And I know I am in my 60's (and so have more time for this) , but for me what's even better than a child snuggled with a book, is when that child is snuggled with an adult to share it with! Can an electronic book ask the child, "What do you think is going to happen next"? Can it giggle along with the child at the crazy characters and funny pictures? Does it build the same level of confidence and creativity in that child as when they hear that adult they love pretend to be the character in the story? I am not wondering about this today; I am flat out thinking there is just NO way e-books can compare to paper books when it comes to kid lit!
Don't get me wrong, many of my friends love their e-readers. My 97 year old Mom can still enjoy reading because her e-reader makes the font large enough that her eyes don't tire ... and I love that. But when it comes to kids and books, I say it's time we surround them with the paper kind, snuggle with them and giggle, and lift the flaps, and scratch and sniff, and wonder together what will happen next.
I have baby showers and kid birthdays coming up ..... I am off to the book store...my local independent one.
Amen, Preach On, from this corner of the reading world!
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm sitting in a cafe, and at the table next to me a 2-yr-old is flipping through books, including one with buttons that go beep. (Adorable kid, he's got a rich, black Mohawk of loose curls.) Mom and son are turning pages together. He's running his hands over pages. He grabs another, tosses one, grabs one... He's having a blast with beeps and books, shuffling, carrying, tossing, reading, beeping, turning... It's all part of this beginning reading experience. Computers will come later. 20 years from now, I bet paper will bring him back.
Love this coffee shop scene. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteUsed to think I always wanted kids to be gentle with books .....to treat them like a treasure. Rethinking that a bit .... not the treasure part, just the gentle part.