Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms

by Jarred Amato

Read widely and read often - create a classroom environment where independent reading thrives

Independent reading is more than just "drop everything and read" – it is a gateway to writing, critical thinking, discussion, and deeper learning. Author Jarred Amato, an accomplished middle and high school English teacher and founder of Project LIT Community, believes in the power of independent reading not only to turn around the reading attitudes of students but also to help them achieve huge gains in all areas of literacy, learning, and civic engagement.

Many teachers have pushed aside independent reading in the time crunch to teach all the content and skills in the curriculum — or because of pressure to stay true to a traditional literary canon. Instead of looking at it as either/or, Just Read It shows teachers how to make independent reading "yes, and." Dr. Amato’s Read and WRAP (write, reflect, analyze, participate) framework helps teachers cultivate meaningful learning experiences with daily dedication of independent reading time, followed by writing, reflection, conversation, and community-building lessons and activities.

With thoughtful, student-centered structures and strategies to sustain independent reading success, this book

Provides detailed insights on transforming the principles of access, choice, time, and community into actions Shows how to support student interests and varied reading levels Offers ready-to-go activities to initiate Read and WRAP routines at the start of the school year, keep momentum going, and finish the year strong to ensure continued literacy growth Demonstrates how to leverage student feedback to fine-tune the Read and WRAP routines Discusses various options for incorporating independent and whole-class novels into the curriculum Offers a game plan to "level up" IR, including how to launch and lead a Project LIT chapterWe live in a time when choosing what we read is critically important, and this book offers all the tools teachers need to guide students along the path to true literacy. Just Read It is perfect for anyone who believes in the power of books to change students’ lives and nurture a life-long love for reading.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Adult

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book for librarians and teachers on how to build a culture of reading and writing. I would love to observe Dr. Amato's class for a week to truly see how he implements his read and WRAP routines.

[Mattie Vandiver · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breath of fresh air.

Going back to school after the summer is always hard, and it’s been feeling especially hard this year: stress about curriculum and yearbooks and salary and everything in between unfortunately doesn’t stop in May like many non-educators tend to think.

I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more independent reading and student choice in the classroom, and this book is full of ideas to use throughout the year. If you’ve read The Book Whisperer, this book is similar, but in my opinion more thoroughly researched and updated.

This book gave me the push I needed to start feeling excited about the year ahead. Now hopefully I can do some of these strategies justice in my classroom.

[Shannon Minner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If you are a middle or high school ELA teacher or librarian this is a MUST read! Even other content areas can take some great tidbits from this book. Practical tips, implementation techniques, and online resources will have you ready to roll Read and Wrap time out when the school year starts.

[mia !! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was a highly informational book that provided me with the necessary means to start reading independently. I felt refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to read after this book. I especially enjoyed the introduction. I teared up a little. Overall, this was a great read. 5/5 stars!

[Mrs. Murfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a school librarian, this book made me feel empowered, inspired & reinvigorated!! I CAN NOT wait to discuss with every single teacher at my school!!!

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are an English teacher with less than 20 years experience, this book is for you. If you’ve taught longer, you’ll recognize Nancie Atwell’s work from the 1990s. It’s a good refresher— Amato does some things better, and Atwell does others better. Bottom line: you can take their ideas and Lucie Caldwell’s, blend them, add your own twist, and make something that works for you and your students.

[Carli · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Would give more stars if I could. This is a PHENOMENAL approach to independent reading in the classroom. I’m looking forward to partnering with at least with two of my classroom teachers with the concepts in this book next year. It lays out how you can weave student voice and choice into the classroom and reap the benefits of student-driven reading. I’m amped, guys.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of thoughtful and engaging strategies to build a culture of reading in the classroom.

[Elizabeth Armani · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a teacher with classes full of rather unmotivated students, this book was surely a lifesaver for me. I try to give them independent reading times as an attempt (or more so, a futile one, haha) to encourage reading in an engaging way. But they rarely work. I was very close to just eliminating reading time so the students could work on something that will directly impact their grade.

But this book changed my mind. The part that touched me the most was when the book noted the obsessive desire of the school system to rely so heavily on standardised testing to the point where the more lenient activities, such as independent reading, are often overlooked. It highlighted the very real flaws of the system, and how that leads to the faulty recruitment of professions in the long term. It is a very prominent issue, yet it seems like there are no alternatives that upholds the simplicity and the quality of our current standardised testing.

However, the examples of the author’s personal experiences with the students did show to be excessive in some parts. And in some cases, the author seemed to get carried away with his own experiences with a certain book or a student. I am in no way suggesting that personal experiences are unnecessary, in fact, it is often the opposite. But I also believe that logic and research should play the bigger part of this persuasion.

As much as I wish to rate this book a five star, I am inclined to stay impartial and truthful, as my rating may affect a desperate individual one day.

Was this book published recently? Yes. But my view of this book is not a victim of the recency bias.

I wish Jarred Amato good luck in his endeavours as a teacher, but also as an author.

[Heather Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first 3 chapters of this book; I was telling all my co-workers to read it! However, after that, I became overwhelmed. I've been a big proponent of independent reading in my school, but i just don't have the time to do everything discussed in the rest book. The "I'm not doing enough" feeling took over and I got a little discouraged. Overall, the message of this book is one administration needs to hear, but without their support, this would be hard to pull off.

