Click here for full show notes, exercises, and word-for-word scripts from this episodeTeen fiction books can change a kid's life when they come at just the right time. Brandon Mull wasn't much of a reader, he told me, until he read Narnia as a kid and was pulled in by the vast imagination of that story. That book was a turning point in his life that started him on the path of becoming a reader.If you can get your teen reading the right kinds of teen fiction books it can inspire your teen or motivate them to start reading more and more. But if you buy your teen the wrong kinds of teen fiction books they could lose interest in reading altogether.During our interview, we talked about how to pick the right kinds of fiction books for your teen.Brandon spends four months out of every year traveling around the country doing free assemblies at schools about reading and literacy. Over the years he's talked to thousands and thousands of kids. When it comes to teen fiction books, Brandon says that he's found the fantasy genre has the broadest overall appeal for kids in this age group.After writing an incredible 15 New York Times Bestsellers himself, Brandon knows what he's talking about.Fantasy is a broad genre of teen fiction books that could include werewolves, vampires, magic, dragons, elves, goblins, and fairies. But the reason these books appeal so well to kids is that they often feature a young protagonist who is able to outsmart the adults and overcome amazing obstacles. Teens love this because this is how all teenagers want to see themselves.So if you have a teen who isn't reading much and you want to get them reading more, try a fantasy book with a protagonist who is a similar age to your teen.Teen Fiction Books Enhance the ImaginationBrandon encourages kids to think about teen fiction books as kind of like weight lifting for your imagination. When you read a book and have to picture the whole scene unfolding in your head, it's like a work out for your creativity. Doing this every day will sculpt a more creative brain.If your teen is on the fence about teen fiction books, Brandon recommends asking if they have ever read a book and then seen the movie and been disappointed because the book was better in their head while they were reading it. Nearly everyone has had this experience and it proves that your imagination can be better than a famous Hollywood director with a multi-million dollar budget.Once your teen realizes this, they'll see that it would be a crime not to use the theater of their own imagination more often by reading teen fiction books and other novels that stretch their creativity.In this episode, Brandon covers all of these ideas and more in depth. He breaks down exactly what you can say to a teenager who isn't reading very much and how you can promote the pleasures of reading for fun.