How many books does your middle schooler read a year?

[jayb842]

I'm planning 12 books for 6th grade. We are planning 6 this first semester and 6 the second semester. They are books like Sign of the Beaver, Johnny Tremain, Lion,Witch and Wardrobe. Is this too much or too little?

[Ethel Mertz]

Are you talking about reading in general or reading for detailed literature analysis?

 

Last year, for fifth, DS read 29 books. We homeschool year round. I have no idea what the norm is, however.

[jayb842]

We are doing a detailed literature analysis of each. He has to write 4 book reports this year.

[Desert Strawberry]

I assign about 20 books per year, but we don't do literary analysis yet at all. I think it would keep it to maybe 4? at the most. I don't think *I* could handle more than that. I would still want him to have lots of time and mental energy for private reading. 

[Coco_Clark]

I read aloud at least 15 chapter books last year, only spending a half hour a day reading. So if that is ALL the reading expected I would consider 12 books a light goal for a middle schooler.

 

But if that is just all the assigned reading, with side-reading of their own choice also expected, it seems like a plenty rigorous goal.

 

And if every book is expected to be analyzed and reported on it sounds very weighty indeed, and perhaps, depending on the child, too much, unless you are going year-round and its a book a month.

 

I mean, there is reading, and there is reading.

[MEmama]

Right now, I have about 15 assigned books for the year for my 6th grader (split between history and Maine Studies). Those are to be read independently and have various assignments to go with them.

 

On his own, he reads far more books than I can keep up with, but I don't think that's what you are asking about. I think your goal looks fine; unless it will interfere with his reading for pleasure, 12 looks perfectly appropriate for assigned reading.

[Chrysalis Academy]

We'll study 6 books, one or two plays, and some poetry in literature class.

 

I'll read aloud ~12-15 books at bedtime.

 

For nonfiction, she'll read 10 or 12 books, science and history related, and discuss and or write about them.

 

For pleasure? She'll read several hundred books this year.

[Goldilocks]

We are doing a few more than the OP only because I am including some poetry and short stories in with our literature. I am following a three week schedule of read, discuss, write.  Each book gets done in three weeks.  Short stories and poetry will be done in one week each. 

 

My children read a lot for their own pleasure, so asking them to read a 300 page book in a week is not a problem.  12 books is a good number to discuss if that is how much is comfortable for your child to read.

[lewelma]

We'll study 6 books, one or two plays, and some poetry in literature class.

 

I'll read aloud ~12-15 books at bedtime.

 

For nonfiction, she'll read 10 or 12 books, science and history related, and discuss and or write about them.

 

For pleasure? She'll read several hundred books this year.

 

:hurray:  

[MinivanMom]

We are doing 30 "assigned" books this year, but we will only be doing literary analysis with 4 of those books. I'm on the "less is more" side when it comes to literary analysis for middle schoolers.