The document provides 30 tips for parents to encourage their teenagers to read over the summer break. Some of the key tips include determining the teen's reading level, getting them interested in genres like graphic novels, manga, or audiobooks, taking them to book festivals or conventions related to their interests, placing reading materials in common areas like the bathroom, and finding compelling book series. The overall goal is to make reading a fun and engaging activity for teens during their summer break from school.

1. 30 Ways to Get Your Teen
Reading this Summer
SUMMER BREAK IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AND TEENAGERS
ARE EXCITEDLY DECIDING WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING WITH THEIR 3
MONTHS OF FREEDOM FROM SCHOOL AND HOMEWORK.

2. 30 Ways to Get Your Teen Reading this
Summer
Summer break is right around the corner and teenagers are excitedly deciding what they will be
doing with their 3 months of freedom from school and homework. Many of them will be making
plans with friends and enjoying the sunny summer months without the worry of school. Others
will be dreaming of vacations and getaways and the excitement of telling friends about their
adventures. For most, the last thought on their mind is ‘what books will I read this summer?’.
Little does your teen realize, books can be an escape and make his or her summer a memorable
one filled with adventures and good memories. So for those parents who are determined to
pass on a love of reading, here are 30 ways to get your teenager reading this summer!

3. Table Of Contents
1. Determine your teen’s reading level first.
2. Get a magazine subscription.
3. Cook together.
4. Get them into graphic novels.
5. Take them to a book festival.
6. Take them to a Comic Con.
7. Combine movies and reading.
8. Take a trip to your local library.
9. Get them into manga.
10. Take them to an Otakuthon.
11. Place reading material in the bathroom.
12. Show your teen that you enjoy reading.
13. Learn more about their interests.
14. Listen to audiobooks in the car or at dinner time.
15. Take a trip to a local bookstore.
16. Find a compelling series.
17. Tie reading in to social media and technology.
18. Have them sign up for a goodreads account.
19. Introduce them to poetry.
20. Get them a ‘banned book’.
21. Read the same book as your teen and then have a discussion.
22. Get them a collection of short-stories.
23. Sign them up for a reading portfolio.
24. Take them to a poetry reading.
25. Give the gift of reading.
26. Join a book club.
27. Encourage your teen to try different genres.
28. Get recommendations from others.
29. Encourage them to check out zines.
30. Relate the reading material back to everyday life.

4. 1. Determine your teen’s reading level first
Take a moment to determine your teenager’s reading level first, this way he will not be bored by
books that are too easy, or discouraged by books that may be just a bit too difficult for now. One
of the quickest and easiest ways to determine your teen’s approximate reading level is the San
Diego Quick Assessment test. Or check out TOTI if your teenager has any issues with reading. We
tailor a program for each student struggling to read. It only takes a few minutes.

5. 2. Get a magazine subscription.
Magazines can be about a variety of different topics and make for short but satisfactory reading.
Your teen may be more inclined to read articles that are easily relatable and offer pleasant
visuals along with it. They can also look forward to receiving a new magazine every month about
topics that interest them. Check out this list of magazines for your teen to read.

6. 3. Cook together.
If your teen enjoys helping in the kitchen, encourage her to find you some recipes she would like
to try out and have her read them to you. Combining reading with another enjoyable activity will
encourage her to actively participate more in reading. It’s also a great way to spend time
together, have fun, and practise reading skills. Have a look at this website to provide you with
ideas for cooking and reading.

7. 4. Get them into graphic novels.
With the rise of all the box office superhero movies coming out every summer, it might be a
good time to introduce your teen to graphic novels. If your teen is artistic, he or she will love the
mix of both visual and literary mediums combined. Your teen will also be way ahead of the
crowd when the next big movie hits screens.

8. 5. Take them to a book festival.
Festivals are a popular way in summer to spend your days having fun and enjoying the outdoors.
They combine the atmosphere of a party with the enjoyment of reading. This can help your teen
see that reading doesn’t always have to be tedious. Check out book festivals near you, they will
be sure to have plenty of events and books you can spend your day browsing through.

