Where Reading Earns Playing Time
Read at Home. Pass the Quiz. Earn the Court.
No Reading. No Ball.
Wake County's Favorite Reading Program
At America's Math Tutor, we believe reading is the foundation of academic success. Children who become strong readers are better prepared to succeed not only in English Language Arts, but also in mathematics, science, social studies, and nearly every other subject.
Unfortunately, many students struggle with reading comprehension. Even in Wake County, many elementary students are not reading at grade level. Strong literacy skills are associated with higher academic achievement, improved graduation rates, greater career opportunities, and a better quality of life.
That's why we created Books & Buckets.
Books & Buckets is an exciting literacy incentive program that motivates students to read consistently by rewarding them with something they already love—basketball.
Instead of asking students to fill out reading logs or simply trust that they completed their assignments, Books & Buckets encourages students to demonstrate what they learned before earning time on the basketball court.
It's a simple system built around one goal:
Read. Understand. Play.
Why Reading 20 Minutes a Day Matters
The best way to become a better reader is to read.
Just as basketball players improve by practicing basketball, readers improve by reading consistently.
Research has shown that students who read approximately 20 minutes each day are exposed to roughly 1.8 million words each year. That increased exposure helps improve:
- Reading fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Critical thinking
- Background knowledge
Students who consistently read around 20 minutes per day also tend to perform around the 90th percentile in reading achievement, while students who read very little generally perform much lower academically.
A daily habit of reading can have a lasting impact on a child's educational future.
Why Is This Program Offered by America's Math Tutor?
Although we specialize in mathematics, one of the biggest obstacles to math success isn't computation.
It's reading.
Many students understand mathematical procedures but struggle with word problems because they have difficulty understanding what the question is asking.
Stronger readers are better able to:
- Understand mathematical vocabulary
- Follow multi-step directions
- Analyze word problems
- Explain their thinking
- Solve problems with confidence
Better readers become better mathematical problem-solvers.
How Books & Buckets Works
📚 Step 1 – We Provide the Books
Every participant receives an engaging chapter book purchased by America's Math Tutor.
Families never have to purchase books for the program.
Books are selected according to each student's reading ability so that every participant is challenged appropriately while continuing to improve.
Students may read books from popular series such as:
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Percy Jackson
- Dork Diaries
- I Survived
- Wonder
- Hatchet
- The Wild Robot
…and many other exciting chapter books.
🏠 Step 2 – Read at Home
Students read their assigned chapters at home for approximately 20 minutes each day, Monday through Friday.
Reading at home allows families to choose a convenient time while helping children develop a consistent daily reading habit.
💻 Step 3 – Complete a Daily Reading Check
After each reading session, students log into the America's Math Tutor website and complete a brief multiple-choice Reading Check based on that day's assigned chapters.
The Reading Check is designed to help students and parents determine whether the material was understood before moving on to the next assignment.
Results are shown only to the student and parent.
Daily Reading Check results are not permanently recorded, graded, ranked, or used to determine basketball eligibility. Their purpose is simply to provide immediate feedback and encourage thoughtful reading.
🏀 Step 4 – Pass the Reading Challenge
Every Saturday, students attend Books & Buckets at Marsh Creek Community Center Gym.
Before entering the basketball courts, each participant completes a 5-question Reading Challenge Quiz covering the week's reading assignment.
Students who score 80% or higher (4 out of 5 correct) earn admission to basketball.
There are no complicated point systems.
No reading logs.
No guessing whether a student completed the assignment.
Just one simple question:
Did you understand what you read?
⛹️ Step 5 – Earn the Court
Students who pass the Reading Challenge Quiz earn 90 minutes of supervised basketball.
Participants enjoy access to:
- Two full basketball courts
- Configured as four half courts
- Open 3-on-3 basketball games
- Multiple games taking place simultaneously
Because attendance may vary from week to week, students simply form teams with the other participants who qualify that day.
Each session is limited to 24 participants, providing a fun, safe, and well-supervised environment with plenty of opportunities to play.
A Simple Accountability System
Books & Buckets keeps reading accountability simple and meaningful.
Monday through Friday
✔ Read approximately 20 minutes each day.
✔ Complete a short online Reading Check.
✔ Receive immediate feedback.
Saturday
✔ Take the 5-question Reading Challenge Quiz.
✔ Score 80% or higher.
✔ Earn your basketball session.
No Reading. No Ball.
Program Information
📍 Location
Marsh Creek Community Center Gym
3050 North New Hope Road
Raleigh, NC 27604
👥 Age Groups
Ages 9–11
Saturdays
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Maximum Enrollment:
24 participants
Ages 11–13
Saturdays
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Maximum Enrollment:
24 participants
📅 Weekly Reading Schedule
Monday–Friday
- Read at home for approximately 20 minutes each day
- Complete the online Reading Check after each reading session
📆 Program Dates
First Reading Week
September 7–11, 2026
First Basketball Reward Session
Saturday, September 12, 2026
💰 Tuition
$20 per week
Your enrollment includes:
- 📚 All required books provided by America's Math Tutor
- 🏠 Five at-home reading assignments each week
- 💻 Daily online Reading Checks
- 📝 Weekly Reading Challenge Quiz
- 🏀 A 90-minute supervised basketball session every Saturday
- ⛹️ Access to two full basketball courts (configured as four half courts for simultaneous 3-on-3 games)
Why Families Will Love Books & Buckets
Books & Buckets combines literacy, accountability, and physical activity into one affordable weekly program.
Parents will appreciate that their child:
- Builds a consistent daily reading habit.
- Receives engaging books at no additional cost.
- Gets immediate feedback after every Reading Check.
- Learns that effort and preparation lead to rewards.
- Stays physically active in a safe and supervised environment.
- Develops greater confidence as a reader.
Children love that they can earn basketball through reading.
Parents love knowing their child is building skills that will benefit them in school and beyond.
Books & Buckets makes reading something children look forward to—not because they have to read, but because reading opens the door to something they enjoy.
Our Mission
Our mission is to help children become stronger, more confident readers by making reading both meaningful and rewarding.
Books & Buckets encourages students to develop a lifelong reading habit through consistent practice, immediate feedback, and a simple system of accountability.
By connecting literacy with the excitement of basketball, we inspire students to discover that hard work leads to opportunity—and that the greatest reward is the knowledge and confidence they gain along the way.
Read All Week. Pass the Quiz. Earn the Court.
Books & Buckets
Where Reading Earns Playing Time
No Reading. No Ball.