Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Best Books for Reluctant Readers (K-6)
39
items I frequently get asked the question, “What books would you recommend for my kid who doesn't like to read?” I have a theory that the only people who don't like reading are just the people who haven't found the right genre of books yet. Here are some g...
Sections
5
Graphic Novels
Fascinating NonFiction
Fun Series
Mirrors and Windows
Reader Resources
Graphic Novels
Highly illustrated, these are a great intro to the love of reading.
Good luck finding a kid who doesn't love the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books! And for good reason. They're hilarious and have a timeless feel to them.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Such a quirky series. Funny and silly, these are a quick read and the engrossing illustrations will keep your kid searching for details.
The Treehouse Books
The premise of these is ridiculous--a police officer with a dog's head and human body. Silly and funny, most kids love Dog Man and Cat Kid and their crazy adventures.
Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey
Captain Underpants is another silly series, but the core message of friendship is actually really sweet.
Captain Underpants
For the comics-obsessed kid
Big Nate
Fast-paced and fun, the Geronimo Stilton books follow an adventurous mouse around the world.
Geronimo Stilton
The Bad Guys series is fun, silly, and it has an animated series made after it (a fun gateway into really falling into love with the world).
The Bad Guys (the Bad Guys #1): Volume 1 a book by Aaron Blabey
Fascinating NonFiction
Some kids prefer to learn about true subject matters over fiction stories, and that's just fine!
My kiddos absolutely love the Science Comics series! There are a wide variety of topics, so whatever your kid is into, you can probably find a title.
Science Comics
Such a fun read for any kid who's interested in biology and the human body.
Human Body Theater: A Non-Fiction Revue
A great series for kids who like to learn about people in the past!
Who Was? series
A great history series for kids.
What Was? series
Kids who travel through time to learn about fascinating events and things in the past.
Magic Tree House
This adorable and hilarious book has fun and interesting facts about predators--sure to delight any kid who's into animals.
How to Promenade with a Python (Polite Predators)
Fun Series
One great thing about book series is that once a reader falls in love with the characters, they can follow them throughout the entire adventure.
The Series of Unfortunate Events has relatively short books, but a lot of books in the series, with a central mystery running throughout. Great for middle graders!
The Bad Beginning a book by Lemony Snicket and Brett Helquist
Many a kid (and adult) has fallen in love with fiction through the Hogwarts universe.
Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set: Books 1-7 a book by J. K. Rowling
Nothing brings reluctant readers on board like scaring them (a little). The Goosebumps series has become a classic for a reason.
Night of the Living Dummy (Classic Goosebumps #1): Volume 1 a book by R L Stine
A beloved classic for a reason, the Ralph S. Mouse series of books by Beverly Cleary are delightful and will captivate even the most reluctant reader's imagination.
The Ralph Mouse 3-Book Collection: The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Runaway Ralph, Ralph S. Mouse a book by Beverly Cleary
The Humphrey books are just delightful. They're gentle and a great read-a-long with your kiddo.
The World According to Humphrey a book by Betty G. Birney
My son LOVES the Wild Robot books. You can't help but root for the confused robot who's more human than she realizes.
The Wild Robot Boxed Set a book by Peter Brown
This four-book series is one that I might love even more than my kiddos. The humor is dry and wry and absurd. The illustrations are absolutely hilarious and add an even deeper layer of humor to the books.
The Terrible Two a book by Jory John, Mac Barnett, and Kevin Cornell
Judy Blume's “Fudge” series have aged really well. They're classics and hilarious.
Judy Blume's Fudge Set a book by Judy Blume
Mirrors and Windows
Kids need to both see themselves in books (mirrors) and see the world outside of their own (windows). Here are some books and resources to widen and diversify their reading.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a group started by authors and publishing professionals committed to supporting, encouraging, and promoting diverse authors. They offer numerous wonderful resources!
We Need Diverse Books
Lots of great options here for younger readers or kids who aren't quite ready for older middle grade books!
22 Excellent Early Chapter Books With Diverse Protagonists | Brightly
A fun, cross-cultural middle grade mystery set during the COVID lockdown.
Lalo Lespérance Never Forgot a book by Phillippe Diederich
A compendium of the popular Little People, Big Dreams series, a bit more in-depth for a slightly older reader. These bring the stories of a diverse array of Americans into accessible stories.
Little People, BIG DREAMS: American Dreams
The Diverse BookFinder is a great tool to help you find books that offer diverse viewpoints by topic or diverse element.
Diverse BookFinder
Reader Resources
There are so many ethical ways to read books in an affordable or free way.
Gamify reading with these fun, printable reader bingo cards! As a bonus, you could add prizes for filling out rows, columns, or the whole sheet.
Reading Bingo | Printable | Reading List | Book Checklist | Summer Activity | Kids Reading | Reading Challenge | Quiet Activity | All Ages
I love to support my local library! And I love listening to audiobooks and downloading e-books through the Libby app. Yes, I have to be patient on the waiting list, but it's a great way to read a lot of books on a budget if you're a bibliophile like ...
Download the Libby App: ebooks & audiobooks FREE from your library
Buying books through bookshop.org is a great way to support local independent bookstores!
Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
You can find some great audiobook deals on Chirp, and if you don't feel like committing to a subscription, it's a good option for audiobooks.
Chirp | The Best Audiobook Deals Without A Subscription Fee
If you love listening to audiobooks, Audible is a great option. They have a ton of titles that you have access to on an unlimited basis, and then you can also choose a new book each month to keep. You can get a month's free trial to decide if you lik...
Audible - Huge Catalog of Audiobooks
Yes, I'm that weirdo who has multiple tablets to read on. I prefer my Kindle for nighttime reading and travel. I prefer reading on my iPad during the day and for books that I need to be able to zoom in on (like, say, a map of a manor house where some...
Apple iPad (10th Gen), 10.9-inch, 64GB, Pink
I've had my Kindle Paperwhite for years now, after being one of those people who said that you could pry paper books out of my cold dead hands. Well, consider me a humbled convert. I love the way that I can carry my TBR pile around with me. I love th...
Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB), 6.8" Display, Black
I'm an avid reader, so I joined Barnes & Noble's premium membership plan. You save 10% on books, free shipping, as well as exclusive discounts and goodies.
Barnes & Noble | NOOK eReaders
Good e-book and audiobook option!
Rakuten Kobo
If you like to read on your iPhone, Apple Books offers the best app for reading.
Apple Books
Another good e-book option
Books on Google Play
Books-A-Million is a great alternative for print books, ebooks, and more.
BAM! Books, Toys & More | Books-A-Million Online Book Store
Kickin' in old school with this vintage library card tote bag. There was nothing like the “ka-chunk” sound of checking out a book at the library.
Library Card Tote Bag