My daughter is a strong but reluctant reader, and if you’re a parent of a child like that, you’ll know how tricky it can be. She’s perfectly capable, but larger books often feel overwhelming to her, which makes persuading her to keep going a real challenge. Sadly, that feeling didn’t come from nowhere. The pressure she experienced around reading in reception took away her love of reading for pleasure, and once that joy is lost, it’s hard to rebuild.

That’s why this book felt like such a breakthrough.

Why the Format Made All the Difference

What immediately stood out was how accessible and unintimidating the format is. The way the story is broken up makes it incredibly easy to read and digest, without ever feeling childish or watered down. Instead of facing long, dense chapters, my daughter felt confident picking it up and actually wanting to keep going.

For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t counting pages or worrying about how long the book was. She was simply enjoying the story.

A Win for Reluctant Readers (and Parents Too)

This book did something I honestly didn’t expect. Not only did my daughter happily read it through, but I found myself enjoying it as well. The storytelling is engaging, the pacing is spot on, and it never feels like hard work. It’s the kind of book that quietly rebuilds confidence while reminding children that reading can be fun again.

Reigniting Reading for Pleasure

What I love most is that this book helped shift reading away from being a “task” and back into something enjoyable. That change in mindset is priceless, especially for children who have felt overwhelmed or pressured in the past.

Final Thoughts

Hats off to the author for creating a book that truly understands its audience. This one has earned a permanent place on our bookshelf, and more importantly, it’s helped rebuild a positive relationship with reading in our home. We genuinely can’t wait for the next one to be released.

If you have a child who is capable but hesitant, overwhelmed by big books or has lost their love of reading for pleasure, this is absolutely one worth trying.