Tracking What Matters: Reflecting on Our Reading Lives

Back in May, I shared the reading tracker I created for my students in the Young Adult Literature class I teach for Rutgers. That post also included the full summer reading list. As an aside, I very rarely check engagement data for this site, but when I looked back at the original post to help me write this one, I spotted that it continues to get a lot of traffic. That tells me many of y’all are still thinking about ways to help readers notice patterns in what they read.

As I wrote then, the tracker was never meant to measure reading volume. Instead, it was designed to help readers collect data about their habits and use that information for reflection later. I find this kind of data collection fascinating, but I also wanted to be sure to stress that the tracker I created was, in my mind, a tool for noticing. In short, it is not one for judging or evaluating our reading lives.

Last week, I learned that my friend Katherine Sokolowski created her own version of the tracker to use with her 7th grade students. The only change she made was a small but

meaningful one. While the tracker I created asked students to record the kinds of representation they encountered in each book read over the course of the semester, Katherine changed that question so it instead asked her 7th graders to note whether a book served as a window or a mirror for them.

I’m guessing everyone reading this post is familiar with the metaphor “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors,” but just in case, this phrase comes from the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who reminds us that books can reflect our own experiences (mirrors), offer views into others’ lives (windows), or invite us to step into someone else’s world (sliding glass doors). Katherine’s version uses this lens to help readers think more deeply about how stories connect to their lives and to the lives of others.

And I absolutely love this, y’all!

Reading Trackers vs. Reading Logs

Now... I know that to some folks, the difference between a reading tracker and a reading log might sound a little pedantic. But as the kids say, hear me out.

In my experience, reading logs are about compliance and accountability. These are the (digital or analog) worksheets that students often fill out to prove they’ve met a certain requirement, whether that’s minutes read, pages completed, or books finished. Even teachers who continue to use these tools recognize, at some level, that mandatory reading logs can actually make students less motivated to read for pleasure. After all, none of us enjoy being forced to do something - especially if that something feels hard or disconnected from your interests or real life. Still, in many cases, teachers feel compelled to use reading logs, because they result in data that can be used to justify independent reading programs. That said, you don't have to look far to find research revealing that students who were required to maintain daily reading logs reported a decline in both their interest in and attitudes toward recreational reading when compared to students who logged their reading voluntarily.

On the other hand, in my view, a reading tracker is more about curiosity and joy. Tracking invites readers to notice patterns, reflect on choices, and see themselves as people who read for authentic reasons. Instead of asking how much they’ve read, a reading tracker asks kids what they’ve discovered about their reading life. It's no coincidence that this is also how many teens and adults experience reading trackers online. Whether it’s Goodreads, StoryGraph, or even the communities that form around BookTok, readers often use these tools to explore their reading habits, share discoveries, connect with other readers, and build community.

Again, maybe this is all linguistic gymnastics, but for me, that distinction is very meaningful. I want the readers I teach, and the educators I work with, to engage in tasks that model what authentic reading looks and feels like. A tracker can help us recognize which kinds of stories speak to their hearts, what perspectives they’re drawn to, and where there’s room to grow. Surely this data matters more (and likely results in better outcomes) than simply counting the number of pages we've read.

It's Your Turn!

Whether you use the original tracker, Katherine’s version, you create one of your own, or you choose not to use a reading tracker at all, my hope is simply that we all find ways to help center curiosity and joy in the work of growing readers. At a time when more and more schools, districts, and states are emphasizing discrete reading skills over establishing reading as a deeply personal and heart-growing practice, I hope teachers and librarians find ways to make sure the readers they serve understand the need for both.

That said, if you decide to adapt the tracker for your own students, I would love to see what you create. One of my favorite things about being connected with all of you is seeing how you make the ideas I share your own and use them to grow readers’ hearts. If you share your version online, please tag me or send it my way. I would be thrilled to see how you are using these tools to build spaces where reading feels joyful, authentic, and full of possibility.