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Back to school with a reading plan students love
Back-to-school season is full of planning: new routines, fresh goals, classroom setups, and everything it takes to get students ready to learn.
It's also the perfect time to think about reading.
The start of a new school year gives educators an opportunity to help students discover books they'll be excited to read, explore formats that fit their needs, and build reading habits that last beyond the first few weeks of school.
And there’s plenty of inspiration to draw from what students were reading last year. During the 2024–2025 school year, 4.7 million students accessed Sora, with 349.6 million reading sessions taking place across the platform. Students also spent an average of 2.5 million hours reading each month.
As you get ready for a new school year, here are a few places to start.
Looking for reading inspiration?
What students want to read can be a powerful starting point for building engagement. Last year, comic and graphic books ranked as the #1 fiction ebook genre for both juvenile and young adult readers on Sora.
The takeaway? Make room for the books students are already excited about—and give them opportunities to discover something new, too.
The Annotations blog is a great place to find ideas, insights, and inspiration for supporting student reading throughout the school year.
[Explore the Annotations blog →]
Build in time for choice
Dedicated independent reading time—even just 10 or 15 minutes a few days a week—gives students a chance to read purely for enjoyment, without the pressure of a quiz or assignment attached. Letting students choose their own books, rather than assigning every title, tends to go a long way toward building genuine engagement and confidence, especially early in the year.
Pro tip: Make reading goals student-owned
Sora's Reading Goals are an easy way to help students build a daily reading habit without adding another tracking system. Students can set a personalized daily reading goal, monitor their progress, and celebrate consistency—all within the app.
Meeting students where they are
Ebooks made up the majority of digital checkouts in 2024–2025, but audiobooks accounted for 11% of checkouts worldwide. Offering multiple formats can help students find a way into reading that works for them, whether they're reading independently, listening to an audiobook, or switching between the two.
Explore DiscoverSora to learn more about Sora, the student reading app designed to help K–12 students discover and engage with digital libraries.
Loop in families early
A quick note home—or a mention at back-to-school night—about how students can access books, whether through the classroom, school library, or a reading app, helps reading habits extend beyond the school day. Students are more likely to keep reading over long weekends and breaks when parents and caregivers know what's available and how to help.
Curious what other schools are doing?
A strong reading culture looks different in every school community. Case studies from schools and districts offer a closer look at how educators are supporting student reading, expanding access to books, and meeting the needs of their individual learners.
Common questions about Sora
Whether you're new to Sora or looking for more information before the school year begins, the Sora FAQs can help answer common questions about the app, digital reading, and how Sora works in K–12 schools.
More K–12 resources
Ready to go deeper? The K–12 Resource Center offers additional resources and ideas for educators and school communities looking to support literacy and digital reading.
Ready to start the year strong?
The best reading plan isn't necessarily the most complicated one. It's one that makes it easier for students to find books they want to read, gives them choices in how they engage with text, and creates opportunities to celebrate reading throughout the year.
As you head into a new school year, use these resources to find fresh ideas, explore what's working in other schools, and build a reading experience that helps every student find their next great read.
Published Aug 11, 2026
Maddi Hebebrand
Maddi Hebebrand is an integrated marketing specialist for Sora. When she's not working or reading, she can be found playing with her pets, attending local concerts, or spending time with friends and family. While Maddi loves reading across genres, some of her favorite titles include the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, Mary by Nat Cassidy and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix.