--- title: World’s Largest Annual Study of Student Reading Reveals the Truth about Students’ Reading Habits description: What Kids Are Reading, issued as National Reading Month begins, highlights fiction and nonfiction reading trends, insights into topics students choose, and helpful tools for educators. --- [![Color_PRP Group x Hawke Media Logo-2](https://www.prp.group/hs-fs/hubfs/PRP%20Website/Images/Color_PRP%20Group%20x%20Hawke%20Media%20Logo-2.png?width=5009&height=2484&name=Color_PRP%20Group%20x%20Hawke%20Media%20Logo-2.png "Color_PRP Group x Hawke Media Logo-2")](https://www.prp.group/) [![The Podcast](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/6158d203-4f17-403e-9a57-0fa1d26c4959.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/6158d203-4f17-403e-9a57-0fa1d26c4959) [![Connect With Us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471) ** ** ** [![prp-group-logo-full-color-rgb-864px@300ppi](https://www.prp.group/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/prp-group-logo-full-color-rgb-864px@300ppi.png?width=864&height=180&name=prp-group-logo-full-color-rgb-864px@300ppi.png "prp-group-logo-full-color-rgb-864px@300ppi")](https://www.prp.group/) [![The Podcast](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/6158d203-4f17-403e-9a57-0fa1d26c4959.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/6158d203-4f17-403e-9a57-0fa1d26c4959) [![Connect With Us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471) ** ** ** Search [![prpgroup-white](https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/2224752/prpgroup-white.svg "prpgroup-white")](https://www.prp.group/) ** ** [![Our Blog](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/341b4c59-af1b-45f3-be6c-49418a32ccb1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/341b4c59-af1b-45f3-be6c-49418a32ccb1) [![Connect With Us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/41856616/b2cbd633-db81-4d16-ad33-cc3973ac6471) [**Education News and Announcements](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements) # World’s Largest Annual Study of Student Reading Reveals the Truth about Students’ Reading Habits by [PRP Group](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/author/prp-group), on 03/2/2020 ### What Kids Are Reading, issued as National Reading Month begins, highlights fiction and nonfiction reading trends, insights into topics students choose, and helpful tools for educators. **WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (March 2,** **2020)** — [Renaissance®](https://www.renaissance.com/), a global leader in pre-K–12 education technology, today released the 2020 edition of its annual *[What](https://www.renaissance.com/learning-analytics/wkar/)[ Kids](https://www.renaissance.com/learning-analytics/wkar/)[ Are Reading](https://www.renaissance.com/learning-analytics/wkar/) *report. For more than a decade, *What Kids Are Reading* has provided educators, families, and communities unparalleled insights into students’ reading habits. In today’s fast-paced world, full of constant distractions, the simple joy of reading faces massive competition. It can be especially difficult to find content that will spark a student’s interest and keep them engaged in reading on a regular basis. Educators, guardians, and students alike are constantly on the hunt for books that motivate, inspire, build reading skills, and expand knowledge. This year’s *What Kids Are Reading* report finds that access to reading materials makes all the difference in developing a child’s love of reading and, once again, highlights the popular fiction and nonfiction reads with millions of K–12 students across the nation. “Providing students with reading materials that are culturally relevant, appealing, and accessible cannot be overstated,” said Gene Kerns, vice president and chief academic officer at Renaissance. “*What Kids Are Reading* provides a unique glimpse into what other students are reading and hopefully sparks new discoveries for others.” To help educators and families encourage students to read more fiction and nonfiction, the report offers information on the most popular books for each grade, data on popular nonfiction and curricular connections by grade bands, and tips on how to maximize the effects of the time students spend reading. In addition to a Lexile® text complexity measure and ATOS® reading level included with each title, an all-new section highlights the connections between reading and different careers and includes sample Lexile text complexity measures for popular careers students might pursue. Key findings of the report include: - Students read the most nonfiction in grades 3–5, making up an average of 54 percent of their total reading when reading on a digital platform. - Three is the magic number: When students read three or more books on a topic, they tend to score higher on comprehension quizzes focused on books in that topic area. - The number of topics students read about tends to decrease as they progress through school. The report also shines a light on how students’ reading interests change as they age. K–2 students gravitate toward poetry and rhymes, so Dr. Seuss books are often the most popular. In grades 3–5, sports and recreation take center stage, and interpersonal relationships become the hot topic as students transition into middle school. Those interests continue to change as students enter high school, with students showing a continued interest in sports, while also balancing assigned reading. The full report is available now at [www.renaissance.com/wkar/](http://www.renaissance.com/wkar/), along with additional tools including a Custom Report Builder that uses filters such as state, grade, difficulty level, and more. On March 18, [Renaissance is also hosting a webinar](https://home.edweb.net/webinar/ela20200318/) that delves more into the findings from this year’s *What Kids Are Reading* report.  **About Renaissance **As a global leader in assessment, reading, and math solutions for pre-K–12 schools and districts, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. Renaissance solutions are used in over one-third of US schools and in more than 90 countries worldwide. The Renaissance portfolio includes Star Assessments, for reliable, accurate insights into K–12 student learning; myIGDIs, for accurate assessment of early learning; myON, to increase students’ access to high-quality reading materials; Accelerated Reader, to support independent reading practice; Freckle, for teacher-led differentiated instruction; and Schoolzilla, to give educators actionable insights into trends in student attendance and achievement. For more information, visit [www.renaissance.com](https://www.renaissance.com/). Topics:[News Release](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/topic/news-release) ### News and Announcements from Education Innovators Our client family includes some of the biggest names in education — and some of Edtech's most exciting innovators. Together, we