Kidz Like 2 e-Read discussion

I just read a short blog about kids and e-readers:

http://jwikert.typepad.com/the_averag...

How long do you think until e-reading is the norm for children? I, for one, have given my 10-year-old her own Kindle, and my 6-year-old can't wait until she's old enough for one, too (I told her she has to be able to read a bit better first).

Granted, we may not be the typical family. I'm not saying we're wealthy -- far from it! -- but downloading books onto a reader is the most cost effective way to make sure that my kids will continue to be able to read books in English. There are English Bookstores here in the Netherlands, but they're all in the bigger cities, and we live in a smaller "dorpje." Ordering and paying shipping costs for hard copies of books is extremely cost prohibitive, so a one-time purchase of an e-reader, then the instant downloading of less expensive e-books definitely works in this household.

The question, though, is how mainstream e-reading will become for children with easy access to hard copies of books. What do you think?

I think kids will enjoy reading paperbacks for a long while yet, but things are changing fast. Kids are now wanting e-readers when they see their friends have them.

Many libraries are including e-readers already.

I don't think hard copies are going anywhere for awhile, either. I'm just wondering how long before it's "normal" for kids to be reading more b-formats, too.

Our local library also has e-books available, but they're all in Dutch. *sigh*

I can see how it would be cost effective to buy an e-reader for expat children etc, and those living in rural areas who are too far from a library to make regular visits.
I'm just thrilled that children still want to read - whatever the medium!

Exactly! In my view, anything that gets kids (or people in general) to read is a good thing!

I'm wondering, too, how interactive media will affect the general character of books. Will reading stop being strictly something you do in a linear fashion? Will the ability to manipulate data affect more and more stories?

And how can we, as the creators, do that? (Maybe I should start a new post on the future possibilities and what's available now . . .)

If I put my teacher hat on, I see my students already excited about ebooks, but they just don't have ereaders, yet. I guarantee they would like lighter backpacks. I really want ereaders so textbooks will finally be updated yearly by the push of a button. Counting down until that day.

Also, any reading is good reading. I think it's a gadget, so it will be appealing. Plus, kids are more excepting of new things. Some people are just not wanting to let go of a book. I think the next generation will use both as easily, whatever is available.

The writer in me says, whatever gets them reading. I got both ebook and paperback. ;-)

I like the idea of lighter backpacks, too! I feel awful sending my kids to school sometimes.

As for physical books, I do love them. I love the smell of a new book and the way it feels to open it . . . but when it comes down to it, I prefer the actual story, and my Kindle makes it easy for me to take stories with me. It's a tool (and a pretty darn good one, if you ask me).

My daughters are nine months and twenty months, and I fully expect them to grow up with e-readers as the norm. I don't think I'll ever buy another new paperback or physical textbook again.

They're 9 and 20 months, and you haven't bought them their own iPads, yet? hee hee!

I agree to a point, though. I think picture books will be around for quite awhile, because very small children like to hold them and flip through them and "play" with the photos. It's the books for a bit older kids that will be the first to "go," I think. Kids like the stories and gadgets make the stories more attractive.

I have heard that the Nook is great for picture books because a) it's in color, and b) it allows images really easily. I don't know this for a fact. Just what I've heard.
Also I don't know how easy it is to upload a picture book for the Nook or for Kindle.

Oh I'm so late to the party again... :)

I'm hoping to get my kids a Nook Color sometime soon. They are so used to everything being in color I can't imagine them wanting t step into the world of black and white. LOL

My kids are 5 & 7 and both read very well for their age.

And I'm sure that I could find a use for it as well. :D

Cheers!

I've been looking at the Nook color, too -- looks like fun.

Does anyone know how it works for international users, though? I'm afraid of getting something I won't be able to use here at home (with the Kindle, I can download from my computer for free or pay the extra $1.99/book for the whispernet -- free is good).

@Debi have no idea what the deal is outside the US/Canada. Do they say anything on the B&N site?

I can tell you one thing as a writer who's uploaded 3 books to their site. The customer service is terrible. And all the writers complain about their reporting for sales. Amazon is such a dream to work with, it's a real shift when you have to deal with B&N. But they are really pushing the Nook so maybe they will answer questions about it if you email customer service.

I have uploaded my books to B&N -- fortunately I haven't had to deal with the customer service just yet (I'm lucky, though, because most non-US authors can't deal with B&N, but as an American, I still have a US-based bank account, etc.).

I'll have to check on the specifics about uploading books abroad.

I've had some good reviews from Nook for my children's book. I think the fact that it is in colour helped.Leon Chameleon P.I. and the case of the kidnapped mouse

That's great, Jan. I've been selling a few of page Truly here and there both on Kindle & Nook. It takes a while I think. Perhaps when school ends kids will be looking for ebooks to read.

Debi wrote: "I just read a short blog about kids and e-readers:

http://jwikert.typepad.com/the_averag...

How long do you think until e-reading is the norm for children? I..."

As soon as the average kid realises they have a choice of carrying a dozen or more heavy books to school every day or just one eReader, they will all want a Kindle, Nook etc.

And as for the additional cost of eReaders to the average household budget you can always save money by downloading the eReader software onto a laptop and the reading quality is still has that paper/ink readability.

The great saving is of course with the actual ebooks, where many are now as cheap as $0.99.

Absolutely, Debi. Right on the money (or less money)

I think the lack of color is definitely an issue for younger readers. My daughter is the proud owner of her own Kindle - it was a present for her 8th birthday last December. She craved one of her own, after seeing Mom and Dad reading so much on theirs. But when household activities turn towards reading, books with color illustrations or at least a brightly enticing color cover seem to win out more often than not. Children's books are beautifully illustrated. Black & white just does not do them justice.

