Nature can be a scary place, with big animals and creepy crawly bugs. But perhaps reading nature books can help us and our children be less afraid of nature and learn to appreciate, understand, and be tender with it.

Children need books beyond their reading level to challenge them so they can grow to be stronger readers and not grow bored with books.

Is it important for children to read widely? Reading a wide range of genres and topics from a variety of authors and perspectives gives our children empathy, helps them develop critical thinking skills, and opens their eyes to experiences outside their own.

As literary parents, we want to give our kids the best books—and we can become a bit snobbish. But silly stories without a moral are just as important too for our children’s growth and future love of reading.