E-Books vs. Books

Question: Are e-books better for my child than books? — Nook or Book

Answer: Reading is what is good for your child. The more children read, the better they will read and do in school.

There is no conclusive evidence that shows that e-books are better than books. Some studies are being done, but it is likely to be awhile before there is a definite answer. Nevertheless, more and more schools are turning to e-books for textbooks. And some teachers now consider books a thing of the past. Parents often endorse their children using e-books — saying the e-books motivate their children to read and are fun for them to use.

Not all teachers are sold on e-books. Some are concerned that all the animations distract from the story line. And children do move away from reading to playing games on electronic devices.

Whether children are reading e-books or books, they still need interaction with adults to make sure that they are actively reading. They must be able to answer questions about what they have read and be able to do some predicting about what will happen next. One major concern is that parents are backing away from reading to their children and expecting e-books to do most of the work in helping children learn to read.