Mystery fans, some of you have kids. Have you ever wondered what type of kid likes mysteries?

Many parents ask how on earth they can get their kids interested in reading. Many parents, especially sentimental ones, will push copies of fairy tales into their kids’ unwilling little hands. Sometimes parents shell out a lot of money for beautiful hardbacks of beloved fantasy classics such as The Chronicles of Narnia or Alice in Wonderland. After all, aren’t kids just innocent cherubs who will clap their hands for Tinkerbell, and declare that they believe in fairies and in Santa Claus, too?

Not some kids. Some kids will thank their parents in a bored monotone for the gilt-edged copy of The Hobbit, and think to themselves, “This is stupid.” That doesn’t necessarily make them little curmudgeons. Different kids prefer different types of books.

Boys sometimes gravitate towards mysteries because it’s obviously more manly to read about cops and robbers than fairies and princesses. Sometimes when an admired adult such as Mom or Dad holds a job in the security, police, or legal fields, children will seek out mysteries because they want to understand what it is their favorite person does. Those are obvious reasons kids like mysteries.

But what if your kid shows an unexpected interest in mysteries? Be proud of your kid, and do everything you can to supply her with her favorite reading material. An interest in mysteries can point to several admirable character traits.

Your mystery-loving kid might be a realist who has no patience with fairy stories. Realists are often gifted with keen powers of observation, an analytical mind, strong organizational skills, self-discipline, and a steel-trap mind for details. These kids don’t procrastinate. They are the responsible types who ask you to help them open their own savings accounts before they reach their teens. Often they can’t wait to grow up and be an adult. Society favors realists and needs them for such valued professions as engineering, medicine, and (yes) law enforcement.

Your mystery-loving kid might be a crusader for justice. These kids often display empathy and moral intelligence beyond their years. Issues of right-and-wrong and fairness are important to them. They are independent kids who can immediately spot authority figures who abuse power. Often these kids have a strong need to protect the victims in society. They make excellent police, politicians, social workers, and teachers and they value everyone’s right to think for him- or herself.

Your mystery-loving kid might be insatiably curious about other people. Why do people behave in such strange ways? They don’t want to read about silliness like pixies casting spells when they could be devouring a story of motives, cause and effect, betrayal, and rescue. Mysteries tend to illuminate basic human truths: people want certain things, people fear certain things, and people lie to themselves about certain things. People also behave with nobility in certain circumstances. Kids who are fascinated by people often grow up to be psychologists, entrepreneurs, and political leaders.

But let’s not forget that these are KID mysteries we’re describing, not adult-strength “noir” exploring the depths of the criminal mind. The best kid mysteries recognize a kid’s innocence, and tend to emphasize either intriguing puzzles to solve, or comic adventures to enjoy. An introverted kid might gravitate towards the puzzle-solving. An extroverted kid will love to read about kids and their friends outsmarting the adults. Therefore, the kid-mystery field usually has something to satisfy everyone.

Where to start if you think your kid might enjoy mysteries? Look at my For Kids topic where I review mysteries written for kids. If I’m not reviewing fast enough for you and your kid, you could always check out my source material: the lists of prize-winning juvenile mysteries. Specifically, you could try the Newbery Awards of Children’s Books that sound like mysteries; or the Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mystery and Young Adult Mystery found on the Mystery Writers of America website.