Stephanie, that's good to know. I think all the books listed here have great color covers. But for middle grade and YA I guess illustrations are not needed?
Maybe others have different takes on that. Would love to hear views.

I think that the 8 and under crowd is looking for some pictures and more visual stimulation. 9 and up could probably handle just a fancy cover and an entertaining story so the black and white would probably suffice.

Hello,
I am new here and I thought that I would ask you a question. I read voraciously, but my kids are not so much into reading. My son reads more than my daughter, but I would like to see more reading in both of them. I was wondering if buying each of them a Kindle would be a good idea (I have one). My daughter is 11 almost 12 and my son is 8.

Heidi (my daughter) had been put in a school program called read/write. It is for children who have been targeted as having difficulties reading. Her teacher has stated that in her opinion an e-reader would be a bad decision. However, Heidi really wants one, and it may increase the chances of her reading more. What are your thoughts on this?

Hi Rebecca,
I've heard that kids love their e-readers (Kindle or Nook) but before I invested in either one I would upload a few books appropriate for your kids's ages & let them use your Kindle for a month. Maybe one week each every other week. If your child has a reading issue it may be something that a specific therapy could help. I have no idea why a teacher would say an e-reader is a bad decision except perhaps if a child has some unidentified reading issues that an e-reader would not necessarily help.

Hi Rebecca, Welcome!

I don't know why a teacher would be against an e-reader, either, unless there is some kind of physiology-based reading problem. In my mind, anything that makes reading more attractive to a kid is a good thing. I would definitely recommend that you ask the teacher why she would recommend against it.

My 11-year-old daughter has her own Kindle, and she loves it. It hasn't stopped her from reading regular paper-based books, though. She still loves the library, bookstores, you name it. I don't know about an 8-year-old, though. It would depend entirely on the kid, but my kids at 8 wouldn't have been responsible enough with an e-reader of their own. Maybe you could download books for your son onto your e-reader and allow him certain times to use it?

Just suggestions, of course. You know your kids best.

Thank you Debi and L.B. for your answers. I think that she would enjoy a Kindle, although I have the 9.7 inch and hesitate to allow my kids to use it. I would not mind buying 1 of the smaller ones and letting the kids use that one.

The only thing that I can remember about the conversation with her teacher is that recommending against the Kindle had something to do with a delay that she suspected in Heidi's reading. I don't remember what that was exactly. I like the idea of having a second Kindle anyhow. Both kids like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and I know there is another one on the way.

Great comments here. Have a question for all the moms who have given their children e-readers, how did you find the books they want to read? Have my first MG e-book coming out in September and working on my marketing. Want to get the story out in front of them. Ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks
C.K. Volnek

@ CK What age?

Middle grade is very hard as expressed here.

I would say it is the upper middle grades (6-8th grade...maybe 5th is they're more mature). My character is almost 13 and the story is a fast-paced adventure. Thanks for asking!
C.K. Volnek

Seems to me that parents are not buying kindles for kids that young because they're not ready to hang onto things & may lose them (along with the investment).

And they're too old for parents to read to them anymore. So you have to sell to parents to buy for their kindle (nook) & then loan them to the kids to read. It's a double sale. Tough to do.

Just have to hope that Kindle bring out a new supa-dupa version that everyone just has to buy so they can hand their old Kindles to their children! But then who is going to search for, and buy, the e-books?

I've had students of mine who are visually impaired. It is a great feature of the Kindle (at least apps) that they can enable text to speech. They seem to enjoy it, too. (Plus they can be up to date on all of my reading assignments!)

@ James. .. oh that is such a good feature & smart of you to use it that way. Great!

Well, I heard the news...Kindle IS coming out with some new e-readers. AT&T is backing a cheaper version of Kindle (I'm still trying to find what that is all about) as well as Kindle is also working on a touch screen. Maybe this is the push we need to get kids to say to their parents..."We want an e-reader!" :-)

Huh. Sounds good CK.
I hear from business sources (meaning stock pickers) that Nook is catching on because of all B&N's marketing & promotion and pushing it at everyone who walks into their stores. And catching up to Kindle sales.

I can vouch for the marketing push behind Nook. At the BN nearest me, you walk in and the first several tables (that used to be books) are reserved for the new Nook Touch, the Nook Color and finally the first gen Nook. It's like they took a page from the Apple Store's book. Pun not initially intended.

Hi,
I've just had reviews of my Leon Chameleon PI book on these blogs. You might like to submit your books.


http://www.gracekrispy.com/review-leo...

http://www.hideandread.com/

Cheers
Jan

Great Jan! Congrats. A good idea. Thanks so much for sharing.

Hi. I'm new to the group. My kids don't have e-readers, but my son's middle school library acquired a few. I've just published a middle grade novel, and at first only did it as an e-book. After speaking with my agent, we decided that a print copy would be best. Still, it's out as an e-book if the need ever arises.

You can check out all of my books at www.krisyankee.com.

an interesting article on digital books for children. Maybe we should be making them interactive!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/bo...

@ Kris -- welcome & best of luck with your book(s) & site.
@ Jan -- I know now we have to be interactive developers as well? Ooof. Husband read an article that quoted parents saying the interactive videos & effects with their children's books were so engaging that the children weren't able to use their own imagination. I mean isn't that the great thing about books -- that you bring your own visions to them?

@LB That's very true. Books are the key to stimulating a child's imagination.

Wow! Great conversations here!

(Sorry for being late to the party -- I was traveling and unable to spend too much time online.)

I've also had a lovely review on this blog.

http://gatheringleavesreviews.blogspo...