Dear mom and dad,

There are two kinds of gifts I get the most excited about opening: Books and Pens. Book-themed mugs have recently been added to the list, but books or gift cards to Barnes & Noble are still the top guaranteed ways to get a squeal of joy out of me.

My family received several such squeals when we exchanged gifts this past Christmas. I’m still dancing in anticipation of the adventures I’ll get to enjoy in other realms in the months ahead and trying to figure out which ones I’ll be adding to my wish list next.

Sadly, that’s not the case for everyone.

There are some people who pass by bookstores without giving them a second thought. There are those who dream of owning a bookshelf filled with stories, but money is just too tight. Then there are those who break out in a rash of dragon pox at the thought of even touching a book cover.

That’s what I want to talk about today.

I often hear kids say they don’t like to read. Each time I do, my heart cracks just a little bit. If I know them, I’ll ask them why. Usually I’m told something like, “Books are boring,” and my heart cracks a little bit more.

There’s a quote that I stumbled across recently and it’s stuck with me ever since.

There is no such thing as children who hate to read; there are only children who have not found the right book. Frank Serafini

For many, our first experiences with books are in the classroom. We read, then we’re tested on what we read. Some of us learn to associate reading with the fist-pumping thrill of success. Others associate it with stomach-clenching ache failure. And if the family doesn’t enjoy reading in the home, the young reader may never discover the joy of exploring books outside a classroom assignment.

I’ve also met parents who love to read, but who can’t figure out why their kids don’t. They try introducing their little ones to old favorites and new hits with no success. Then the parent wonders what they’ve done wrong.

There’s a secret that writers are taught early on that I think applies to parents, too: If you want to capture a reader’s heart, you have to capture their attention first.

Just like we have different tastes in food, clothes, music, and movies, our tastes in books vary from person to person. I might love something and my siblings hate it. Sometimes my siblings think something is hilarious and I think it’s awful.

The same is true about certain types of books.

I love fantasy, but not all fantasies capture my heart. I spent a late night in the bookstore once going through every single book I could find that had to do with dragons. I had a pile that was nearly sky high to start with, but in the end only four really hooked me. Only one of my siblings even gave the books I brought home a chance.

If you have a young reader at home that has a hard time sitting down to read, try asking yourself what your child gets really excited about.

If your young reader likes running around outside capturing bugs, skip the fiction section of the library. Get her a book about real bugs in real places, then explore the words and pictures together.

If your reader has a favorite sport, find a biography about a favorite player. Got a favorite hobby? There are lots of books that will help them grow their interests.

If your young reader starts reading a book and then decides he doesn’t like it, don’t make him finish it! One of the best ways to find out what we like to read is by discovering what we don’t like. Ask what he didn’t like about the book and then file that info away for future reference.

Most importantly, when you find a winner, celebrate! Before you know it, you may have a bookwyrm of your own who looks forward to finding new books wrapped up with a bow just as much as we do.

(and Jen)