It’s never too early to read absurdist satire

It’s never too early—or too late—to fall in love with reading.

A friend sent me a photo that gave me a good belly laugh: her grandchild, lying in bed, eyes wide with wonder, reading The Man with the Pink Sombrero as a bedtime story. Sweet dreams, little one. May your dreams be filled with cartel bosses, cursed radishes, and morally questionable roulette prophets. Of course, it’s a spoof (no actual children should be exposed to the chaotic mind of Fred Montana before age 20). But it did make me reflect on the magic of books—and how they shape us, often when we need it most.

I was a late reader myself. My family had just moved back to Brighton from Australia when I stumbled into Middle Street School, still wondering which hemisphere I was in. But once I found books, I never let go. Reading truly saved my life during a very rough patch as a teen.

• Joseph Heller’s Catch-22  taught me the beauty of absurdity and satire.

• Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov opened my mind to the depths of human complexity.

• Frank Richards’ Billy Bunter helped me make sense of bullying, pudding obsessions, and prep school politics.

Reading is ice cream for the soul—and the best part? There are endless flavours. So whether it’s Dostoevsky, Dan Brown, or Denny Darke, mix it up. Try something new. Taste satire. Lick the edges of magical realism. Dip your toes in historical horror or romantic spaghetti Westerns.

And yes—get your kids reading early. You won’t regret it. (Just… maybe save The Man with the Pink Sombrero for when they’ve graduated from bedtime stories.)

READ THE BOOK – It's never too early to laugh. But maybe wait until they've passed their driving test.

#nevertooyoungtoread #readingmatters #themanwiththepinksombrero #dennydarkeisbatshitcrazy

*Disclaimer* No children, adults or animals were harmed (or eaten) during the making of this post!