Bookstaken pairs kids with caring mentors who turn reading into engaging conversations, inspiring them to eventually write their own stories.
Responses
No responses yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.
A child who is bored by one kind of book can be gripped by another. Genre is often the quickest way to a book your child will actually enjoy.
Once they have a favourite, other genres can stretch them in new directions. This guide covers what each genre gives children, which kind of child it tends to suit, and how to help them explore.
In short
Each genre gives children something different: fantasy stretches imagination, mysteries practise working things out, and realistic fiction helps them understand people.
What your child watches, plays and talks about is the best clue to the genre they'll enjoy.
Format matters as much as genre. The same kind of story can click as a graphic novel or an audiobook.
Let them stay with a favourite, then widen gently with next-door genres.
There is no best genre, only the one your child wants to read next.
What each genre gives children
Fantasy
Magical worlds, mythical creatures and ordinary children with extraordinary powers. Fantasy asks readers to picture places that don't exist, and its stories often turn on courage, loyalty and friendship.
Adventure
Journeys, missions and narrow escapes. Adventure stories move fast, which holds restless readers, and their heroes keep going when things get hard.
Mystery
Clues, red herrings and a twist at the end. Mysteries invite children to notice details, make guesses and check them against what happens: reasoning practice disguised as fun.
Funny books
Silly situations, ridiculous characters and wordplay. Humour is what many children want most: in a large US survey, 52% of children aged 6 to 17 said they want books that make them laugh (Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 2019). For a child who thinks reading is boring, a funny book is often the way in.
Science fiction
Space, robots, inventions and possible futures. Science fiction lets children play with big "what if" questions about science and technology.
Realistic fiction, stories about friendship and family
Non-stop action with little feeling
loves puzzles and working things out
Mysteries, detective stories, puzzle books
Stories where nothing needs solving
Format matters as much as genre
Sometimes it isn't the genre that's wrong, but the format. A child who gives up on a fantasy novel may love the same kind of story as a graphic novel, an illustrated chapter book or an audiobook. Short chapters help restless readers; pictures help children who think visually.
If a genre seems right but the book isn't working, try a different format before a different genre. Our post on comics and "real" books explains why graphic novels count.
Should children read lots of different genres?
Eventually, yes, because each genre exercises something different. But there's no need to rush. Many keen readers go through phases of reading only one genre or one series, and that is often how a lasting love of reading starts.
To widen their reading gently:
Try next-door genres. A mystery fan might enjoy an adventure with a puzzle in it, or a historical mystery. A fantasy fan might enjoy myths or science fiction.
Read a different genre aloud. Bedtime is a low-pressure way to try something new.
Browse a different shelf. A trip to an unfamiliar section of the library costs nothing.
Talk about why they love their favourite. Is it the twists, the jokes, the characters? The answer points to other books they'll enjoy.
That conversation is what our 1:1 online reading classes are built around. Every session, your child reads a real book picked for their interests, talks it through with a trained college mentor and gives their own verdict. For ages 6–14; the first session is free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best book genre for children?
There isn't one. The best genre is the one your child wants to read. Funny books, adventure and mysteries are easy ways in for many children, and they can branch out from there.
Which genres are best for reluctant readers?
Funny books, graphic novels, short fast-paced adventures, and non-fiction about something they already love. Keep the books easy enough to finish. Our guide to why children don't like reading has more ideas.
My child only reads one genre. Should I worry?
No. Reading lots of one kind of book still builds fluency, vocabulary and confidence. Offer next-door genres alongside their favourite rather than instead of it.
Which genres build thinking skills?
Mysteries practise noticing clues and reasoning, fantasy and science fiction raise big "what if" questions, and realistic fiction helps children understand other people. Talking about the book afterwards matters as much as the genre itself.
Does non-fiction count as reading?
Friendships, families, school and growing up. These stories show how other people think and feel, and give children words for situations they may be facing themselves.
Non-fiction and biographies
Animals, space, sport, how things work, and the lives of real people. Non-fiction is real reading, and for curious children it is often the first kind of book they choose on their own. Biographies show that achievements come from effort and setbacks.
Myths and folk tales
From the Panchatantra to the Greek myths, these are the old stories other stories borrow from. They are short, memorable and full of tricksters, gods and monsters, which makes them great read-alouds too.
Most children fit more than one row. To find your child's, look at what they keep choosing when nobody is choosing for them: the films they rewatch, the games they play, the videos they pick. A child who keeps going back to space videos is pointing you towards science and science fiction.
Yes. Reading about animals, space or football is real reading, and many children who say they don't like books love non-fiction.
How do I get my child to try a new genre?
Start close to what they love, read the first chapter aloud together, or try the book behind a film they've enjoyed. If it doesn't click, let it go and try again in a few months.
