When I was 12, in France, my mom belonged to a book reading club and she gave me the catalog and said: "they send a title every month. I don't have time to read. pick one for yourself." I started reading. The first book I picked was by Arthur C Clarke. 1/12

over the next year I read hundreds of books. World Wars, exploration, science fiction. By 14 I was reading Herbert's Dune, Asimov, more war stuff (Indochina, vietnam war, WWI). I started reading books in English.
Oh, and lots of cartoons. My favorites were by Hugo Pratt. 2/12

But I wasn't reading the classics in french (Notre Dame by Hugo is dreadful in French, etc etc. I tried reading Le Rouge et le Noir, I went one page and gave up).
Anyway, when I came to America at 17, I read. James Clavell, more war books, Hunt for Red October. Ludlum. 3/12

I was reading these in English. I re-read the lord of the rings in english, and not in french as previously. Same with Dune. I got into MM Kaye (love The Far Pavillions).

4/12

When my son was 7 I told him: I will buy you any book you want.
Note that we had already developed a love of reading and storytelling in him by having reading time from when he was born (Goodnight Moon, Seuss). By 5 he was reading Curious George, etc on his own. 5/12

So by 7 he dove into Animal Spirit series and Dragon Wings. he's 15 now and reads at college level, and has devoured Sarah J Maas and all the @veschwab novels. His library has over 500 books (many shelves and piles here and there)

6/12

And he keeps the series together, makes sure he gets all the books in a series. Re-reads them. Etc.

He does not like the library, does not like school-assigned books.

He is 15 and a half now, and we watch things like U-571, Zero Dark Thirty, Moneyball, The Big Short

7/12

(he loved The Big Short and Moneyball) and I know he is about to leap into those stories on print. I think I will buy him a Robert Ludlum to see if he gets into it. Or Hunt for Red October.

Again he is 15 and a half.

8/12

He recently met someone online (sony playstation network in-game chat for destiny 2) who has a similar love of reading and my son got a list of recommendations he put in google docs and shared with me:

9/12

the list is attached. I will buy these for him. 10/12

All this to say that it is possible for kids to love reading, and that it needs to start early, and be sustained, and be adequately funded. Love of reading doesn't magically appear.

I realize I am privileged af to be able to afford these books.

11/12

Note though that I work and don't take vacations, don't drink, don't smoke, don't party or do concerts/events, not for many years, because I prioritized buying books for my son.

As they say though: Education is expensive, but not as much as ignorance.

Think about that.
12/12