When children are little, part of the process of learning to read involves finding "just right" books. A just right book is one that interests a child and that can be read fluently without struggling over more than a few words on a page. This is an important step toward reading fluency, and the process is relatively straightforward.
But once children are older, finding these books becomes trickier. When children begin to read fluently, parents often encourage more advanced books, but sometimes that can backfire, either ruining a book for a child, or exposing them to inappropriate content.
Some parents think pushing children into chapter books early makes them more accomplished, or is an indicator of high intelligence. Instead, it robs them of the extraordinarily rich world contained in picture books. Some parents understand there's a richness in picture books that doesn't exist in trendy, but straightforward young adult fiction.
The language, vocabulary and humour in picture books are often more subtle and advanced than in chapter books, and can help children develop critical thinking skills.
A mother recently told me her second grader was reading a Percy Jackson book to himself. An eight-year-old who can read Percy Jackson is superficially impressive. But how can an eight-year-old emotionally relate to a story told from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy?
Finding appropriate books for teenagers is even more challenging. Because they can read everything, a bookstore is akin to a minefield of unsuitable content. So keeping up with a voracious adolescent reader can be a full-time job.