Yesterday morning when I dropped my kids off at daycare (full day for my daughter; my son goes to school but gets the bus there) my daycare provider complimented my son. She was impressed by how he is able to sit and focus on reading a book while he waits for the bus in the mornings. “How did you do that?” she asked me, half-jokingly.

I gave her some answers: “We’ve been reading to him since he was born.” “We connected reading aloud with being cuddled and loved.” “I love to read, and he sees me reading.” “We have a ton of books in the house.”

Of course, I don’t actually know if I had any control over my son being a reader. Maybe it’s genetic. Maybe it sparks the right parts of his brain. Probably it’s just because reading is awesome. The real question is, why is this something worth commenting on? It makes me sad that my son and I seem to be outliers. Why don’t more kids– and adults– love to read?

As I turned to leave the daycare, I saw a few other kids huddled around a screen. They were laughing, swiping with their fingers. Clearly, they were having fun with each other, not just the device. This is the new normal. This is what my son is being compared to. And of course, he loves a screen as much as any other kid. He just also loves a book.

I can’t answer the question about how my son became a book person because I can’t understand why anyone could NOT be a book person. Books are the perfect escape. When I’m reading, I can be myself without the distraction of worrysome thoughts. Books immerse me completely, unlike videos, which can hardly hold my attention. Books allow me to filter information and stories through my own imagination. I don’t think I could live without those elements in my life.

Reading isn’t a radical hobby. Millions of people do it. But being a book person does take some practice. You have to keep books around. You have to create a supply chain of books you like. You might have to train your brain to focus on just one thing for a period of time.

It’s worth it. And it doesn’t have to be either-or. You can love books and love Netflix, too. My son loves Magic Tree House books AND Wildkratts. I love Fredrik Backman novels AND Parks & Recreation. Book people aren’t only into books!