Printable reading log for kids and adults

What is a reading log?

A reading log is a page where a reader writes down what they read each day: the date, the book, minutes or pages and, for children, a parent signature. Young readers log minutes, grades 1 to 5 add a one-line summary, and adults list books with dates and a rating. Every layout here prints free on one page.

Which reading log should you use?

Pick the page by who is reading and what you want to see at the end of the month. All five print on one page and can be filled in on screen first.

For a whole year at a glance, color one spine per finished book on the bookshelf book tracker; it works well next to a daily log.

What should you write in a reading log?

Write as little as you need to keep going. A log you fill in every day for ten seconds beats a detailed one you stop after a week.

Adults

The title, the author, the dates you started and finished, the number of pages and a rating. Add one line you want to remember, such as "Slow first half, the last 80 pages were worth it." For a 2027 reading log, type the year at the top and keep the page inside the book you are reading.

Kids

The date, the book and the minutes, then a parent signature. Readers who can write a sentence add one line about the story. Examples of good one-line entries:

• What happened? "Max sailed to where the wild things are and became their king."
• My favorite part: "When Frog and Toad ate all the cookies and then gave them to the birds."
• A new word I learned: "Enormous. It means very, very big."

When a book is finished, a summary page with characters, setting, beginning, middle and end is a good way to retell it. Saying it out loud first, then writing it, makes it easier for younger children.

How do you use a reading log for kids at home and in class?

1. Choose minutes or pages. Minutes suit early readers and picture books, where pages say little. Pages or chapters suit older readers with chapter books.
2. Set a small daily goal. Many elementary schools ask for about 20 minutes a night; use the number the teacher gives. Read-alouds count for young children.
3. Sign it together. The parent signature is a quick check-in, not a test. Ask one question, such as "What was the best part?", then sign.
4. Add the summary line. From grade 1 or 2, one sentence a day about what happened builds the retelling teachers look for.
5. Add up the week. Write the weekly total on Friday or Sunday. Seeing minutes add up is the reward; prizes are optional.

Keep the log easy, so it supports reading rather than replacing it. If filling it in starts to feel like a chore, switch to the color-in log for a month or play reading bingo instead. For a family or class goal, the reading challenge for kids has prompts by age and a printable, and good habits for kids covers building reading into the evening routine.

Weekly vs monthly reading log: which is better?

The kids' minutes log sits in between: one line a day for the whole month, with weekly totals underneath.

How do you print the reading log or save it as a PDF?

1. Pick a layout at the top of the tool.
2. Fill it in on screen, or skip that step for a blank page. Entries are saved in this browser only.
3. Tap Print or save PDF. Print blank leaves out what you typed, and the buttons under "Print a blank reading log" print any layout empty.
4. Choose Save as PDF as the printer on a computer, or use Share, then Print on an iPhone, to keep a PDF instead of paper.

Every layout fits one US Letter or A4 page. Prefer a spreadsheet? The Excel reading log has the adult book log, a kids' minutes sheet with weekly totals, a weekly log with a summary column and a 30-day tracker. To use it in Google Sheets, open Sheets, choose File, Import, Upload and pick the file.

How many pages a day for your reading goal?

Books a year	Pages a day (300-page books, every day)	About
12 (one a month)	10	15 minutes
20	17	25 minutes
26 (one every two weeks)	22	30 minutes
52 (one a week)	43	1 hour

Reading speed varies a lot with the book and the reader; the times assume about 40 pages an hour for typical fiction. See how many pages you should read a day for more on choosing a number.

Reading challenge prompts to log

Want a challenge instead of a log? The reading challenge with 52 prompts prints a checklist for the year, and the reading bingo card maker makes 9, 16 or 25 square cards for adults and kids. For one idea a week tied to real dates, see the 2027 reading challenge prompts.

If you just want a few ideas for the adult book log, here are 24. One book can count for more than one.

1. A book under 200 pages
2. A book over 500 pages
3. A book a friend has told you to read
4. A book set in a country you have never visited
5. A book translated from another language
6. A memoir or autobiography
7. A book published before you were born
8. A book published this year
9. A book from a genre you usually skip
10. A book of short stories or essays
11. A poetry collection
12. A book about a skill you want to learn
13. A book you started once and never finished
14. A book with a one-word title
15. A book by an author from your city or state
16. A book recommended by a librarian or bookseller
17. A book that was made into a film or series
18. A book about history you know little about
19. A book about science or nature
20. A book you can read in one weekend
21. A book with a blue cover
22. An audiobook for your commute or walks
23. A book about habits, work or everyday life
24. Reread a book you loved years ago

Keep the habit going

A log shows the pattern; a routine keeps it going. Try the personal 30-day reading plan, read about good reading habits or learn how to focus while reading. To fit more reading into a busy week, see how to read more.

Frequently asked questions

What should I write in a reading log?

Adults: the title, author, dates started and finished, pages and a rating, plus one line to remember. Kids: the date, the book, the minutes read and a parent signature; from about grade 1, add one sentence on what happened or a favorite part.

What is a reading log for kids?

A daily record of a child's reading that goes between home and school. The kids' minutes layout has the date, book, minutes and a parent signature for every day of the month, with weekly totals; the weekly layout adds a one-line summary for grades 1 to 5.

How many minutes should a child read each day for a reading log?

Use the number the teacher gives. Many elementary schools ask for about 20 minutes a night, and less for kindergarten, where being read to counts. Write the daily goal at the top of the log so the child can see it.

What is a weekly reading log with summary?

A one-page log with a row for each day of the week: the book, the minutes, one line about the reading and a parent signature. Choose "What happened?", "My favorite part" or "A new word I learned" as the summary line before you print.

Should parents sign a reading log?

If the teacher asks for it, yes. Keep the signature a quick check-in rather than a test: ask one question about the book, then sign. If the log starts to feel like a chore, a color-in log or reading bingo can take its place for a while.

How do I print a blank reading log as a PDF?

Pick a layout and tap Print blank, or use one of the buttons under "Print a blank reading log". In the print dialog, choose Save as PDF as the printer; on an iPhone, use Share, then Print. Every layout fits one US Letter or A4 page.

Can I use the reading log in Google Sheets?

Yes. Download the Excel reading log, open Google Sheets, choose File, Import, Upload and pick the file. It has the adult book log, kids' minutes with weekly totals, a weekly log with a summary column and a 30-day tracker.

Does the online reading log save my entries?

Yes, in this browser on this device, for all five layouts. Nothing is sent to our server and there is no sign-up. Print the log or download the Excel file to keep a copy elsewhere.

Do audiobooks count in a reading log?

For your own log, yes, if listening is how you read the book; note the format next to the title. For a school log, check with the teacher, since some count read-alouds and audiobooks and some ask for independent reading.

Sources and evidence

1. Harkin et al. (2016): Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? — Across 138 studies (N = 19,951), prompting people to monitor their progress improved goal attainment, more so when progress was physically recorded. The goals ranged widely; none of the studies were about reading logs in particular.
2. Mol and Bus (2011): To read or not to read: a meta-analysis of print exposure from infancy to early adulthood — Across 99 studies (N = 7,669), leisure reading was moderately to strongly linked with reading comprehension and spelling, more so at older ages. The link is correlational: it does not show that logging minutes causes better reading.