Elementary students' literacy skills are decreasing nationwide ("The Nation's Report Card," 2019). This is concerning because as literacy skills slip, the literacy demands for American workers are steadily increasing (OECD, 2013). Unfortunately, adding to the situation is the fact that students' attitudes towards reading are worsening (Clark & Anne, 2020; McKenna et. al, 2012). One way to improve both students' literacy skills and their attitudes towards reading is through recreational reading, or the reading of self-selected text (Clark, 2010; Merga, 2017b; Sancore, 2000; Whitten et al., 2019). This qualitative case study aims to understand the factors impacting sixth-grade students' recreational reading habits, specifically English Language Learners (ELLs) living in a low-income neighborhood within Central California. Qualitative data were collected via surveys, daily logs, and a focus group from twenty-one students who are in the same sixth-grade classroom. The data collected were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase framework for thematic analysis. The results of this study suggest that social influences, motivation, accessibility, and expectations all impact the amount of time students spend reading recreationally. To increase the amount of time students spend reading, the researcher provides recommendations for parents, teachers, and librarians, with a focus on providing students with the time and space to read, access to appropriate text, as well as modeling the behavior and making reading expectations clear. The researcher also provides suggestions for future research to develop a more holistic understanding of the subject. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]