Most parents start reading books to their children around two years old. At first, the characters tend to be imaginary or fanciful, encouraging virtues like sharing and tolerance. As reading skills advance, many kids gravitate toward more complicated, mystical stories over grounded tales. In my paediatric practice, I became convinced that reading content significantly impacts child development.

As I’ve seen with my grandchildren, reading shifts from fantasy to supernatural the older kids get, with less attention on relatable characters and environments. In writing Buto Meets His Famous Grandmother, I hope to bridge imaginative early reading to sophisticated young adult habits. The story features realistic figures for children to connect with as they transition into more complex fiction. All through the years of my paediatric practice, I was, and as I am now convinced the proper content of reading material plays an important role in children’s education and development.