find and craft some of the best stories and headlines in Education. - [Recent](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/worlds-largest-annual-study-of-student-reading-reveals-the-truth-about-students-reading-habits#recent) - [Topics](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/worlds-largest-annual-study-of-student-reading-reveals-the-truth-about-students-reading-habits#topics) - [Archive](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/worlds-largest-annual-study-of-student-reading-reveals-the-truth-about-students-reading-habits#archive) - [Consumer Press (101)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/tag/consumer-press) - [Education Press (426)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/tag/education-press) - [News Release (113)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/tag/news-release) - [March 2024 (31)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/03) - [February 2023 (24)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/02) - [June 2022 (22)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/06) - [November 2022 (18)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/11) - [September 2021 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/09) - [October 2021 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/10) - [January 2022 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/01) - [May 2023 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/05) - [May 2024 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/05) - [June 2024 (17)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/06) - [April 2022 (16)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/04) - [May 2022 (16)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/05) - [September 2022 (16)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/09) - [January 2023 (16)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/01) - [February 2022 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/02) - [October 2022 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/10) - [December 2022 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/12) - [July 2023 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/07) - [October 2023 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/10) - [February 2024 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/02) - [April 2024 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/04) - [November 2024 (15)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/11) - [August 2022 (14)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/08) - [July 2022 (13)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/07) - [April 2023 (13)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/04) - [June 2023 (13)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/06) - [September 2024 (13)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/09) - [November 2023 (12)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/11) - [December 2023 (12)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/12) - [January 2024 (12)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/01) - [July 2024 (12)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/07) - [August 2024 (12)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/08) - [December 2021 (11)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/12) - [March 2022 (11)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2022/03) - [March 2023 (11)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/03) - [October 2024 (10)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/10) - [August 2023 (8)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/08) - [September 2023 (8)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2023/09) - [February 2020 (7)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/02) - [August 2021 (7)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/08) - [October 2019 (6)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2019/10) - [April 2020 (6)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/04) - [July 2021 (6)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/07) - [November 2021 (6)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/11) - [November 2019 (4)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2019/11) - [January 2020 (4)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/01) - [May 2020 (4)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/05) - [July 2020 (4)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/07) - [June 2021 (4)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/06) - [August 2020 (3)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/08) - [December 2019 (2)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2019/12) - [March 2020 (2)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/03) - [June 2020 (2)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/06) - [November 2020 (2)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/11) - [October 2025 (2)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2025/10) - [September 2020 (1)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2020/09) - [March 2021 (1)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2021/03) - [December 2024 (1)](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/archive/2024/12) [More...](https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/worlds-largest-annual-study-of-student-reading-reveals-the-truth-about-students-reading-habits#) What's happening in education? ### Get The Inside(r) Scoop [![White_PRP Group x Hawke Media Logo](https://www.prp.group/hs-fs/hubfs/PRP%20Website/Images/White_PRP%20Group%20x%20Hawke%20Media%20Logo.png?width=2000&height=991&name=White_PRP%20Group%20x%20Hawke%20Media%20Logo.png "White_PRP Group x Hawke Media Logo")](https://www.prp.group/) PRP Group, a Hawke Media Company, is an award-winning full-service education PR and marketing firm serving the pre-K–12 and higher-ed community. [** ](https://twitter.com/prwithpanache) [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/2792391/admin/) [** ](https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/solutions/pr-with-panache) [** ](https://meetings.hubspot.com/jacob34?) #### Services #### Contact #### PRP #### Legal #### Get the Inside(r) Scoop*!* Copyright © 2021 | All Rights Reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "PRP Group", "url" : "https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/author/prp-group" }, "dateModified" : "2025-04-26T19:11:08.099Z", "datePublished" : "2020-03-02T08:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "World’s Largest Annual Study of Student Reading Reveals the Truth about Students’ Reading Habits", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.prp.group/client-family-news-and-announcements/worlds-largest-annual-study-of-student-reading-reveals-the-truth-about-students-reading-habits", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.prp.group/hubfs/hawke-red-1.svg" }, "name" : "Hawke Media" } } ```