Reading motivation has been the subject of research for almost a century, although these studies are primarily solely quantitative in nature and lack hearing from the voices of students themselves. The purpose of this research was to understand how early adolescent readers' knowledge of their reading level determines their reading habits and motivation. This clarification would give insight into how educators can improve learning experiences for their readers. The multi-methods design used ensured quantitative measures (surveys, reading levels) could guide qualitative data generation methods (interviews and observations), giving more insight into participant motivations to read. In using a multiple case study design, a more robust description of the phenomenon emerged. From listening to the voices of the participants themselves, they either underestimate or overestimate some aspects of their self-perception as readers. These misconceptions led to a dichotomy between what participants said and did. I discuss these findings as they relate to school improvement and provide possible directions for future research and suggestions for classroom practice. [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://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]