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July 17, 2025 10 mins

Tired of hunting down the “perfect” book only for your child to lose interest after chapter one? You’re not alone. When reading feels like a chore—for both you and your child—it’s easy to get stuck in a frustrating loop. But here’s the good news: you don’t need endless new titles to keep them hooked.

In this episode of the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast, Ellen Westbrook shares how book series can be a game-changer for reluctant and struggling readers. You’ll discover how the right series builds confidence, cuts down on reading resistance, and makes family reading time smoother and more enjoyable.

What You’ll Learn:

☑️ Why book series simplify reading routines and build reading momentum

☑️ How to use series to reduce resistance and decision fatigue

☑️ Practical tips for choosing and introducing a series your child will love

Key Episode Highlights:

  • [00:00:55] Why series are ideal for reluctant readers (familiarity, momentum, and fewer choices)
  • [00:01:36] Real-life example: how a series supports bedtime reading routines
  • [00:02:41] How to use mini goals to challenge them
  • [00:03:48] Recommended series for Kindergarten–1st Grade
  • [00:05:54] Recommended series for 2nd–3rd Grade
  • [00:07:24] Recommended series for 4th–6th Grade
  • [00:08:31] A one-series reading challenge to build consistent reading habits

📖 Prefer to Read? Full blog post: https://engagingreluctantreaders.com/2025/07/17/why-book-series-work/


 📺 Prefer to Watch? YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/IjCLsfnmH8g


FREEBIE ALERT!
Grab your Binge-Worthy Book List to help your child discover engaging, can’t-put-it-down series from kindergarten through sixth grade.
📥 Get it here → https://engagingreluctantreaders.m-pages.com/bingeworthy-book-list


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It helps get this podcast out in front of more moms that need to hear it, so we can help more reluctant readers learn to love books and put an end to the nightly battles around reading!


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