My 10yo has a complex relationship with books. She loves being read to, and she reads quite a lot, but she says she doesn’t enjoy reading. Of the various lessons she has to accomplish each day, she will often choose reading first, but only, she says, because she hates it least.

Today when I finished reading to her and wanted to put her to bed, she gave me a hand-made bookmark with a specially crafted message designed to guilt me into reading more. On one side it reads “Daddy, Read more to me / Please. Daddy, Please.” and on the other, “Daddy, I love it when you Read to me! (Heart)”

When I expressed interest, she sensed an opportunity to delay bedtime, so she showed me the other bookmarks she made.

Some are for books she hates, others for books she liked.