Click Here for Storytime: E-Books for Millennium Kids

Articles in this Topic Discussions in this Topic

Jan 9, 2001

One of the cosiest moments parents spend with their children is cuddled on a couch, reading a favourite storybook. It seems like the perfect family activity -- wholesome in its lack of electronic stimulus. So why turn to the internet for children's reading material? Reading with a modem and mouse seems like a weak second choice, but there are several compelling reasons to take a look at children's e-books.

The word 'interactive' is overused these days, but it is not a new concept with children's books. Think of pop-up books, where the illustrations leap out at you, giving you a three-dimensional, tactile accompaniment to the story. A children's classic is Pat the Bunny, where toddlers are invited to feel different textures for themselves. And some of the most fun books are those with paper doors that conceal surprises. Like these paper equivalents, many electronic books invite the child to participate, a natural extension of the 'peek-a-boo' book.

The internet also gives us cheap access to books that we might otherwise never see. Like all businesses, children's book publishers aim to sell their product. While this allows millions of children to read marvellous authors like Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss, lesser known authors often do not have the publicity--or the publishing deals--to reach as many children. The internet presents parents and children with quality books that may otherwise not be published. Many of these stories are beautifully written, beautifully illustrated, and thoughtfully presented in electronic form.

But the most important reason to expose your kids to e-books is perhaps the hardest to accept. Our children are living in a different world than the one we grew up in. When I was a toddler in the early 1970's, people got nearly all their information from paper publications. My son was born one month shy of the new millennium--he will do schoolwork, academic research, and recreational reading on the web. Reading e-books to our toddlers will help build a foundation of diverse reading skills that will be essential for them.

Nothing can ever replace books--there is something about turning pages that is as cozy as slippers and a cup of cocoa. But take a look at some of the marvellous children's literature on the internet. The list that follows is by no means comprehensive; it is a compilation of some of the better e-books that are out there.

Sniffy and Fluffy Have an Adventure by Aimée Bruneau, Illustrated by Taylour Damion

Go To Page: 1 2

The copyright of the article Click Here for Storytime: E-Books for Millennium Kids in Infant/Toddler Play is owned by Angela Ford. Permission to republish Click Here for Storytime: E-Books for Millennium Kids in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.