[Gabriella Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I’m a student and this book was intended for teachers, it helped me improve my English skills immensely. It was highly informative, while being easy and fun to read. My average went up by a great amount - thank you!

[JenE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great application ideas, but shocked at the similarities and no mention of Miller’s The Book Whisperer.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was highly impressed with this book. Having seen it on a teacher's website I figured I would look into it. I am going to school at the moment to get my teacher's certification in English and History.

This book does not disappoint. It had a lot of helpful tips which I think can benefit first year teachers.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I've been looking for. Gallagher and Kittle outlined the big picture; Amato filled in the details. I feel like I can plan my year pretty quickly by using/adapting quality vetted lessons.

[Teri Keas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reaffirmation that kids need books, real books and not just iPads. Even my adapted ELA kids need to read often and can find value in it.

[Susan McGilvray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reminder of the importance of choice in independent reading.

[Bethany Eveleth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has a lot of practical tips and prompts that make establishing an independent reading routine feel easier.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book, and the book group I am currently a part of that got to meet via Teams with Mr. Amato earlier this week, existed when I first started teaching. But I'll take it now as we begin to rethink how English Language Arts is currently being taught and what our next steps will be with middle school curriculums.

[Ashlei Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint is that I didn't know about this book sooner! I'm so excited to implement this into my lesson plans. I do wish there were examples of how to make this work semester-long modified block scheduling. This is definitely a must-read for any teacher who wants to find an engaging and meaningful way to implement independent reading in their classroom.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a professional book study. My school participates in Project Lit, and the impact of that program has been powerful. This book is full of practical strategies for incorporating reading in the classroom. It was so refreshing to read, and I have been energized and inspired to try new strategies and revive others I have used over the years. If you are trying to get your students to read more in class while also incorporating your standards, this is a great place to start. As a 20+ year veteran teacher, I cannot recommend this enough.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of practical ideas for teachers and librarians to use with students. Also, ways to create buy-in from the rest of the building.

[Carriann Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a high school English teacher, I’m always looking to improve from year to year. This book gives SOLID strategies, prompts, and ideas for encouraging students to become lifelong readers. Isn’t that what it’s all about? This book has earned a place on my desk with my other favorite go-to teacher books.

[Cait Farrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yessssss! Students “just reading”?! Do you know how hard that is to accomplish with teenagers with phones? So many great resources to creating positive literacy experiences for students and building life long readers 💜

[Shaunna MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for classroom teachers. Some interesting ideas for Teacher Librarians to adopt but essentially a classroom teaching resource

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professional reading - I’ve been following Dr Amato and Project Lit for at least 8 years, so when I saw he was writing a book about independent reading, I had to get it.

IR plays a huge role in my 9th grade classroom, so these actionable strategies and steps can put it over the top. I’m excited to collaborate with my colleagues and put some of these ideas into action.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas and very inspiring. I try to incorporate this in my classroom, but my students are tough. We keep going though. I love all of the ideas for WRAP. I appreciate the wisdom and encouragement Amato brings to Read and WRAP routines.

[Hillary Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jarred Amato is a friend through Project LIT. As I transitioned out of my role as a Library Media Specialist and considered going back into a middle school or high school Humanities classroom, I gobbled up this book. Well done! So inspirational and so in tune with how I believe the love of literature - reading, writing, creating should be taught. Thank you!

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

VAASL Summer Reading 2024
7/8/24 Notes from Zoom with Jared Amato, following VAASL reading & three discussion Zooms:
- What are 2-4 things I can do (that are within my control) to set myself, my students, my school, the library, & the community up for success this year?
- For Project LIT, a student leadership crew/team is the foundational starting point
-Battle of the Book Kids, Book Club Kids etc.
-Too many teachers can introduce opposing viewpoints; whichever teachers/admin join should be people that the kids like being with
- Give up perfection and just stay CONSISTENT.
-One teacher/one librarian is enough to start a Project LIT
the literary leaders/champions matter more than titles (like "reading specialist" or "teacher")
- Set up a literary dashboard for the building!
-I see students growth & needs through all four years
-think about the district's strategic plan/goals and how to tie into that (unique column creation)
- Try a quick teacher reading survey (grab/partner with those that take it seriously)
-"What do you need? How can I help you?"
-Creating a bank of WRAP prompts can be an assist/support for teachers
-Help students track their reading journey (all they have read in high school)
-Think about "What is the goal?"
-for example- Minimally we want students to have read ____ through their high school experience. (think # and type of genres, & what are the class required reads?)

[Sarah Krajewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great read for new teachers or teachers trying to find ways to incorporate independent reading into their 7-12 English classroom. This includes everything from tips to create a classroom library to hooking our kids and getting them reading. Readers will get a deep dive into what Amato does in his own classroom, as well as actual lessons to try in theirs.

Note: **3.5 stars** This book has many great ideas, but I do a lot of this already and was looking for new information or tips. I didn’t find anything new I wanted to try. A lot of the information included is in other educational research.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Our students deserve to have educators who give a damn."

I will never not be awe of Dr. Amato and the literacy knowledge he puts in the world. He's not sharing anything that's overly revolutionary yet he is sharing information reading and English teachers need to hear, especially in this modern age of teaching teenagers to fall in love with the act of reading again. Thank you Dr. Amato for taking the time to write this book and for sharing so much of your knowledge and expertise via your weekly e-mail newsletters. I will constantly be trying to live up to your gold star model of teaching young people to love reading.