The harder the book, the more your child gets from it, right?

As a teacher, I seem to be constantly busy from August through June.  This can be hard for someone who loves to read because it can be hard to find the time and the energy!  I love to read and as a result I'm a good reader who reads books quickly and well.  Do you know what I like to read when I get the chance during the school year?  New young adult novels.  Are they at my level?  Do I have to work hard to read them?  Nope.  Not at all.  That's exactly why I love them.  I can read them and just enjoy.  I bet you do the same thing.  Who likes romance novels?  Who likes the Twilight books?  Who enjoys the Harry Potter series?  They're pretty easy, but you love them!  Who has a second and pulls out a medical text book, just for a challenge?  That's what I thought.

Kids are the same way!  It's absolutely good for them to be reading books that are challenging for them.  It's also really important for them to learn to ENJOY reading.  That is the first and most important step.  The more they enjoy reading, the more likely they are to do it.  The more they do it, the better they get.  The better they get, the more they enjoy it... It's a cycle.  Your child shouldn't be reading significantly below their level most of the time, but if you go to the library and your 2nd or 3rd grader really wants to read one of the  Mo Willems Pigeon books (hilarious!), let them.  Have them read it to you and enjoy it together.  Then make sure they have a more difficult book as well!