Last week, I zipped through a middle grade graphic novel. It took me about 40 minutes. It made me think about the difference in time spent reading and the number of words I was reading compared to a prose novel. Compared to most prose novels, graphic novels have fewer words and they're quicker in terms of sustained reading time. Both matter for growing readers. Ultimately, the more words a child reads, the better their vocabulary and reading comprehension will be. Don't misunderstand. I will...

One of the most important thing you can do over the summer is ensure your readers are reading DAILY. Why? Because regression is real. To that end, here are several ideas to keep up the reading motivation this summer. Start a book club! Read a book with a movie or show. Grab my fun-filled Reading Journal. (Shown above. Interior pages here.) Make a cozy reading nook. Get a headlamp or book light and read under the covers. Read to a new (stuffed) reading buddy. Let your kids spend $20 at the...

Happy June! Have you tried to gamify your reading before? Yesterday, my twenty-year-old daughter explained to me that she and her best friend love playing a bookstore game. They look for the weirdest manga book titles. Here are some examples:Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! Fun, right? You can do this, too! Think about what fun bookish games you could play with your readers. Maybe at the library they...