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World Read Aloud Day Activities To Inspire Your Students
Christy Walters
January 5, 2026
Whether you’re teaching emerging readers or high school literary analysts, reading aloud builds community, strengthens comprehension, and helps them experience language in new ways. It’s a key component of explicit literacy instruction that can be used at any grade level.
Today, we’ll look at high-interest texts for World Read Aloud Day to find the perfect story for every class to read aloud together.
How can teachers choose the best texts for World Read Aloud Day?
Choosing the right text for a read-aloud can shape the entire experience. Newsela ELA has a Fiction by Subgenre collection that makes it easy to tailor texts to your students’ interests. Whether they prefer mystery, myths, fantasy, or classics, you can find texts, activities, and resources to guide your read-alouds.
[What action fiction stories work well for a fast-paced read-aloud?](id-action)
If your students love adrenaline and suspense, action fiction can be a great read-aloud choice. Action stories hook listeners quickly and keep the pace moving, which is perfect for keeping engagement up.
[Which classic fiction selections help students connect with timeless literature?](id-classic)
Classic stories provide strong models of literary structure and language. When read aloud, these stories help students experience rhythm, tone, and vocabulary that silent reading may not.
Try these classic literature selections on Newsela:
Dystopian fiction encourages questions, predictions, and real-world connections. Bolster these skills by using dystopian stories during your read-aloud sessions.
Try these Newsela ELA dystopian fiction selections:
[Which fantasy fiction texts create imaginative read-aloud moments?](id-fantasy)
Fantasy read-alouds let students visit new worlds and practice understanding descriptive language. They’re especially effective for modeling vivid imagery and sensory details.
[What folktales and fables support cultural learning and discussion?](id-folktale)
Folktales and fables are perfect for read-alouds because they’re short, engaging, and full of teachable themes. They also help students explore storytelling traditions from around the world and identify lessons and morals in writing.
[What horror fiction stories help build suspense during a read-aloud?](id-horror)
Horror texts build atmosphere and keep students engaged to find out what happens next. A horror fiction read-aloud can help model pacing, tone, and tension in texts.
Mysteries make good read-aloud texts because they prompt students to ask questions, gather clues, and make predictions. Try pausing mid-story and asking students to propose solutions before revealing the ending.
[How can I use novel excerpts as read-aloud hooks?](id-novel)
Novel excerpts are perfect for introducing students to longer works without requiring the commitment to a full chapter book. After reading a few selections, you can have students vote on which book they’d like to continue reading as a class.
[Which popular fiction pieces help engage students?](id-popular)
Popular fiction read-alouds connect with real-world themes and familiar student experiences. After reading aloud, you can use Newsela ELA quizzes to check comprehension without adding extra prep work.
Use one of these or other popular fiction selections:
[What romance fiction stories are age-appropriate for classroom reading?](id-romance)
Romance texts on Newsela are school-appropriate and focus on themes like connection, identity, and relationships. These can make them great for read-alouds, keep students engaged, and avoid any concern about using this genre of texts.
Science fiction encourages imagination and scientific thinking, which can make it perfect for cross-curricular connections with science, technology, and math.
[Which sports fiction stories can energize classroom read-alouds?](id-sports)
Sports fiction is a favorite for students who love competition, perseverance, and teamwork. You can use these stories to discuss a growth mindset and life skills.
How does Newsela support teachers celebrating World Read Aloud Day?
Newsela ELA gives teachers everything they need to prep for World Read Aloud Day. From high interest texts to flexible reading levels and built-in activities. Whether you’re teaching fiction, nonfiction, folktales, or student-written fiction, Newsela ELA makes it easier for you to celebrate World Read Aloud Day without extensive prep time.
Not a Newsela customer yet? Sign up for Newsela Lite for free and start your 45-day trial. You’ll get access to our premium content and activities for everything you need to teach about World Read Aloud Day and beyond.
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