The Overlooked Power of Reading in Academic Success

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” — Frederick Douglass

When it comes to determining academic success, most conversations focus on test prep, study habits, or organizational skills. But one of the most powerful tools for helping students thrive in school and beyond is often overlooked: reading.

In today’s screen-driven world, strong reading skills are the hidden engine behind academic confidence, comprehension, and achievement—and the key to understanding life beyond the classroom.

Reading: The Foundation of Every Subject

Literacy is the root of learning.

A student’s reading skills directly impact performance across subjects. Well-read students tend to have stronger vocabularies, sharper comprehension, and better writing skills than their peers. Reading also fosters critical thinking, fuels imagination, and develops a richer understanding of the world.

Consider history: it can’t be fully understood without comparing multiple perspectives. In science, a biology textbook’s diagrams only make sense if the explanations can be read and understood. Even in math, solving a word problem requires interpreting the language before applying equations.

Books like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot illustrate how reading bridges science, history, and ethics—helping students see connections

across disciplines.

Beyond the Classroom: Critical Thinking in Action

Analyzing a novel in English isn’t just about plot—it’s training for real life. Take Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men: on the surface, it’s a simple story of two men, but students quickly uncover themes of friendship, injustice, and loneliness that demand reflection.

That same skill transfers to evaluating the reliability of a news article or synthesizing patterns across scientific data. Reading helps students move from rote memorization to deeper comprehension.

Emotional and Cognitive Benefits

Reading also strengthens focus and attention span in an age of constant distraction. It builds empathy by letting students step into experiences different from their own. Wonder by R.J. Palacio, for example, invites readers to see the world through the eyes of a child with facial differences—cultivating compassion and kindness.

And beyond empathy, books provide refuge. They offer resilience, comfort, and new ways of seeing the world.

Breaking Barriers to Reading

Many people think reading is “too time-consuming.” Yet we often spend hours scrolling or binge-watching. Imagine if even a fraction of that time were redirected to reading.

The good news: it doesn’t have to be dense or difficult. Just ten to fifteen minutes a day—through an audiobook, blog post, or illustrated story—can make a difference. Works such as March by John Lewis or New Kid by Jerry Craft demonstrate how the graphic novel format can deliver powerful narratives while still strengthening vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking.

Practical Ways to Reignite a Reading Habit

• Start small: Short stories, plays, or poetry collections like Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey.

  
  

• Mix pleasure with purpose: Pair class texts with personal-choice reading. Studying WWII? Try The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

  
  

• Create a routine: Make reading cozy and enjoyable. Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights offers quick essays—perfect before bed.

  
  

• Reflect on your reading: Highlight favorite passages, keep a journal, or track words you want to learn. I do this myself and am still amazed at how many I discover.

  
  

The Essential Takeaway

Reading isn’t an “extra” activity—it’s essential for navigating life with clarity and confidence. And it doesn’t only mean tackling long novels. Nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, and even short essays all count.

Students, explore the genres that spark your curiosity.

Parents, be the model your students need: carve out daily reading time and make it a shared priority.

As a Learning Strategist, I help students build strong reading strategies that fuel both academic success and personal growth. And it all starts with one overlooked but powerful habit: picking up a book.