Friday, March 13, 2009

Ebooks Catching On With Kids

Ebooks catch on with children, according to a Los Angeles Times article,

After he's finished his homework and his chores for the day, 8-year-old Skye Vaughn-Perling likes to read Dr. Seuss. He's a particular fan of the hijinks that ensue when the elephant Horton hears strange voices emanating from a dust speck in "Horton Hears a Who."

He doesn't read from a dog-eared copy of the children's classic, though. Skye, who lives in Agoura Hills, often reads on his computer, pressing the arrow button when he wants to turn a page. Sometimes the characters move around on the screen like animated cartoons on TV. If he wants, Skye can have the computer read a book to him while he's curled up in bed.

"It's a whole new level of exploring the books," said his mother, Victoria Vaughn-Perling.

Readers and publishers alike are embracing a digital future. Electronic-book sales increased 73% in October compared with the same month last year, according to the Assn. of American Publishers, while sales of adult paperbacks decreased 23% and children's paperbacks declined 14.8%. Sales of higher-education books, including textbooks, fell 443%.

And, according to the article, the children's book market is especially ripe for the wonders of the digital world. And, even large publishers such as Harcourt, Harper Collins and Random House are getting in line.

Although I find it somewhat foreign to read an e-book (I’m rapidly getting used to it!) children and young adults today consider iPods and Kindles second nature and are eagerly embracing e-books.

Today's kids, after all, have grown up around technology and don't think twice about learning from computers and sleeping with their iPods. In some cases, watching a book on a computer might even make them enjoy reading more, publishers say.

How about you? Your kids? Are they reading e-books?

Save a tree! Read an e-book! Quake's got 'em!

Mary Cunningham - Cynthia's Attic 'Tween series

Fictionwise

11 comments:

Regan Black said...

Well said Mary! Thanks for a great article.

Those ebook stats rock, especially this week!

Regan
http://www.regansrealm.blogspot.com

Donna J. Shepherd said...

As someone with several books for children in both print and as ebooks, this is heartening. Thanks for posting.

Mary Cunningham said...

Children are the future as are ebooks!

Thanks for the comments, Regan and Donna!

Mary

http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com

Dixie Phillips said...

Great blog....
Thanks for such positive light on e-books.

Mary Cunningham said...

Thanks for your comment Dixie!

I'm glad the post left a positive impression.

Mary

http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to hear this. Most of my books, adult, YA and Picture Book are in e-book form as well as print. I have several kids picture books published by Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (guardianangelpublishing.com) that have great pictures done by K.C. Snider (Andy and the Albino Horse, Andy and Spirit Go to the Fair, One Family's Christmas, The Christmas Angel and coming soon, Andy and Spirit in the Big Rescue and RV Mouse) that are all available in e-book format. Also, my tween book, The Adventures of Andy and Spirit, Book 1 (consisting of 4 of the Andy stories) will be out soon as well as 8 or so others in the pipeline. G A P has a great stable of authors and illustrators who have e-books available.
Wahooooo! Good for the kids!! Good for E-books.
Mary Jean Kelso
authorsden.com/maryjeankelso

Kit said...

Interesting article Mary. I see this trend really expanding.
Kit Grady

Mary Cunningham said...

Thanks for the comments, Mary Jean and Kit! I'm glad you both enjoyed the post.

Ebooks are here to stay!

http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com

Magic Carpet of 16x Books said...

Mary, I am with you all the way. This article on e-Books really resonated with me. I'm going to add a link to it on my Blog - and a blurb about how I AGREE!!

Margot Finke

* MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUES - Writing Help - "Musings"
* Rattlesnake Jam + my 7 Book rhyming Series
http://www.margotfinke.com
http://margotfinke.blogspot.com/
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::
* Watch for IT. . .
"Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind"
is . . . . C-O-M-I-N-G!
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Mary Cunningham said...

Thanks Margot! We need to spread the word! Appreciate the link!!

Mary

http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com

Iris Black said...

It was neat to see the statistics in sales for higher-edu books. My friend got a Kindle for Christmas and is already making plans to get his college textbooks on the device. (He doesn't graduate high school for 2 more years.)

And that was a very true parallel between i-pods and e-readers. So convenient!

Iris
http://www.irisblack-author.blogspot.com