Specialists and publishers of children’s books confirmed the fact that many children of the new generation lack the skill of reading, especially in light of the presence of electronic devices and games that most of the children of the new generation spend their time in, and referred to “Emirates Today”, during their participation in the “Sharjah Reading Festival for Children”, which concluded Its recent activities in Sharjah show that the passion for electronics is added to a negative phenomenon that has become tangible, represented in the reluctance to read and acquire paper books, which imposed its impact on the movement and growth of the children’s book publishing sector, due to the tangible decline in sales rates.
lack of interest
Tony Abboud, from Dar Al Majani in Lebanon, said that there is not much demand from children compared to sales in previous years, and Abboud attributed the reason to the fact that children no longer have the passion for books, as
Their interest in everything related to electronics, with which they spend their time, is limited to serious things or entertainment that they prefer over reading, pointing out that this matter is a global phenomenon, and it is not a case that pertains to one country without the other, as technology has kept children away from reading books.
to retreat
Tony Abboud confirmed that there is a clear decline in the rate of book sales in all the exhibitions in which he participated, and that it is a problem of the era. Even with the development of stories and their presentation in a way that keeps pace with the new generation, most children still do not accept reading.
He believes that the responsibility is complementary among all members of society, as attracting children to reading is not an easy matter, especially in the age of technology, and the presence of devices and games that can be used to make the child love reading, in addition to the need for official agencies and institutions to work to create environments that are attractive and loved by the child. .
«UAE as a model»
Abeer Al-Arab, from the Shan Publishing and Distribution House, stressed the importance of children’s exhibitions, to encourage them to read, saying: “In the UAE, we see wonderful models of interest in children’s books, and children’s activities such as (Arab Reading Challenge) and (Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival), which is It is the only one of its kind in the region concerned with children, which is a wonderful step, and we hope that the Arab countries will follow the example of the UAE in establishing activities that encourage reading among the new generation.
Competition and challenge
Basma Dawood, one of the participants in the Sharjah exhibition, indicated that the main role starts from the home, where the parents play a prominent and essential role in cultivating the love of reading in the child from a young age. There are parents who encourage their children to read, and she said: «I saw this during my work At the reading fair, one of the mothers who attended with her children caught my attention, and each of them chose a story to read and exchange it with his brothers later, which encourages children to compete in reading and sharing their books with others.
Interesting stories
The participant in the exhibition, Omar Muhammad, said: “The stories have become interesting and keep pace with the times, by relying on fun graphics and shapes that attract the child, but in the end if the parents do not exercise their role in stimulating the child’s love of reading, and his desire for books, his desire will not grow. The interest in the book will not crystallize, adding that the responsibility lies with the parents, as the responsibility begins at home, as the love of reading begins from the foundational stage, before the child goes to school, and this skill is strengthened by educational institutions later.
A global phenomenon
The decline in sales rates has become a global crisis or phenomenon, compared to previous years. In 2022, global book sales declined by 10.11% compared to 2021, which is the lowest over the past five years.
Tony Abboud:
“Children are not as interested in books as they are in electronic activities and games.”
