I have a confession to make. It’s one that for most of my life I was embarrassed to say. But something about turning 40, or the fact that there are multiple independent bookstores dedicated to my genre of choice, has emboldened me to share: I am an unapologetic romance reader. That’s right. Give me all the “happily ever afters.” I’ll take the sports romance, enemies to lovers, devour any book that features a librarian as the main character, and have a penchant for romantasy titles too. 

Although the genre makes up nearly a quarter of the book publishing business, romance books have long suffered a bad reputation. It might be because of the shirtless, brawny men featured on bookcovers (thank goodness they tend to be more brightly covered these days and less shirtless). Folks like to qualify romance reading as “fluff” and “wastes of time.” But I am here to make a case for reading all the happy endings, predictability, and even connect this to building lifelong readers. 

I come from a long line of romance readers; I have memories of my mother devouring Avon classics in one sitting. I relished seeing my mom happily reading. It’s one of my fondest memories of my late mother. On a recent weekend my own daughter kept checking in on me as I couldn’t put down the newest Ali Hazelwood (Mate, sequel to Bride). It was during her frequent visits and eventual crawling into bed with me with her own book that I made this memory connection. I am an avid reader, because my mother was an avid reader. The habit was instilled in me in the same way that other habits of hers have creeped in, like never having less than a quarter tank of gas in my car. It’s just what I do.  

Unlike the gas tank thing, reading for pleasure wasn’t something my mother told me to do as a caution. She embodied the habit with her consistent practice. She also made space for me to develop my own reading habits with weekly trips to our public library. As I got older and started to enjoy romance books myself, we were able to share the tropes we sought out and even find a way to talk about questions I had about intimacy that I was way too embarrassed to bring up without the shield of a book.

These days reading for pleasure is a pastime that frequently gets the scary headlines like “why aren’t students reading anymore?” or “kids don’t finish full books because of AI.” We know the science, and importance, of reading for pleasure. But how are we actively nurturing this habit? In a time when there is so much worry and concern about children reading only graphic novels or “fluff” I ask you to consider your own reading habits. 

  • What is the last book you read and enjoyed? 
  • Do you have comfort reads that you reread? 
  • When was the last time your child saw you reading for the fun of it? 

Although I have my Masters in Library and Information Science, I don’t consider myself an expert. I am just an avid reader hoping to make more avid readers one habit at a time. So here are some tips that have worked for my family. I hope they will inspire and work with yours. And please remember: It is OK if your child wants to read just one type of book at home. Trust that during the school day they will be challenged to read differently. At home, just let them read. 

Tips for Families

  • Make sure everyone in your family has a public library card. They are free and connect you to so much more than just books. Most libraries have tools you can borrow, excellent free programming, and even discounted or free tickets to museums! 
  • Build weekly or bi-weekly library visits into your family’s routine. I know we are busy people. How you choose to spend your time shows your children what your family values. Turn your kids into library kids. Trust me. You won’t regret it. 
  • Let your children see you reading (and often). A somewhat recent study showed the greatest predictor of a child’s technology use is their parents’ use¹. I bet that same principle can apply to reading. So, when was the last time your kid saw you sitting and enjoying a book (and not just on vacation)? Make it a routine. 

Give family listens a try. Audiobooks have been a game changer in our family. We spend a lot of time in the car, and a few years ago prior to The Wild Robot movie coming out I realized I wanted to make sure my kiddo heard the story before the movie. Borrowing the audiobook from our library and listening together was such a highlight. We now always have a book on deck to listen to together. If you need another reason to enjoy audiobooks together, check out this study².

Written by: Camille B. Harrison | Director of Library and Academic Technology