S2E343: The "Pay to Read" Method (+ 4 Other Unconventional Ways to Raise Bookworms)
transcript
show notes
In an era of instant dopamine hits like TikTok, YouTube, and ChatGPT summaries, getting a kid to crack open a book feels like a losing battle. But it doesn't have to be!
In this episode, MacKenzie breaks down the exact strategies used to build high-agency, avid readers—including a highly controversial, hyper-effective, science-backed weapon: paying kids to read.
For parents who want to build a lifelong reading muscle in their kids, this episode's 5 easy strategies are a great way to get started this summer.
Austin Scholar’s Age-by-Age Book Recommendations
(For the full age-by-age list, including graphic novels, series, and magazines, head over to Austin Scholar’s original post.)
Kindergarten — 1st grade:
- The I Can Read! and Ready-to-Read leveled series.
- Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff.
2nd — 3rd grade:
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
- The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne.
4th — 5th grade:
- Holes by Louis Sachar.
- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
- The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.
- The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley.
- Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
- Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan.
- Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter.
Middle School:
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.
- The Giver by Lois Lowry.
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
- Animal Farm by George Orwell.
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
- Legend by Marie Lu.
- The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall.
- Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir.
