Are books passe?

Do you still read books?
More importantly do you still read books to your children? Are
children even still interested in books – or is the iPad or the Kindle the new way to read?

We came across an interesting article via Deccan Herald. Excerpts below.

Video
games and mobile phones have taken their place. Kid’s favourite
characters are no more Chacha Chaudhary, it’s the action heroes in
the video games now. Action heroes who flaunt machine guns and have
blondes along with them and are on a mission to kill the enemies are
the latest idols. Bloodshed and abusive language is also part of
these games. But, who cares? Kids are totally fascinated by ‘this’
world. 

Rushil Suneja, a Std VI student, cheekily shares, “I
don’t like to read comics at all. I only enjoying playing computer
games or games available in the phone. Even my parents don’t buy me
comic books as they know I would not read them and it would be their
waste of money.” 

Other arguments support this by saying that
internet and television are now used for seeking information and the
habit of slow and careful reading for understanding is definitely on
the wane.  

The mother of a young child Vertika Singh, says, “My
son doesn’t even read school books, forget comics. He is mad about
toys and the latest gadgets in the market. He loves cartoons but not
comics.” 

But despair not! If you
want to know the value of a beautiful book, come visit any of the
community libraries where our books are used and you will see
children drooling away!