Need help with ACT Reading? We have got your covered! In this article, we review the best ACT Reading prep books on the market that will help you score well in this particular section of the standardized exam. We have also categorized these ACT reading prep guides and also provided tips that will help you choose the best books in line with your study goals. Continue reading to learn more about the best ACT Reading prep books.
If you want to just get back to studying, get our top pick for ACT reading prep books here.
Last update: 2025-02-19
Our Favorites for Best ACT Reading Prep Books
The Complete Guide to ACT English, Fourth Edition
To begin our list of the best ACT Reading prep books, we have Erica Meltzer’s The Complete Guide to ACT Reading which features readings passages and practice questions that closely resemble those on actual ACT exams. Let’s look at the unique features of this book. Erica Meltzer is also the author of The Complete Guide to ACT English.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- The author goes to considerable depths with clarity to breakdown the skills needed to excel in this section of the ACT exam
- The content and practice questions are realistic, i.e. it prepares you for the actual test in the more accurate manner
- The guide focuses just on the reading section of the ACT, making it ideal for those who consider reading their weakness, or who want to improve their score in this section
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- Meltzer also offers activities to test and further hone your skills
- She also discusses several effective ACT reading section strategies for gleaning the important information for answering related questions
- The book also contains helpful info on how to save time in this section of the exam
- Meltzer, Erica Lynn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 315 Pages - 09/25/2019 (Publication Date) - The Critical Reader (Publisher)
Last update: 2025-02-19
For The Love of ACT Reading
Our second recommendation is penned by some of the best ACT tutors in the US. Here are some of the salient features of For The Love of ACT Reading.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- The book brings together two decades of ACT tutoring experience in one handy resource
- Provides several strategies for confidently attempting the ACT Reading section so you can find that suits you
- Learn effective time management skills as well
- Contains detailed diagnostic and study plans
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- The book also contains helpful advice on how to study for the ACT exam without feeling overwhelmed
- Includes passages and exercises that breakdown the ACT thought process
- Teaches you a step by step approach on how to annotate passages
- Lubejko, Emily (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 162 Pages - 01/08/2019 (Publication Date) - Private Prep (Publisher)
Last update: 2025-02-18
Runner Ups for Best ACT Reading Prep Books
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2022- 2023
For runners up, we have the ‘Red Book’ of ACT. The Official ACT Prep Guide. This is a highly recommended ACT reading prep book for obvious reasons, as it the official guide that gets to the heart of ACT practice by providing actual test questions as appeared on the previous exams. So reading exercises in this book are actual ones attempted by students in the past.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- The book contains 5 full-length practice tests providing almost 12 hours of practice that resembles the actual exam
- You also get access to hundreds of additional online practice questions
- All questions are those found on the previous ACT tests, which allows for greater accuracy in the preparation
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- There are new full-length practice tests as well as along with past questions in the book
- Used without the ‘Black Book’ reviewed below, this ACT Reading guide is also a short and quick guide
- ACT (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 1105 Pages - 05/10/2022 (Publication Date) - John Wiley & Sons Inc (Publisher)
Last update: 2025-02-18
ACT Prep Black Book, Second Edition
Next on our list of the best ACT Reading prep book is the ACT Prep Black Book, Second Edition. You can use this a standalone resource, or in conjunction with the ACT Red Book.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- The book takes you beyond the questions and teaches you how to think about the ACT
- You learn answers to questions without ambiguity, which is what ACT examiners challenge students to do
- The book will boost your Reading skills in a way to help you with other sections of the ACT as well
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- The book is written clear and lucid manner so that students don’t lose interest
- You practical strategies to tackle ACT questions along with best act reading tips
- It even provides alternative strategies so you can discover what works for you
- Barrett, Mike (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 580 Pages - 02/15/2018 (Publication Date) - ACT Prep Books (Publisher)
Last update: 2025-02-18
Value Picks for Best ACT Reading Prep Books
Increase Your Score In 3 Minutes A Day: ACT Reading
For value picks, we suggest an ACT Reading prep book that is ideal for students who feel burdened by large amounts of information.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- Divided into small sections to avoid making students feel overwhelmed
- Teaches you all the necessary skills to excel at ACT Reading
- Contains a range of reading passages at the back of the book
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- This is an ideal prep book if you think reading comprehension is your weak area
- It is a quick read, and you can swiftly walk through the exercises and learn the strategies
- Helpful for students who don’t want a lengthy guide for ACT Reading
- Author: McCutcheon, Randall.Schaffer, James.
- Publisher: McGraw Hill
- Pages: 160
Last update: 2025-02-18
Barron's ACT Study Guide Premium, 2023
Last on our list of ACT Reading prep guides is Barron’s ACT. It is also a comprehensive prep guide that introduces the content, strategies and ACT reading practice tests.
What Makes This ACT Reading Prep Unique
- The latest edition of the book reflects the most recent changes in the ACT
- Each section has clear divisions taking you step by step through the material
- The ideal guide for less motivated students!
Why Choose this ACT Reading Prep Book
- The book is clearly written and easy-to-follow
- You also get access to additional material, exercises and passages
- Comprehensive practice tests better prepare for the actual test
- Stewart M.Ed., Brian (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 876 Pages - 01/03/2023 (Publication Date) - Barrons Educational Services (Publisher)
Last update: 2025-02-18
How to Choose the Best ACT Reading Prep Book for You
Before you can learn to pick out the best ACT Reading prep book, you should have an idea what this section is all about. Once you know what to expect in the ACT Reading section, you will be in a better position to find study guides relevant to your field of study.
ACT Reading section comprises four reading passages, which further break-down into 10 questions each. These questions are multiple-choice, and based on the respective reading passage. The reading passages are divided into themes:
- Prose/Fiction
- Social Studies
- Humanities
- Natural Sciences
The questions always appear in this order. However, you don’t necessarily have to follow the order and you can start with the section you think is the easiest.
Like any section of the ACT, what will help you gain success is regular and disciplined study. And so a good ACT Reading prep book is one that aligns with your study plans. Moreover, the best ACT Reading study guides are those that contain content, questions and tests that similar to those found on the actual ACT exam.
Moving on, a good ACT Reading prep book includes exercises and practice questions that boost your reading comprehension. In addition, you should learn the best ways to eliminate answer choices.
Some study guides also provide online access to additional tests and exercises with grading systems so you can see how well you are doing in real-time. This is another way to improve your speed and accuracy.
Finally, and most importantly, the study guide you choose should cover all the four categories of the ACT Reading section as listed here.
Wrapping Things Up: The Best ACT Reading Prep Book
In closing, here is a table of the best ACT reading prep books we went over today:
Last update: 2025-02-19
So that’s about it. We have tried to prepare a comprehensive list for the best ACT Reading prep book. Remember that there many options to study for the ACT, such as classroom settings, after-school programs or online. However, even in these cases, you will need to study guides.
It also depends on whether you are taking the first shot at the ACT or you are seeking to improve your score in the Reading section.
In the first instance, we recommend that if you want to save money, you should go for all-in-one study guides, such as The Official ACT Prep Guide, ACT Prep Black Book or Barron’s ACT.
On the other hand, those who want to focus solely on their reading and comprehension skills can opt for guides that focus solely on the Reading section. These include books like The Complete Guide to ACT Reading as well as For The Love of ACT Reading.
The best approach in our opinion (considering your time and resources) is to go for a combination of study guides.
If you found this post helpful, you’re definitely going to like our other entrance exam guides here. Make sure to also check our ACT tips and test taking stragies or our best reading book lists.