenge: Chances are that your students are up for a challenge. Have them set up a plan to push themselves—perhaps by reading a certain number of Newbery-winning titles or taking part in a Book-a-Day Challenge over a break.
5 | Validate and expand
Yes, children need to read widely and experience a range of texts as part of their literacy education. But wild readers express strong preferences in the books they like—gravitating toward specific genres, writing styles, topics, and authors. Validate their choices while pushing the envelope.
Teaching tips:
• Reading Preferences: Encourage students to try new books by reading across all genres. Show students connections between texts of different genres like Laurie Halse Anderson’s Fever 1793 and Jim Murphy’s An American Plague, or The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths.
• Genre Boost: Take a look at the genres that students avoid. Many of my students report nonfiction as their least favorite category. Select high-quality nonfiction to share during book talks or to serve as mentor texts. Try pairing fiction texts with nonfiction texts on the same topic.
Students need encouragement and practice to develop the habits of wild readers. Every day, I ask, “What did I teach my students about reading that they can use with other texts? What did I show my students about reading that they can use outside of school?” We must never lose sight of our goal—fostering a lifelong love of reading, which lasts long after school ends.
Within my classroom, as well as outside the classroom, the students will be expected to:
- Fill out their reading habit survey (completed within the first few days of school)
- Participate in the 40 Book Challenge:
- 10 Free Choice Books, 5 Realistic Fiction Books, 5 Informational Text, 5 Fantasy, 5 Biographies/Autobiographies, 4 Historical Fiction, 4 Mysteries, 2 Poetry
- Keep track of reading on your 40 Book Challenge Recording Sheet
The books the students read can (and should) be used for the weekly homework assignments: journal, a la carte, and summary/book talk/book cover.