“I became a teacher to prepare kids for standardized testing,” said no teacher ever. I personally have a myriad of different reasons contributing to my current career choice, as I’m sure each educator does. One of the big reasons I became a teacher was because I love to read, and I wanted to share the joy of reading with children. I never realized how much my teacher life would change once I discovered the 40 book challenge.
When I was told during my first year of teaching that kids couldn’t read books “just to read books,” I was disappointed. How would my students learn to love reading if there was always some assignment or quiz looming at the end of a chapter? How would my students get lost on a fantastical journey if they had to make sure they could identify the theme and cite evidence from the text at the end? But, I was the new teacher, and as the rule-follower I was, I listened to my mentors.
For 3 years, everything we read in my classroom had a purpose. I made sure that my classroom library was leveled appropriately, and that my students only read books on their independent reading level, because “that’s how they would become better readers.” When some of my students wanted to read Harry Potter, I told them to put it back and find a different book because it would be “too hard” for them.
I made sure my students were reading every night by sending home reading logs that required a parent's signature. Surely, I thought, this was the way to make sure my students became the best readers they could be.
But there was a small voice in the back of my head that kept telling me "there's a better way to do this."
And then, the summer after my 3rd year of teaching, I checked out “The Book Whisperer” from the library.
How the 40 Book Challenge Changed My Teaching
First, if you have not read this book yet and teach reading in any way, shape, or form, GO READ IT NOW! Seriously, stop reading this, then come back once you’ve finished it.
As I read this book, I felt free. Finally, there was someone who agreed with me, that kids could read “just for fun.” Not only that, but perhaps some of the best ways to reach my reluctant readers was to give them the chance to select what book they wanted, and let them read it, just for fun. This book was going to change my life and the lives of my students.
The next school year, my reading logs went into the recycling bin. Instead, my students were introduced to the 40 book challenge. Simply put, I challenged each of my students to read 40 books throughout the course of the school year. I gave them a list of how many books from each genre type they should read, started a “Books I have read” list in their notebooks, and we got on our way.
Instead of nightly reading logs, students were tracking the number of books they read. And let's be honest: if they managed to read 40 books throughout the school year, they were probably reading the 20+ minutes they needed to at home too. I didn't need parents to rush to sign some reading log just to prove to me that their child read the night before (when half of the time the parents were lying too). I felt so liberated in this new approach to reading.
And so it began. Even though it was my first year of implementing the challenge, I consider it a success. I didn’t have all of my students read 40 books, but it was a part of our class culture, and several of my students read more than they did the year before. The biggest payoff though was when I saw students who were disenchanted with reading fall in love with a book. Just one book. And they learned that maybe reading isn’t the worst thing on the planet.
I also learned so many things over the years of doing the challenge that has allowed me to make it easier for my students to complete. Now, I’m sharing what I’ve learned with you.
Want More Info on the Challenge?
This is Part 1 in a 5-part series about the 40 book challenge. Each week I'll post a new blog post that talks about one of the parts of the 40 book challenge. Check out these blog posts to learn more!
Part 2: Introducing the 40-Book Challenge to Your Students
Part 3: How to Track the 40-Book Challenge
Part 4: Creating a Book Tasting Experience for the 40-Book Challenge
Part 5: FAQ about the 40-Book Challenge
Want some help implementing the 40 Book Challenge in your class? Check out my reading tracker here to get started!
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