Engaging Reluctant Readers
Tired of the nightly reading battles? Struggling to get your child to open a book because they refuse to read at all costs? Maybe they can read but just don’t want to, or perhaps they struggle with the basics, making reading feel frustrating and exhausting. Or maybe books just can’t compete with screens, sports, or other distractions. No matter the reason, you’re not alone—and more importantly, you’re not failing as a parent.
Welcome to Engaging Reluctant Readers—the podcast for book-loving moms raising reluctant readers. Hosted by Ellen Westbrook, a Literacy Coach (and recovering reluctant reader herself!), this show is here to help you transform your child’s reading journey from dread to must-be read and rediscover family reading fun along the way.
As a mom of two high-energy boys with a degree in Elementary Education, Ellen gets it—the frustration, the worry, and the endless search for ways to make books click for your child. She’s here to bridge the gap between your love of reading and your kiddo’s resistance, helping you understand why they struggle and, more importantly, what actually works.
You won’t find complicated reading strategies or one-size-fits-all advice here. Instead, Ellen shares real-life strategies that fit into your busy days and make reading feel fun instead of forced. From creative ways to build stamina, confidence, and reading skills to strategies that make books more engaging and spark a genuine love of reading, every episode is designed to help you make real progress—without the fights, tears, or frustration.
Each episode is under 30 minutes, packed with actionable tips, and released every Thursday—so you can get quick wins without adding more to your already-full plate.
Because reading should feel fun, not like a chore—and every step forward, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.
Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode, and let’s rediscover family reading fun—together!
Engaging Reluctant Readers
Books vs. Movies? The Surprising Way to Hook Your Reluctant Reader
Struggling to pull your child away from screens and into books? You’re not alone. With video games, YouTube, and digital distractions everywhere, reading can feel like a losing battle. But good news—you don’t have to choose between screens and stories.
In this episode of the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast, Ellen Westbrook shares how to balance screen time with reading using simple strategies that actually work. You’ll learn how to set boundaries, use tech to support literacy (not fight it), and turn everyday screen time into opportunities for reading growth.
What You’ll Learn:
☑️ Why movies aren’t “cheating”—and how they can jumpstart reading interest
☑️ How visualization gaps make reading harder for some kids (and how to help)
☑️ The pros and cons of watching the movie before reading the book
☑️ How to use book-to-movie pairings to build confidence, curiosity, and connection
⏳ Key Episode Highlights:
[00:01:02] Why movies feel easier—and how they help some kids visualize stories
[00:01:39] How visualization struggles affected Ellen’s son’s reading habits
[00:03:20] Watch first or read first? When each approach makes sense
[00:04:33] Questions to ask after watching and reading to spark discussion
[00:05:11] Book-to-movie picks for Kindergarten–1st Grade
[00:05:49] Picks for 2nd–3rd Grade
[00:06:08] Picks for 4th–6th Grade
[00:07:27] Why using movies isn’t “cheating”—it’s strategic and supportive
📖 Prefer to Read? Full blog post: https://engagingreluctantreaders.com/2025/07/24/book-to-movie-magic/
📺 Prefer to Watch? YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/w--by2WkSWg
✨ FREEBIE ALERT!
Grab your From Page to Popcorn guide for book-to-movie picks every age will love.
📥 Get it here → https://bit.ly/frompagetopopcorn
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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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[00:00:00] Ellen: Welcome to the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast. I'm Ellen Westbrook, your host, and Recovering Reluctant Reader. Together, we'll tackle reading roadblocks with personalized strategies and out-of-the-box ideas. All while rediscovering the joy of family reading fun. Ready to transform your child's view of reading from Dread to Must Be Read?
[00:00:18] Let's dive into today's episode.
[00:00:24] Sometimes the best way to get a reluctant reader hooked on a book is to let them start with the movie. Yep. I said it. And if that sounds like cheating, I get it, I used to think that too. But this week I wanna talk about how books and movies can actually work together, not compete when it comes to sparking a love of reading.
