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Parents asked this former teacher what kids should be reading. Her response was perfect.

When parents ask children's author Kate Messner about what kids should be reading, she always says the same thing.

Messner is an award-winning author who has written more than 30 books, including the juvenile fiction series "Ranger in Time." She was also a middle school teacher for 15 years.

In a Twitter thread, Messner shared that parents often approach her to express concern about the kinds of the books their kids read.

"Sometimes, adults worry that summer reading isn't hard enough or challenging enough or academic enough," she wrote.

Her advice? Let them read what they love: "If they love it and want to read?" That is enough."

Messner also offered comfort to parents whose kids only want to read graphic novels.

She assures parents that comic books and graphic novels are still great reading choices.

She told the story of a dad who stopped her in the grocery store one day to say that his son kept reading graphic novels and ask her what he should do about it. Messner replied, "Buy him more graphic novels. And go to the library because they have some great ones."

Messner pointed out that she grew up reading "Archie" comics, which made her a reader. "Comics and graphic novels of today are smart and sophisticated," she wrote, "and they create readers in a big way."

That endorsement of graphic novels is a balm to parents who worry their kids aren't "really reading" when they indulge in comic-style books. But reading can be done in a variety of ways, books come in a variety of formats, and if a kid is enamored with stories being told a specific way, there's nothing wrong with that.

Reading graphic novels is a good "in" to the reading world for some kids, and when they are ready for something different, they'll already have the reading habit established.

Forcing kids to read books they don't like or aren't interested in is a quick way to make kids hate reading.

In our eagerness to create readers, parents and educators can do some unintentional damage. For example, mandatory reading logs, where kids are required to read for a certain number of minutes and keep track of it each day, have been shown in at least one study to diminish a child's interest in reading.

"When reading is portrayed as something one has to be forced to do," the authors of one such study wrote, "students may draw the conclusion that it is not the kind of activity they want to engage in when given free time."

Since 1 in 4 American adults don't read any books, helping kids love reading is important.

According to a Pew report, about 24% of adults in the U.S. haven't read any books — in whole or in part — in the past year. That includes, print, electronic, and audio formats. One might assume that those numbers are a product of the digital generation, but the report found that Americans under 50 years of age are more likely to have read a book than those over 50.

Books don't have to be long or difficult to be valuable. And considering the research that shows how reading increases intelligence, empathy, mental health, and more, developing a habit of devouring books is more important than fretting over specific kinds.

And way to do that, according to Messner, is simple: "Let your kids read what they love. The End."

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How one woman and 'Supergirl' helped a teen feel comfortable in her own skin.

'I was her at that age. Scared of who I was, and thought I was alone.'

​Mary Swangin was working an otherwise ordinary Saturday at a Fort Wayne, Indiana, comic book store when a teenage girl came in looking "absolutely terrified."

Swangin tweeted the encounter later that day, explaining that when she went to help the girl, it quickly became clear that the girl needed more than just a good comic recommendation — she needed someone to listen and understand her. As luck would have it, Swangin happened to be the perfect person for the job.

Once Swangin started talking to her, she realized the girl must have recently come out of the closet, and Swangin, having also come out around that age, immediately empathized with her.

The girl explained that she's a huge fan of Supergirl's sister Alex Danvers, who recently came out in an episode of The CW show.

In season 2 of "Supergirl," Danvers (played by Chyler Leigh) realizes that she's a lesbian and becomes romantically involved with Maggie Sawyer (played by Floriana Lima), an openly gay cop on the show — a pairing affectionally known as "Sanvers" by fans.

GIF from "Supergirl."

"We're walking to the Super area when I ask if she watches the show. She smiles a bit and nods. Says Alex is her favorite. I mention that I'm a huge shipper and the poor thing just breaks down in tears. I'm trying to figure out what the hell I did to upset her. She's crying and I'm freaking out. After a minute or so, everything clicks. I'm staring down a crying baby gay. One who was having some big issues. I tell her that it was hard for me when I wanted to come out too. She finally stops crying and asks me if it gets easier," Swangin tweeted.

