Thank you SO much for this comment. That may very well be. Hubby is chemical engineer. He literally aced everything to do with math, but still at a very low level on writing / reading.

Since it is your area, do you have a suggested place to begin for a 14 y o? I’ve tried buying books that I thought would be interesting, based on his interests. But I have never gotten anywhere.

I personally feel reading is so very important and such a helpful life skill.