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In North Shore Country Day’s lower school, a love of reading is not just encouraged — it’s celebrated. Walk into a fourth grade classroom, and you’ll find students eagerly discussing books, sharing recommendations and setting ambitious reading goals. At the heart of this enthusiasm is the Fourth Grade Reading Challenge, a program designed to help students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. 

“Our fourth grade teachers are here to help students start to make this transition into reading across genres,” explained Assistant Head of Lower School Caitlin McLennan. “And it’s at this age that the students are really developing into these well-rounded readers who can think critically and communicate effectively — they’re becoming lifelong readers.” 

A Personalized Reading Journey 
At the beginning of each school year, fourth grade teachers Jackie Haug and Pippa Nyamweya invite students to participate in what they now call the Fourth Grade Reading Challenge. It started as the 40 Book Challenge, but rather than emphasizing a strict numerical goal, the teachers focus on meeting students where they are. Students choose their overall goal and then teachers provide a list of genres with suggestions of how many books to read from each category. Selections range from quick reads like graphic novels and poetry to longer, more complex chapter books. 

“We do not stress a number,” Pippa said. “Breaking the challenge into smaller parts and personalizing it makes it less overwhelming. If a student loves graphic novels, we encourage them to continue reading those — that’s awesome. But let’s add something to it. Let’s explore some other interests they may have.” 

The challenge, inspired by strategies from Donalyn Miller’s “The Book Whisperer,” emerged in response to post-pandemic reading habits. Jackie noticed that after the instant gratification of extended screen time, students struggled to focus on books. “It takes dedication to read a whole book,” she said. “But kids get a lot of satisfaction from closing a book and being able to say, ‘I did that.’ So once they start realizing that satisfaction, the momentum builds.” 

While many students naturally set a 40-book goal, Jackie and Pippa work closely with those who may find that intimidating. “We partner with families to come up with a number that’s realistic — if it’s going to intimidate them to the point where they can’t do it, it’s not a productive struggle, it’s just a struggle,” Jackie said. Some students start by reading just one book from each genre before gradually expanding their goals. “We adjust it with them as we go, but we never say what they’re going to actually accomplish — they do that themselves.” 

Building Excitement for Reading 
A key element of the challenge is peer collaboration. Students participate in “book buzzes,” where they share book recommendations with classmates. “Hearing from peers inspires students to try new genres they might not have picked up otherwise,” Pippa said. “We also use read-alouds to introduce students to new authors and genres, which often sparks curiosity. Students will often want to read more books from that author or another book from that series.” 

Students keep “want to read” lists and actively track their progress using genre sheets. “It’s incredible to watch them take ownership of their reading,” Jackie said. “This year we had one girl who had checked off everything on her list but historical fiction so she just called out to her classmates asking for recommendations.” 

The teachers have worked hard to create a supportive reading environment, which looks different for each child. For some, it means partner reading, so there are times set aside for classmates to pair up and talk about books. Others prefer listening to audiobooks. Some students like to find a comfortable spot to read, so you might find them lounging in the window seat or curled up in a corner. “The excitement builds when students look forward to reading,” Pippa explained. 

Developing Essential Skills 
Parents often worry that their children will never move beyond graphic novels, but Jackie and Pippa promise they will. “Graphic novels like ‘Dogman’ are like US Weekly or People Magazine — there’s a time and place for them,” Jackie explained. “I love to read them when I’m getting a pedicure, but it’s not the only thing I read. They can be comforting for kids.” 

Pippa added that graphic novels can be a gateway to building important literacy skills including vocabulary, comprehension and a love of storytelling. “They’re just part of the journey, not the end,” she said. 

Jackie and Pippa made an intentional decision to prioritize both read-aloud and independent reading time during the school day — something often pushed aside in modern classrooms. Because of students’ busy schedules, they sometimes don’t have the time or energy to read after school, so the bulk of the challenge is designed to be completed during class time. Beyond fostering a love of reading, the challenge builds critical academic and life skills: 

• Students practice meaningful collaboration by discussing books and persuading their peers to read new selections. 
• They hone communication skills by articulating thoughts and actively listening during book buzzes. 
• The challenge nurtures reading stamina, a crucial skill for upper grades. 

“Our fifth grade teachers have noticed students entering their classrooms with impressive reading endurance,” Caitlin said. “They’re ready work independently and in student-led groups — to read and analyze texts and think critically about themes and character development.” 

Both Pippa and Jackie emphasized that every student experiences growth through the challenge, whether they start as reluctant readers or book lovers. “There’s always a kid every single year where you think, ‘Oh, you became a reader this year,’” Jackie said. “And that’s always because of this — because we give them time, space and the expectation. But it’s the reluctant readers that really get me every year where I’m just like, oh wow, you’re going to do this, and it is amazing.”