BOLD Lab recently welcomed Anežka Kuzmičová, who visited us to discuss her European Research Council project WONDRE_ERC. During her visit, we had an inspiring discussion about children’s reading development and the broader conditions that support or hinder young people’s relationship with reading and self-understanding.

One of the most stimulating aspects of the meeting was the depth with which members of the lab engaged with the questions raised by the project. Together, we reflected on several common assumptions that may unintentionally limit children’s reading development. Among other issues, we discussed the tendency of adults to lament that children do not read what they “should” read, while often overlooking the wide range of texts and media that children actually engage with in their everyday lives.

The conversation also touched on the persistent hierarchy of interests that labels some reading practices or topics as more valuable than others. This perspective can obscure children’s authentic interests and lead adults to underestimate the importance of the materials and subjects that genuinely attract young readers.

The visit sparked a rich exchange of ideas and offered valuable insights into how researchers and educators might rethink common narratives about children and reading. We are grateful to Anežka for the stimulating discussion and look forward to further opportunities for collaboration.