Last week I challenged you to read more children’s books in 2016, whether or not you consider yourself a child. Not convinced yet? Here are some reasons why YOU should read a kids book today!

1. They are quick to read. Haven’t got a lot of time to read? You can finish a children’s book in a matter of hours – even minutes.
2. They deal with any topic you can imagine. Just like so-called ‘adult’ books, there are children’s books on almost every aspect of human existence and in every genre.
3. They are entertaining. You can laugh, cry, be confused, amazed, joyful – you name it. Again, just like ‘adult’ books.
4. They are well written. Think about it: the fewer words you have to work with, the harder it is to hide clumsy writing, boring bits, and errors. Writing for children is just as hard (or harder) than writing for adults and the quality of what gets published is proof of that.
5. You show your coolness and confidence. Nothing says at home with who you are more than being willing to read a children’s book in public where there are no children present.
6. You are setting a good example to the children in your life. When you read a children’s book you show your coolness (see point 5) but also the coolness of the book. If a child who looks up to you sees you reading of their books, they get the message that it is a cool thing to do.
7. You open up communication with the young people around you. If you and your child/relative/young friend/student read the same book, you can talk about it: what you like, what you didn’t like, what you might read next.
8. You can do it at the same time as other things. Visiting the beach, floating in the pool, waiting for the kids to finish school, eating lunch, travelling. Book are portable, and children’s books (being generally lighter) and extra portable.
9. They improve your mind. You learn stuff when you read kids’ books – again, just like ‘adult’ books.
10. There is no such thing as children’s books. What? Here I am exhorting you to read them and now I’m claiming they don’t exist? That’s because I would argue that books are just books. You can read whatever you like! So why not read a kids’ book.

I could go on and give you a hundred reasons (and, if you’ve got one you think I should have mentioned, feel free to comment below), but ten should get you started. If you have read a good kids’ book lately, and agree with me, it would be great if you’d tell the world about. The hash tag I’ve been using is #readakidsbook – and I’d love to see others using it, too.