Popsugar Parenting Kid Books Author on What Kids Should Really Be Reading Author Shares Which Books Kids Should Really Be Reading, and It'll Make You Sigh With Relief 17 July 2018 by Alessia Santoro Image Source: Unsplash / Annie Spratt As a kid, I used to walk around with a book under my arm everywhere I went — literally, everywhere. At dinner with my parents I'd read up until the food came (then I'd read around my plate), on the short bus ride to school I'd try to fit in as many pages of my current read as possible, I'd polish off page-turners under the covers at 4 a.m. when I 100 percent should have been sleeping for hours, on road trips I'd devour entire novels before we reached our destination . . . you get the idea. And the best part of being a bookworm from a young age was that I got to grow up with stories that I still love now, mainly Harry Potter. My parents let me read and reread that series to my heart's content (I still revisit the series every year to this day), not caring that I had the same few books in my hands, just loving that I wanted to keep reading. Children's book author Kate Messner is of the same philosophy as my parents, and her recent tweets about kids' Summer (and non-Summer) reading choices are being praised on Twitter. If you're a parent worried about your kids' reading habits, they'll make you sigh with relief. "I've been out of the classroom a few years, but I still get stopped by parents in the community, asking what their kids should be reading over the Summer. My always answer: 'What they love,'" reads Messner's July 14 tweet. The author continued the tweet thread, sharing stories about concerned parents she's had to reassure over the years and driving home the reason why kids reading what they love — and not what they're forced to read — is the best case scenario. Messner's Thread I've been out of the classroom a few years, but I still get stopped by parents in the community, asking what their kids should be reading over the summer. My always answer: "What they love."— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 14, 2018 1 / 12 Sometimes, adults worry that summer reading isn't hard enough or challenging enough or academic enough. If they love it and want to read? That is enough.— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 14, 2018 2 / 12 Years ago, a dad stopped me in the grocery store & said, "Oh! I'm so glad you're here. I need to talk to you about (name)." He sounded so concerned I thought I was about to learn that his son had cancer or was addicted to drugs. Instead? "He keeps reading graphic novels."— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 14, 2018 3 / 12 Dad whose kid would only read graphic novels: "What should I do??" Me: "Buy him more graphic novels. And go to the public library because they have some great ones."— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 14, 2018 4 / 12 I was an Archie comic reader as a kid. And I was a READER. Comics and graphic novels of today are smart and sophisticated, and they create readers in a big way. Let your kids read what they love. The End.— Kate Messner (@KateMessner) July 14, 2018 5 / 12 Followers' Supportive Comments What amazes me is how parents don’t want to let kids read what they want. They often think kids should be reading challenging texts! I always respond by asking parents what they read for pleasure. Love the facial expression and they realize what I’m implying!— Jenifer Smith (@JeniferSmith88) July 14, 2018 6 / 12 And if they say they don’t love anything, keep trying. If they are allowed to sample widely enough, they will find something they love.— Charlotte A. Paige (@charlotteapaige) July 15, 2018 7 / 12 It is so simple! Love this!— Jan Jones (@jonesvienna) July 17, 2018 8 / 12 Including re-reading what they previously loved!— Stephanie Lucianovic 🐞💀📦🌼 (@grubreport) July 16, 2018 9 / 12 As a middle school librarian, I get parents who ask what to do when their kid reads the same book/series over & over again (as if it's a terrible problem). Then I tell them that I lost track of how many times I've read LOTR trilogy after 20. Let'em them read what they want 4 fun.— Tiffiny Ann Federico (@tiffyfed) July 14, 2018 10 / 12 I was/am a @Marvel reader. Today I am a grant writer. I attribute my success to my immersion the creativity of good comic books.— Matt Hrubey (@matthrubey) July 15, 2018 11 / 12 This was A+++++++++.— Brooks Benjamin (@brooksbenjamin) July 14, 2018 12 / 12 Kid BooksParenting TipsBook LoversBooksSummer