I confess that, as someone who still uses a
paper diary to record meetings and organise her life, I thought I would hate
ebooks. After all, part of the pleasure of reading is the feel of a book, the
smell of a book, the sheer ‘kick back and relax’ appeal of a book. But, it
turns out I don’t hate ebooks at all. In fact, I’m madly and deeply in love
with my Kindle, which enables me to carry a virtual library with me wherever I
go, although I still devour piles and piles of pbooks, too.
But, somewhat controversially it seems, I
am not a huge fan of children’s picture books taking ebook form — whether as
enhanced apps or straight stories. Children are exposed to so much technology
at such an early age these days. In my house, I feel like my husband and I are
constantly trying to cut back on my daughter’s exposure to ‘screen time’, and I
know we’re not alone in that. Numerous studies have shown that overexposure to
electronic media at a young age does impact a child’s developing brain and can
adversely affect concentration and attention span.
But beyond all that is the tactile pleasure
I derive from reading with my daughter. At the end of her day, as she snuggles
up next to me, and together we turn the pages of her current book, I feel like
I’m connecting with her in the same way that my mother connected with me
before. It’s a shared experience that transcends generations. It’s just not the
same if those pages are being turned with the swipe of a finger.
Once kids hit their teens, my scruples seem
to fade away. I hope that by then my own daughter will be a booklover through
and through — indoctrinated with a love of words that will never fade. So if
she chooses to read for pleasure on an iPad, Kindle or whatever other form of
technology that will have arrived by then, that’s probably going to be fine
with me. Just as long as she’s still reading! But if a dog-eared paperback is
stuffed in her bag, I’ll be smiling …
