Stop reading at the most exciting part. "Okay, that's it for tonight." Watch what happens.

One of two things will occur: your kid will beg you to keep reading (and you can graciously agree to one more chapter, building the association between reading and the feeling of getting what you want), or they'll pick up the book after you leave and read ahead themselves (which is the whole point of everything you've been doing).

This works because stories create a psychological need for resolution that the brain can't easily dismiss. Cliffhangers aren't just a narrative technique — they're a neurological hook. Once the tension is established, the brain wants the payoff. Your kid will either get it from you or get it from the book. Either way, they're reading.