One thing I've observed, even with a near-teen in the house, is that kids never get tired of stories.
They still crave them, in fact. Though stories may take different forms, their tastes are ever evolving after all, stories to kids can mean any number of things.
Sometimes it can be as simple as rediscovering a book you thought they'd grown out of (and one of the reasons we don't clear out our collection even more savagely than we already have) is because that cycle of rediscovery is a constant delight and one we secretly encourage.
Sometimes it may be seeking stories in different forms. C is currently obsessed with the 'storification' of some of her other interests. Developing her own narratives and a real 'plot' to Scratch games she writes, or inventing potted biographies for her Animal Crossing characters still shows signs of an interest in storytelling.
Mostly though it's the discovery that, as clued up as you are on books, sometimes one will come along that feels instantly new, original and fresh - like nothing you've ever read before, and thankfully we've managed to pick up a few books recently in our glorious local indie bookstore that have breathed new life into C's interest in upper middle grade novels, something I feared was wavering somewhat under a slew of very samey books hitting the bookstore shelves.
As this book rides off into the sunset, there's a comforting word for anyone who may feel that they're too wondering how long they've got left in book blogging, or bedtime reading, or just that brilliant connection that you can develop with your kids over the love of books and stories. The answer is "a lifetime" - it may change, may evolve but thankfully it will never disappear entirely.
Stay safe, keep reading and the biggest love to all of you who put in the hours and the effort to share stories with their kids.