9. 6. Take them to a Comic Con.
If your teen loves Marvel or D.C. why not take them to a Comic Con (a comic book convention)?
They can meet the authors of their favorite franchises, dress up as their favorite character and
get their hands on comics that are hard to find to complete their collection. They can even take
pictures with their favorite characters and may find a new comic they want to read.
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10. 7. Combine movies and reading.
If your son or daughter is a movie buff, make a list of their favorite movies and TV shows, find
out which ones were made into books and get those from the library. Not only will they be sure
to enjoy the story but they will be able to learn more about the characters and storyline from
another perspective the movie or show could not cover.
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11. 8. Take a trip to your local library.
Local libraries have so many different forms of reading materials available on a number of
subjects. A librarian can help your adolescent find suitable and interesting reads as well as
recommend future books to read. Be sure to get a library card and your teenager will soon have
a mountain of books at his or her fingertips, all for free.

12. 9. Get them into manga.
If your teenager enjoys watching Japanese anime, why not introduce him to its written
counterpart: a manga book. Choose an anime they particularly enjoy and grab the manga
version of it. Your teen can enjoy the visuals they love about the show and can read ahead of the
anime to know what is happening with the characters they know and love. For a list of mangas,
click here.

13. 10. Take them to an Otakuthon.
An Otakuthon is similar to a Comic Con but it is strictly for Japanese anime and manga. Your teen
can connect with other people that share their interests, dress up as their favorite character, and
purchase hard to find mangas as well as memorabilia. Perhaps they can even find new manga
that interests them. Find out if your area hosts any Otakuthon or anime conventions.
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14. 11. Place reading material in the
bathroom.
This one may sound funny but really it makes perfect sense. Your teen is unlikely to bring a
laptop or television in there with them so why not load your bathroom up with reading material
such as magazines, comic books or even a joke book. It might only be a short amount of time
spent but at least it gets your teen to pick up a book.

15. 12. Show your teen that you enjoy
reading.
If your teenager sees you enjoying a book, they will be more likely to view it as a pleasurable
pastime and may pick up on it. So next time your teen is around, grab a book and show them
what you enjoy so much about reading. Ask them if they would like to sit and join you for a
reading session. Browse through this list to get some idea for your own reading enjoyment.

16. 13. Learn more about your teen's
interests.
Encourage reading by building on your teen's interests. Look for books that feature his or her
favorite teams, celebrities, or hobbies. They will be more likely to read something that interests
them already and that they are passionate about.

17. 14. Listen to audiobooks.
This may not be actual reading per se, but having them listen to the first book in a series may
encourage them to pick up the rest of the series in book form. Listening to the audiobook may
also help them visual and image more so that when they do pick up the second book in that
series, they already have this imaginary world in their heads. Try listening to an audiobook in the
car or at dinner instead of watching television. For a list of great audiobooks just for young
adults visit this website.

18. 15. Take a trip to a local bookstore.
This is not only a good way to encourage reading but it is also a good opportunity to spend time
with your teenager. Browse the bookstore with them, check out the different types of literature
available and see what grabs their attention. If the bookstore has a cafe inside, even better! You
can sit down with your teen over a treat and have a conversation about it all. For bookstores in
Canada click here, for bookstores in the U.S. click here

19. 16. Find a compelling series.
Sometimes it’s just hard to find an interesting read and that can be a problem. If your teenager
can find a compelling series he adores, he’s more likely to devour the books and want to keep
reading. He just might find his new favorite author that way too! Sometimes it just takes the
right book to spark a love of reading.

20. 17. Tie reading in to social media and
technology.
Teenagers spend a big portion of their free time plugged into technology and social media so
why not tie reading into that time? Load up some ebooks onto their tablet or smart phone or
ask your teen to check out a blog, or social media channels that focus on books and reading.
Maybe they can find pictures of comic books or poem on Instagram, or join a discussion about
books on Facebook. Have your teen take a look at this website to get ideas on what social media
platforms they can join to help them read more.

