Comics and graphic novels are real reading. What the research says about how they build inference and vocabulary, and how to move from comics to longer books without taking the comics away.

Start from your child, not a list. Match books to their interests, check the level, avoid five common mistakes and help them build a taste of their own.

What each genre gives a child, which kind of child it tends to suit, and how to widen a reader who only wants one kind of book.

What "I don't like reading" usually means, why so many children stop around nine or ten, and a step-by-step way back to books.

Why some children stop after two pages, and a simple plan to help them read for longer, a minute at a time.

Why a book trains focus in a way few other things do, how to build reading stamina step by step, and what to do when your child drifts off the page.

Low-prep ideas for after school, weekends, road trips and restaurants, sorted by where you are, plus how to get a screen-loving child to actually try them.