“I don’t like reading”, is a statement that I’ve heard many times now and it’s a statement that still causes me great sadness every time I hear children say this. These particular children often complain that they can’t find any books that interest them or that they find engaging. But often, it’s more a case of not actually making the effort to find books that may interest them and if they searched hard enough, these children most likely would find suitable books to read and enjoy.
Being a primary school teacher and having spoken to many children who are disinterested in reading books, I have managed to ascertain from delving further into this topic, however, that these children actually do, in fact, like reading funny books as opposed to serious books.
As a child, I was an avid reader and could always be found in the school library, curled up in a chair with my face buried in a book. I would marvel at the large array of picture story books, neatly displayed on the library bookshelves, and stare in wonder at the sight of so many interesting books, struggling to decide which book to select for my next reading adventure. I just couldn’t wait to read them all! Consequently, I have followed a career path which has led me to becoming a Children’s Author resulting from my fascination with books and my extreme love for reading.
Today, I look on with sorrow as I so often see young children holding iPads or mobile phones playing games or using technology in shopping centres, prams, medical centres, at a friend’s house; in fact, practically everywhere. Regrettably, we may often take children using technology for granted, we may not even think twice about it anymore or we may feel that it’s a losing battle, since using technology is a reflection of the society in which we live today. I have spoken to many parents who share the same concerns as I do – children in our current society don’t place enough emphasis on reading books but instead are, more often than not, constantly on the lookout for new games for their devices that are being released onto the market.
But if we make a conscious effort to examine this situation carefully, I believe that I’m not alone in my beliefs that using technology and playing games on devices does not give children the same benefits that are associated with reading books. In my view, the benefits associated with reading books far outweigh the benefits of using technology. I am so passionate about the importance of reading books that I have written a blog about this topic which has been posted on the website of Kids’ Book Review. Please find the link below:
http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2019/12/guest-post-lydia-di-giulio-on-benefits.html
As a Children’s Author, I always try to write fun, engaging and exciting books which will not only appeal to avid readers but will also appeal to reluctant readers, as well. In fact, it’s the reluctant readers that actually require the most encouragement. By taking pleasure in reading, reluctant readers will be given the opportunity to gain the enormous benefits associated with reading books and, as a consequence, they will be inspired to escape into a world of fantasy, embark on an exciting journey in their imagination, improve their grammar usage and overall literacy skills, expand their vocabulary, spark their creativity and visit countless numbers of magical places – all of these events can transpire by simply opening and turning the pages of a book.
