--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say, 'All my son will read is…" description: "\"People say, 'All my son will read is 'Captain Underpants,' or 'My son is crazy about shark books, is that O.K.?' I want to be the person to say, 'Yeah,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/jon-scieszka-21548_about_people-say-all-my-son-will-read-is-capta_193458.jpg" --- # People say, 'All my son will read is 'Captain Underpants,'… ![“People say, 'All my son will read is 'Captain Underpants,' or 'My son is crazy about shark books, is that O.K.?' I want to be the person to say, 'Yeah, that's really O.K., as long as he's motivated to want to read.'” quote by Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/jon-scieszka-21548_about_people-say-all-my-son-will-read-is-capta_193458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/jon-scieszka-21548_about_people-say-all-my-son-will-read-is-capta_193458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/jon-scieszka-21548_about_people-say-all-my-son-will-read-is-capta_193458.jpg) > “People say, 'All my son will read is 'Captain Underpants,' or 'My son is crazy about shark books, is that O.K.?' I want to be the person to say, 'Yeah, that's really O.K., as long as he's motivated to want to read.'” [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encouraging reading for any content as long as the child is motivated, not judging the material. **In simple terms:** Motivation matters more than the book type. Key Takeaway Support kids' reading interests. Themes reading motivation parenting Mood encouraging optimistic Type advice parenting When to use this quote - home - school libraries - gifted children - reluctant readers Key Concepts literacy intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance fun and educational value? - What role does curiosity play in lifelong learning? A Different Perspective Some books may not develop critical thinking or depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shark/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Expand the definition of 'reading' to include non-fiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure, and, yes, even websites. It's the pleasure of reading that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/expand-the-definition-of-reading-to-include-non-fiction-humor-graphic/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [I taught my son to read with tabloids. We would sit to read the 'Weekly World News' together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-taught-my-son-to-read-with-tabloids-we-would-sit-to-read-the-weekly/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Basically, if you like 'Deadpool,' you'll love 'Captain Underpants.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/basically-if-you-like-deadpool-you-ll-love-captain-underpants/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [Working with Dav Pilkey was a dream come true. Dav is incredibly funny, and he's been a hero of mine for a long time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/working-with-dav-pilkey-was-a-dream-come-true-dav-is-incredibly-funny/) [Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/) > [My goal with The Adventures of Captain Underpants was to invent a style which was almost identical to that of a picture book -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/my-goal-with-the-adventures-of-captain-underpants-was-to-invent-a/) [Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/) > [It used to take me forever to read and comprehend stuff, so I decided not to make the 'Captain Underpants' books too challenging. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/it-used-to-take-me-forever-to-read-and-comprehend-stuff-so-i-decided/) [Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/) > [That awkward moment when captain underpants meets Dora the Explorer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-captain-underpants-meets-dora-the-explorer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I created 'Captain Underpants' when I was in the second grade. I was constantly getting in trouble for being the class clown, so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/i-created-captain-underpants-when-i-was-in-the-second-grade-i-was/) [Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/) > [I want to make books. I want to take pictures and then write all over the pictures. And then I don't have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-want-to-make-books-i-want-to-take-pictures-and-then-write-all-over/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [“I wrote long reviews of all four books if you want to take a look.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-rayner/i-wrote-long-reviews-of-all-four-books-if-you-want-to-take-a-look/) [Manny Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-rayner/) > [Books that are books are all that you want, and there are but a half dozen in any thousand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-that-are-books-are-all-that-you-want-and-there-are-but-a-half/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I read books, but I do it because I want to - because it's like an escape in my head, like being with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-read-books-but-i-do-it-because-i-want-to-because-it-s-like-an/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Music and movie scripts are books. 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Call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/i-m-not-sure-what-to-call-lego-star-wars-the-visual-dictionary/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [The big problem is just this kind of gigantic piece, of kids reading less and liking it less and so getting worse at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/the-big-problem-is-just-this-kind-of-gigantic-piece-of-kids-reading/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [When I was one day old, I learned how to read. When I was two days old, I started to write. By the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/when-i-was-one-day-old-i-learned-how-to-read-when-i-was-two-days-old/) [Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/) > [I taught elementary school and painted apartments for ten years. Now I write full-time and never have to change a thing I write. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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