Yes, Jenna Bush Hager reads every book for her club. Here's how she does it

Jenna Bush Hager started her book club in March 2019. Since the first pick, Read With Jenna has highlighted about 50 books and garnered a following of readers eager to hear her next selection.

In her nearly three years helming a book club, Jenna tells TODAY.com there's one questions she gets, over and over, from fans: "Do you really read all the books?"

To that, Jenna has a resounding answer. "I read every word of every book that we've ever chosen. There hasn't been one book that we've chosen, or ones that we haven't chosen, that I haven't read," she tells TODAY.com.

Jenna makes reading a part of her day, no matter what. But as a mother of three and TODAY anchor, she says it can get "pretty tricky" to do so. "There are days where I just get a couple pages in," she says.

She looks forward to the moments of calm where she can read. “There is nothing more luxurious than a Saturday morning with a cup of coffee and a book before your kids wake up," she says.

The lifelong reader is encouraging all of us to try and make reading a habit (or bolster a pre-existing one) with Streaking With Jenna, a 2023 initiative.

The premise is simple: Read every single day, no matter how little or how much — and keep track. Share your progress on social media with an Instagram-friendly calendar (don't forget the hashtag #StreakingWithJenna), or at home with a printable calendar. Remember your number: Your reading streak will make you eligible for opportunities with Jenna.

Download a printable Streaking With Jenna calendar, or find an Instagram-friendly calendar below.

To get her reading done, Jenna relies on a few tips and tricks, which she lists below. You might find them useful as you embark on your reading streak.

1) Jenna reads 'religiously every single night'

Reading a book is an essential part of Jenna's nighttime routine —and given reading's qualities as a proven de-stressor, it's no surprise.

“I read before I go to bed religiously every single night. In fact, I stole my daughter Mila’s little reading light that goes around my neck,” Jenna tells TODAY.com. “I turn it on so that even after my husband’s gone to bed, I’m reading.”

2) She reads 'whenever she has free time'

Jenna says she always has a book on hand — that way, when she has free time, she can fill it with a few words.

"Here’s when I read: On my commute into work after I’m done studying for the show, on my commute home from work after I’m done taking any meetings. I read whenever I have free time — I always have a book in my purse,” Jenna says.

Sometimes, she takes a break in the middle of the day just to find out what happens next in the book she's reading.

3) Her favorite place to read is high up in the sky

Jenna reads during life's in-between moments — but her favorite place to read is soaring. Literally.

“Airplanes are my favorite place to read because there’s nobody to bother me ... unless I’m traveling with my children, in which case, it’s hard to read,” she says, laughing.

4) Jenna has a designated technology-free room at home

The biggest obstacle between Jenna and books? Her phone and all its distractions. That's why she recently came up with a creative solution.

"We have a room where there's no technology allowed. It's a new room. I just take books there, put my phone away and read," she says.

5) She embraces audiobooks and switches up formats

Jenna says that audiobooks are a great on-ramp to forming a reading habit because they can be a companion for your busy schedule.

“You can listen to audiobooks at the gym. You can also listen to audiobooks on commutes, on the bus, on the train,” Jenna says. “You can listen to audiobooks as you fly if you download them. There’s lots of ways to get it in.”

To finish books faster, especially the ones she's considering for Read With Jenna, the book club maven says she'll switch between formats. "One trick I do is I have a paper book and and electronic book of the same book that I'm reading," she says. "This might not work for everyone, though."

6) She gives books a chance

Jenna gives each book she picks up about 100 pages. By then, she says, you can tell whether you're entranced by the story — or you're not.

"Once you’re really into it, it's not going to be hard to find time to read because you’re going to be obsessed. You’re going to want to stay up late, you’re going to want to read in the morning," she says.

7) But she isn't afraid to quit

The 100-page rule works in the other direction, too. “If you don’t like it after 100 pages, quit. You don’t have to read it,” Jenna says. “Unless it’s something that you feel like you have to read, you don’t have to."

8) Most of all, she doesn't treat reading like a chore

For Jenna, reading remains a source of pleasure, entertainment and escape — which is why it's ultimately not hard for her to find time to read, even if she's busy.

“I love reading for so many reasons, it really is sort of my escape from everyday life. It’s how I calm down. It’s how I detach. It’s how I fall in love with other places that I will never go to. It’s how I empathize with characters who are nothing like me,” Jenna says. “There’s nothing like falling in love with a book.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com