[00:00:40] We are gonna dig into whether it's better to watch or read first, how to use book to film adaptations as a tool instead of a crutch, and why for some kids a movie might be the exact boost they need to feel confident diving into a book. I'll even share a few of our book to movie pics for different age groups towards the end. So if you've been wondering what titles might actually work for your kiddo, I've got you covered.
[00:01:02] Okay, so let's start with the obvious. Why are so many kids drawn to movies in the first place? Well, they're fast, they're visual, and they don't ask much of your brain. For a lot of kids, especially those who struggle with attention, decoding or comprehension, movies, just feel easier. And honestly, they are.
[00:01:21] Both my boys, especially JD, will sit through an entire movie, start to finish without blinking. It's easy. No guessing, no hard work. They just sit back and enjoy. But there's something else going on too. Something I didn't even realize until pretty recently. Some kids don't naturally create mental images while they read. Like at all.
[00:01:39] JD's actually one of those kids, when we made the big leap from early readers with pictures to full-on chapter books, he hit a wall, the pictures disappeared, and so did his interest. At first, I assumed he was just being stubborn or maybe feeling lazy about it, but then I started to really listen, and dig deep and I realized he wasn't picturing anything. There was no little movie playing in his mind while he read, and when that piece is missing, it makes reading a whole lot harder to enjoy. That's part of why he started gravitating toward graphic novels. They filled in those visual blanks for him. Suddenly he could see what was going on, and that made all the difference.
[00:02:15] So if your child has trouble following along or seems bored or lost with text only books, this might be something to look at. Consider, do they imagine scenes as they read? Do they think in pictures, or does their mind feel kind of blank when they try? And while we're on the subject, do you picture things when you read?
[00:02:32] This is actually super individual. Some people get full blown movies in their heads while others see more of a photo slideshow, and some people don't see anything at all, they hear a voice, or they just feel the story instead.
[00:02:43] I'm a kind of fuzzy picture reader. I get a mix of scenes and snapshots, but they're not super crisp unless I really work at it. That's one reason I love seeing the movie version before I read, it gives my brain a little head start when it comes to visualizing the world and the characters,
[00:02:58] And even for kids who have that mental movie running, genres like fantasy and science fiction can really push the boundaries of their imagination. Having a movie as a starting point can fill in those gaps and make the story more inviting.
[00:03:10] And if this is something you wanna help building at home, send me a DM or shoot me an email. If there's enough interest, I'd be happy to put together a whole episode just on building that mental movie skill.
[00:03:20] Alright, now let's talk about the whole read first or watch first thing, because this question comes up a lot. Watching the movie first can actually help kids feel more confident about tackling the book. They already know the plot, they recognize the characters, and they have an idea of what's coming, so the book doesn't feel quite so overwhelming.
[00:03:37] Now, on the other hand, reading the book first can create a sense of anticipation and make the movie feel like a payoff. A little fun reward for sticking with the story.
[00:03:45] Honestly, there's no one size fits all answer here. It really depends on your kid, the book, and the season of life you're in. Sometimes we read first, sometimes we watch first. Sometimes we only watch, and that's okay too. Shoot. We saw the Percy Jackson movies years before we even thought about tackling the books.
[00:04:03] What matters most is that your child feels some sense of ownership. Letting them decide whether they wanna read first or watch first, makes them way more likely to stay engaged.
[00:04:13] So instead of treating the movie like a shortcut or something to be avoided, you can actually use it as a bridge, a way to pull your kid into the story. You're not replacing the book, you're using the movie, to make the book feel more accessible. And once you've done both, whether you read first or watch first, or if you did a little back and forth, this is a great chance to connect with your child through the story.
