THE GOOD
KNIGHT

General feedback from every mum in history, suggest dads have a very different way of interacting with children. This is most definitely backed by countless studies from very clever people. But let's face it, which dad hasn't got in trouble for launching their child as high in the air as possible while mum watches in the background with a look that would send chills down the spine of any mere mortal.

 

I won't even dare mention what happens when a dad suggests taking an 'adventurous shortcut', but you definitely get less Christmas presents when that shortcut takes five times longer than the 'safe-route' and you have to cross several ravines without the appropriate gear. Safe-routes are boring.

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The same creative, slightly chaotic energy applies to reading, drawing and playing. The research tells us that is exactly what children need.

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Dads tend to focus on engaging, creative and questioning interactions that boost language skills more than passive reading alone. Silly voices, going off-piste with a story line and acting out pivotal scenes is fun. It also turns out to be HUGELY important to a child's development. The positive impact on girls' language development specifically is massively significant.

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Research by the University of Leeds (2023) found that a dad reading to their child has a unique and measurable impact on academic success and language development by age five. Those same benefits continuing through Key Stage assessments to the age of seven. It is one of the most important things that a dad can do - and it is easy!

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The effects held regardless of income, ethnicity or the child's gender.

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Yet dads read aloud with their children far less than mums, especially with pre-school-aged children. Some studies put this figure at 29% of dads reading daily, and there appears to be trend that is seeing this figure drop further among younger fathers, at precisely the age when the impact would be greatest.

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There are so many reasons for this. I don't believe that it is disinterest. It is habit, content and even confidence! And we can't forget modern life, which makes it harder.

 

The children's book world is truly wonderful. It's also predominantly shaped by women, for women. Research has shown that females buy between 57-70% of all children's books, and that really does have an impact on the choices of books that are available to read at bedtime for dads.

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I could apply the same to films - mums have been shown to prefer movies that offer emotional release, relatability, or historical escapism. In contrast, dads often show a preference for thrillers, father-child bonding tropes, and adventures. And the movie industry knows that and targets the demographics accordingly. 

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The Good Knight books have been written in a style that will make dads want to pick them up, with funny characters, adventures, weird and wonderful creatures, ridiculous/relatable humour and silly sound effects. They are written to encourage dads to pick up a book (or two) and make bedtime stories the most special part of the day.  

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My firm belief is that if we want more dads to read then we need more books that will appeal to them and that means appealing to the ever-so-slightly more stupid nature of malekind. That's exactly what The Good Knight series is setting out to achieve and is the first in a planned series of stories to get dads reading more to their children.

 

Books that make you do the ROOOAR! so loudly that your child can't breathe for laughing, where fairy tales are reimagined, characters are built for putting on your best silly voice and medieval insults are brought well into the 21st century bedroom - you'd be a complete fopdoodle to miss out on this quest!

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Ultimately, bedtime can become the thing children look forward to all day, they know they are going to have fun reading a book. We want to build a love of reading that lasts a lifetime. And we want you to commit to ten minutes a night and make that truly magical bond that reading can bring.

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The research says it changes outcomes. Jack, Charlotte and Fire Pud can help with that, in fact, The Good Knight Blog has been packed to the castle turrets with articles, research, medieval insults and the odd ROOOAR that can help supplement the books and build the castle-world that our trio live in.

 

You can also join Jack's SHIELD WALL and become part of a growing community with the quest to bring joy, laughter and ridiculously silly voices back to bedtime reading!

 

Together we can get more dads reading. It is definitely Jack's biggest quest.

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