21. 18. Have them sign up for a Goodreads
account.
If your teen has particularly enjoyed a book but is not a big fan of making time for reading, it
might be a good idea to have them sign up for a goodreads account. This website allows your
son or daughter to enter in the books they have enjoyed and receive insightful
recommendations for their next read. They can explore by genre and a variety of other
categories. They can even connect with friends and see what they are reading and what’s
popular within their circle.

22. 19. Introduce them to poetry.
More short poem books are now being released for a younger generation. This could be a good
opportunity to introduce your teen to poems and see if any particular topics catch his or her
interest. They might enjoy poems that rhyme or maybe your teen will prefer haikus. There is a
world of different types of poetry, so go explore it.

23. 20. Get them a ‘banned book’.
At this age, teenagers get a kick out of skirting authority, so why not let them indulge in this by
offering them a ‘banned book’? They might even be shocked to see that a lot of these banned
books are popular, beloved books as well.
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24. 21. Read the same book as your teen and
then have a discussion.
Now that you have shown your teenager how much you enjoy reading, why not pick up the
same book as your teen and read it together? You’ll have something to talk about and this will
encourage him to catch up to you or read ahead of you. As a parent, you will feel more
connected and in touch with what your teenager gets up to during their day.

25. 22. Get them a collection of short-stories.
Some teens find it difficult to read long books but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested
in reading. Get them some short-story books, that way they can read a few stories in the time it
would take them to read only a few chapters of a novel. This will offer them a sense of
satisfaction. Take a look at this collection of short stories written by other teens. For a list of
short-stories written by teens for teens have a look at Young Writers.

26. 23. Sign them up for a reading portfolio.
If your teen is planning to go to college, why not get a head start on creating a great application
and sign him up to a reading portfolio? This type of website allows your teen to track how many
books he has read and attach this information to any college application so that admissions
representatives can see how dedicated to learning he is.

27. 24. Take them to a poetry reading.
What teen isn’t into music? Songs are just poetry against a backdrop of music, so why not bring
your teen to a poetry reading or for a night in, watch episodes of Def Poetry Jam. Noticing the
similarities between music and poetry might just encourage them to pick up a book and have a
closer look. Find out about poetry slams in your area on this website: http://poetryslam.com

28. 25. Give the gift of reading.
Give your teen a gift card to a bookstore. They'll discover the fun of looking for a good book that
will be worth their while. Or better yet give them a gift subscription to a bookbox. Every month
your teen will have a box with a couple of books and other related bookish items delivered right
to your door.

29. 26. Join a book club.
Joining a book club gives your teen the chance to make new friends, share common interests
and read books which they may have never picked up on their own. Members of a book club
have different literary tastes and this is a good way to introduce different genres to your teen.

30. 27. Encourage your teen to try different
genres.
New readers may not even know that there are different genres. Your teen may think young
adult novels are either funny books, or fantasy. Encourage your teenager to read a wide variety,
even once he develops a preference for a specific genre. Your teen might find that he or she is
interested in an unexpected book which will open up a world of new possibilities.
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31. 28. Get recommendations from others.
Have your teen ask their teachers, friends, family members and even a librarian for book
recommendation. They might find their new favorite author, series or characters this way. And
you'd be surprised to learn what others are reading. There is a whole world of books out there
just waiting to be discovered.

32. 29. Encourage them to check out zines.
There are many magazines that are geared towards teens but if your teen prefers something
that is a bit less mainstream, it's a good idea to check out some ‘zines. Zines are usually self-
published works of texts and images put together that focus on topics that are not usually
covered in traditional magazines. Here's a list of zines to get you started.
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33. 30. Relate the reading material back to
everyday life.
If your teen can relate a story she read to her life, it will encourage her to seek out more
literature that speaks just to her. She will connect with the characters and want to learn more
about these characters and their lives. This kind of interest can foster a lifelong love for learning!
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