10 replies to this topic

[peony]

McMurtry Interview

God, this is a little depressing, but maybe he's wrong.

[ozneil]

Its because you have dropped the letter "U" in spelling in US

Here I dont think we have judging by the number of Second hand book shops that are opening

I did careful survey yesterday & was surprised by the number of bikini clad young ladies lying on beach reading books.

Perhaps McMurtry is falling out of favour

[samscafeamericain]

McMurtry Interview

God, this is a little depressing, but maybe he's wrong.

He's just a grumpy old man.

[samscafeamericain]

I did careful survey yesterday & was surprised by the number of bikini clad young ladies lying on beach reading books.

even in sweltering heat, our researcher never stops in his quest for the truth. Oz, I salute you

[Gayle]

I've never met a child who does not love books - either to look at or be read to from. All it takes to keep the child interested is to keep them exposed to appropriate books as they grow. There are so many out there. Once a child develops a love for books and reading nothing can replace it.

[Pat]

I've never met a child who does not love books - either to look at or be read to from. All it takes to keep the child interested is to keep them exposed to appropriate books as they grow. There are so many out there. Once a child develops a love for books and reading nothing can replace it.

All our wee ones, and they are multiplying, love books and visits to the library, Gayle.

They also love their DS and WII

[lynnski]

The kids section in Borders is usually fairly busy. There's a new teen sensation, 'Twilight', that has been made into a film. Girls (and some boys) are watching the film then coming straight to us to buy the books (there's 4 in all, 1st 3 are paperbacks on our 3 for 2 offer, 4th is still in hardback). We sold over a thousand last week, combination of all 4 titles.

It's like the new Harry Potter. There are grown ups reading it too, but I don't fancy it much, think I'm a wee bit too old for it

I think kids books today are even better than when I was wee, when it was mostly Enid Blyton and the 'classics' that you got every birthday and xmas. Kids books deal with a greater range of issues now, like the problems of growing up, relationships, bullying, being gay or different in any way, etc etc. The only thing I ever read as a teenager that was remotely like that were the Judy Blume books.

[maggs]

I've never met a child who does not love books - either to look at or be read to from. All it takes to keep the child interested is to keep them exposed to appropriate books as they grow. There are so many out there. Once a child develops a love for books and reading nothing can replace it.

I buy Kristofer loads of books, sometimes his taste is a little unusual, a few weeks ago he wanted me to read and lookat the illustrations in the St. JohnsAmbulance service handbook, this was bed time reading. Another time it was the booklet from his dads work on aerospace engines. Strange wee fella at times. I've since bought him a proper 'nature how it works' book for his age.

[Gayle]

All our wee ones, and they are multiplying, love books and visits to the library, Gayle.

They also love their DS and WII

That's what I mean - I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. They are different ways of thinking and one can lead to the other - an interest in a particular game may lead to a book title of a similar genre. There are always going to be people who are not interested in reading, who are not given the opportunity to read or who find reading too difficult.

As Lynnski says there is such a huge market for kids books that there is something on every topic you can imagine. Books are also so beautifully decorated that kids are drawn to them - the amount of books about fairies, princesses etc that are sparkly and colourful is amazing.

Getting older kids hooked on a series is the trick - I remember being obsessed with various fantasy series like those by David Eddings when I was about 14 and tweeny ones like The Babysitters Club when I was a bit younger than that. kids like collecting stuff.

[Pat]

That's what I mean - I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. They are different ways of thinking and one can lead to the other - an interest in a particular game may lead to a book title of a similar genre. There are always going to be people who are not interested in reading, who are not given the opportunity to read or who find reading too difficult.

As Lynnski says there is such a huge market for kids books that there is something on every topic you can imagine. Books are also so beautifully decorated that kids are drawn to them - the amount of books about fairies, princesses etc that are sparkly and colourful is amazing.

Getting older kids hooked on a series is the trick - I remember being obsessed with various fantasy series like those by David Eddings when I was about 14 and tweeny ones like The Babysitters Club when I was a bit younger than that. kids like collecting stuff.

I agree, Gayle, having the option of reading is what is important. Ryan loves his books and even some of the comics are pretty engrossing incorporating puzzles and crafts. We can spend an hour or more on a Thomas the Tank comic.

[peony]

I think a lot of the problem happens when the kids reach adolescence. They feel so much pressure from their friends. My oldest granddaughter has abandoned reading completely now in favor of the ds and the wii and the ipod etc. I am betting that since she once loved reading she will rediscover it.