In the course of their conversation, the girl confessed to Swangin that she had been suicidal and that Danvers' coming out story arc was one of the only things keeping her hope alive in a difficult time.

"I was her at that age. Scared of who I was, and thought I was alone," explains Swangin over a direct message on Twitter. For Swangin, the character she was drawn to was Kate Kane as Batwoman. "She was a military cadet who was expelled under DADT [Don't Ask Don't Tell] and hit rock bottom," writes Swangin. "She had to claw her way up, and if she could do it, so could I."

Which is why she decided to share the whole story on Twitter:

Sometimes superheroes don't wear capes. Sometimes they wear regular clothes and work in comic book stores.

$60 comics aside, this girl will know forever that she's far from alone in her coming out story.

Even Chyler Leigh, the actress who plays Danvers, responded to the tweet thread to let the girl — and anyone else feeling alone — know that she, and Supergirl, have her back.

The more that marginalized groups are represented in the media, the more people will feel accepted and connected to a larger community. Like it or not, pop culture has that power, and with that power comes the obligation to be as inclusive as possible.

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Zendaya will play Mary Jane in the new 'Spider-Man,' and it's a big deal.

Representation matters.

For the first time in Hollywood history, Spider-Man's love interest will be played by a black actress.

And she's none other than 19-year-old Zendaya — a former Disney star whose acting, modeling, and business career has taken off in recent years.

Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Essence.

The rumor mill began churning earlier this year after Zendaya was first cast, with many speculating she'd play Peter Parker's friend Michelle.

But according to an inside scoop from The Wrap, Zendaya landed the coveted role of Mary Jane Watson in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" — a character we're used to seeing with red locks and white skin.

As you can imagine, the news is certainly making waves.

Reactions from around the web began pouring in with excitement and praise, proving that casting makes a difference.

Just the thought of the new Mary Jane is brightening people's day.

In an industry that tends to exclude certain groups from the big screen, this is big.

And who knows how many little girls are celebrating the casting decision this very moment?

Of course, not all reactions were of approval. Some are arguing that a black actress would break the mold of Mary Jane's original comic book look (and they clearly aren't happy about it).

But I suggest we take a step back and give this news a little context first.

For every person of color who's portrayed a character originally written as white, there are about a million examples of the opposite.

I mean, just take a peek at this list.

Not only is Hollywood hesitant to create films directed by and starring people of color, but it also has a nasty habit of whitewashing — giving roles that should be played by actors of color to white people (think, Emma Stone playing Allison Ng in "Aloha" or Rooney Mara playing Tiger Lily — a character who's decidedly Native American — in "Pan").

These systemic problems have meant certain groups are dramatically underrepresented on the big screen.

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.

So instead of getting our feathers ruffled over the modernizing of a comic book series, shouldn't we be celebrating an evolving, more-inclusive film industry?

After all, diversity isn't just cool for the sake of diversity — representation matters.

Everyone deserves to see themselves in the heroes that capture our hearts on-screen.

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These comic characters could change the way kids view superheroes.

Since the 1990s, 10 movies with black superhero leads have actually grossed over $1 billion.

Have you seen many movies lately with black superheroes as the lead character?

My guess would be that you probably haven’t, but there are been a few. Out of the 171 superhero films made since 1920, only 10 of them feature black superheroes as the lead.

However, with the success of Falcon and Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, audiences are incredibly excited about the upcoming release of the "Black Panther" solo film in 2018 too.

Since the 1990s, those 10 movies with black superhero leads have actually grossed over $1 billion.

That’s nearly an average $100 million per film, which is a lot considering many of the well-known black superhero films debuted in theaters during the 1990s (and lead characters such as Spawn and Blade did not have the same universal name recognition as Spider-Man or Superman). Of course, all movies with black characters at the helm don’t turn into box office gold (see "Blankman," "The Meteor Man," and "Steel"), but the need for more diversity in film adaptations of superheroes is pretty obvious.