[00:04:33] You don't have to sit down with a worksheet or quiz them on character traits. Just keep it light and curious. You can ask them what was different between the two versions, which did they like better? Do the characters look like they imagined? Was there anything that the book did better than the movie or vice versa, or one more question that I really love. What do you wish the movie had shown more of? Don't even get me started on the Harry Potter series of books and movies, I could go on for days. Bottom line. These conversations can be a really natural way to build critical thinking by comparing the two versions. But you're not meant to be turning this into homework. Just enjoy the story time together without pressure.
[00:05:11] Now, if you're looking for ideas to get started, I've pulled together some favorite book to movie pics based on age and stage. Alright, first up, for the younger kids, so I want you to think about kindergarten through first grade.
[00:05:23] We love things like Paddington, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. The Tale of Despereaux and Madeline are two other great options as well. These are mostly shorter, familiar stories with bright visuals and sweet messages. So if you're looking for something a little fresher, big movie franchises like Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and more have books based on the movies at varying levels. So if nothing else, you can always start there.
[00:05:49] Alright, now onto our growing readers, those in second and third grade. You've got Charlotte's Web, The BFG, Judy Moody and The Not So Bummer Summer, The Bad Guys, How to Train Your Dragon, and Ramona and Beezus, these strike a nice balance between humor and heart, and they can really help bridge that transition into longer, more complex books.
[00:06:08] Last but not least, our middle grade crowd, so this is fourth through sixth grade. You got titles like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Wild Robot, which is now on Netflix and is already on our list to read and watch back-to-back, once we finish with our current series. You've also got Holes, Wonder, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. These ones go a little deeper, but they're still really kid centered and easy to connect with.
[00:06:30] If you want the full expanded list with even more suggestions, head to the blog. I've got a whole post waiting for you and even more book-to-movie recs for each age range.
[00:06:38] And finally, if you wanna turn this into a little family event, try planning a book and movie weekend. You can read a few chapters during the week, then watch the movie on Friday night with pizza or popcorn, or do it in reverse. Watch the movie first to hook their interest. Then read the book together chapter by chapter.
[00:06:53] If you've got older kids that enjoy writing, you can encourage them to write a mini review or comparison, highlighting what worked better in [00:07:00] each, but only if they're interested. No pressure. This doesn't have to be a big deal. You're not sneaking broccoli into brownies here. You're simply meeting your child where they are and showing them that stories come in all forms and that they're allowed to enjoy them.
[00:07:15] So if your kid loves screens, don't panic. Let's use that love to gently pull 'em back in towards books. Books and movies can absolutely work together, especially when we use them with intention, curiosity, and a little creativity. And just remember, this isn't cheating. You're not short changing reading by starting with a movie. You're creatively meeting your reader where they are, and that's where real growth begins.
[00:07:36] If you give this a try, I'd love to hear how it goes. And don't forget if that idea of helping your child build their mental movie skill feels relevant for your family, let me know. I'm always here to help you tune in to what's going on inside your reader's head.
[00:07:48] Next week we're talking about something every parent hits eventually, the mid-summer reading slump, you know the one, the excitement fades, routines unravel, and suddenly books are collecting dust. But don't worry, I've got you. We'll talk about how to reset your reading rhythm without the pressure, and I'll share easy, low stress ways to get things back on track. If your summer reading goals have taken a bit of a backseat, this one's for you, make sure you tune in.
[00:08:12] / Thanks so much for tuning into today's episode. If you're loving the Engaging and Reluctant Readers podcast, I'd be so grateful if you took a second to leave a rating review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more families find their way to practical tools and feel good reading wins.
[00:08:24] And if today's episode got you thinking about which books and movies to try together, I've got you covered. I put together a fun little guide called From Page to Popcorn: Book-to-Movie Pics for Every Age, and it's live on the blog right now. Whether you've got a kindergartner or a sixth grader, this list has family favorites and new finds that pair perfectly for read then watch, or watch then read night. You'll find the link to the blog post right in the description of this episode. Go check it out and make screen time feel a little more story centered.
[00:08:51] Until next time, this is Ellen Westbrook. Wishing you happy reading and movie nights that turn into book love.