One of the most powerful ways to get children reading is surprisingly simple: let them read what excites them. This is backed up by evidence. Research from organisations such as the National Literacy Trust shows that reading for pleasure boosts literacy, confidence, wellbeing and lifelong learning habits. One important thing, however, is that we should let children choose what they read. That sense of ownership is what turns reading into something they want to do, not something they feel they have to do.

Interestingly, it works the same way for writers too. As a scientist, I naturally gravitate towards stories filled with science, because that’s what excites me and keeps me writing.

So, what interests children? For some, it’s magic, for others, baking, flight, gardening, animals, robots. How the world works. Space. The Universe. It could literally be anything! When children feel curiosity pulling them forward, reading stops being a task and becomes an adventure. That idea sits at the heart of the National Year of Reading 2026 and its Go All In campaign.

And it’s also why I’m proud to be the author of the SuperQuesters Missions series.

The SuperQuesters books are adventure stories first and foremost. They follow three ordinary friends – Lilli, Leo, and Bea – who are transported into the magical world of Questland, where they become superheroes. They must work together to solve problems, protect communities and outwit villains.

But woven through each story is something deeper: real world STEM learning. I’ve worked to embed it in the narrative so naturally that readers may not even realise they are learning. Children don’t have to be told they’re learning. They simply follow the story and the learning comes along for the ride!

One of the biggest challenges teachers face is engaging children who can read but don’t yet see themselves as readers. As a former reluctant reader myself, I know how hard it can be to motivate children who just aren’t interested. For me, it was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park that hooked me into reading. It was only years later that I realised it’s technically classed as science-fiction horror, and probably not the most age-appropriate choice for an eleven-year-old!

That’s where SuperQuesters Missions comes in: age-appropriate stories for 6 to 9 year olds designed to engage readers and, hopefully, inspire a love not only of reading, but of science too.

The SuperQuesters Mission books are designed with this in mind. Chapters are short and purposeful and cliff-hangers keep momentum high. This is how I love to read, and it is how I love to write. I love creating cliffhangers for the reader, meaning they can’t resist but to read ‘just one more chapter’!

This structure makes the books particularly effective for guided reading, shared reading, or independent reading time. And that works especially well for children who enjoy problem-solving and games. Gaming and technology feature heavily in the stories, and, of course, lots of robots!

This also means that the SuperQuesters Mission books are a great way to introduce topics linked to annual dates, such as is British Science Week (March), Earth Day (22 April) or World Environment Day (5 June), to name a few. Or can be used to gently guide  children, who think (wrongly) that reading and books aren’t for them, to engage in events such as National Share a Story Month (May). By being pulled into the facts and helping the SuperQuesters, these children will find themselves enjoying the story as well as what they love.

In the context of the National Year of Reading, the message is clear: when children find books that align with their interests, reading becomes something they choose. Because the stories link directly to National Curriculum topics at Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers can confidently use them as both reading material and learning tools. To make classroom use as straightforward as possible, there are free teaching resources available for SuperQuesters books.

At its core, SuperQuesters is about curiosity, teamwork and believing that learning can be exciting. When children are invited to ‘go all in’ on what they love, whether that’s science, adventure, puzzles or saving the world, reading stops being a challenge and becomes something they look forward to.

And that’s where lifelong readers are made.

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Many thanks to Paul for sharing these thoughts and introducing Quest Friends Mission.  You can read more about each of the titles in the series below – including the brand new title published in May.