In fact, it looks like we might be trending toward inclusivity in film too.

A 2015 study by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA analyzed the top 200 theatrical film releases in 2012 and 2013, and the results suggested that increasingly diverse audiences prefer diverse film and television content.

Films with relatively diverse casts earned the highest money in ticket sales in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, the 28 films that had casts with 21%-30% minority actors earned a median global box office total of $143 million versus the median box office for the 50 films that were 10% minority or less, which was $53.2 million.

All of this suggests that moviegoers and comic book fans are going to be more than welcoming to successful depictions of black superheroes in the future, which is awesome.

Here are five black superheroes that could add diversity (and great storylines) to the comic book movie market.

1. Luke Cage

Screenshot via watchmojo.com/YouTube expand=1].

In the case of Luke Cage, black (literally) doesn’t crack. Equipped with unbreakable skin and superhuman strength, not only does Luke Cage boast a storyline that includes narratives of struggles that plague black Americans, but the character also has story arcs of betrayal, redemption, and love to which any moviegoer or comic book fanatic can relate.

Cage, a former gang member, was falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit and received his powers through an injection, similar to the super soldier serum that created Captain America, while in jail. With a series set to premiere on Netflix in September, it might be only a matter of time before you see Luke Cage on the big screen.

2. Bumblebee

Screenshot via DC expand=1] Super Hero Girls/YouTube.

Who is Karen Beecher-Duncan without her bumblebee-themed suit? A genius, inventor, scientist, and DC’s first black female superhero. Bumblebee’s powers come from her intellect, which she used to create her own high-tech suit of armor that gives her the power to fly, to shoot sonic blasts, and to shrink. Even in a shortage of superheroines in film, audiences and studios have shown via "Ant-Man," and Ant-Man’s upcoming sequel, "Ant-Man and the Wasp," there may be room for another bug-themed superheroine who can rock a beehive hairdo and espouse some #blackgirlmagic too.

3. Misty Knight

Screenshot via TheMtVernonKid/YouTube expand=1].

She’s Coffy in comic book form. Misty Knight is one badass, strong black woman who you don’t want to mess with. Knight is an exceptional markswoman, hand-to-hand combat expert, and a former member of the NYPD. Knight lost her arm after she stopped a terrorist attack that targeted a bank, and she was later awarded for her bravery by Stark Industries in the form of a cybernetic, vibranium-made bionic arm that gives her superhuman strength. Knight’s storyline includes hunting superheroes who did not comply with the Superhuman Registration Act, and she would make the perfect addition to the Civil War storyline.

4. Miles Morales

Screenshot via Comics expand=1] Explained/YouTube.

We may be a long way from a film adaptation of the Miles Morales storyline, but one can only hope to see what a black and Latino, Brooklyn-born and raised, Spidey movie would look like. Morales is similar to Peter Parker in that they both can outwit nemeses and friends, but Morales has different anxieties than Peter Parker does. Morales deals with an internal struggle of questioning whether the demons of his father and uncle (both petty criminals) are hard-wired into his DNA, unlike Parker who grows up with a wholesome Aunt May and Uncle Ben. The Morales storyline is one that anyone who grew up with family struggles can connect with.

5. Spawn

Screenshot via watchmojo.com/YouTube expand=1].

I know. We’ve seen Spawn before, but after the success of the R-rated "Deadpool," maybe, just maybe, we can get a dark, gritty, honest-to-Spawn, R-rated film? Todd McFarlane has finished a screenplay and is shopping it around Hollywood. Spawn has everything that a superhero needs too: tragedy, action, and drama. Many of us still remember the popular 1997 film version of the antihero starring Michael Jai White, and with White’s performance in the movie "Blood and Bone," White still has what it takes to make a kick-ass superhero.

It’s hard to predict what the next box office success will be, but diversity on the screen is just as important as diversity off the screen.

Why? Because when diversity wins, everyone wins. Everyone should be able to see someone like themselves on screen. The greatest power a superhero has is the ability to inspire kids to believe they can fly.

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