UAE children love to read digital books

Sharjah - Many children at the festival agreed that digital books are more easy for them than the print versions.

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By Afkar Abdullah

Published: Sat 23 Apr 2016, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 23 Apr 2016, 12:19 PM

 Children in the UAE are showing a keen interest in digital books, according to pioneering children's books writers who spoke at the literature forum held as part of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival at the Expo Centre, Sharjah.
In the literature forum entitled 'Digital Letters: From Production to Circulation', two acclaimed writers discussed the role of digital books alongside traditional printed reads, and touched on the executive and creative stages to make digital books a success.
Jordanian writer Mohammad Sanajla, author of the novel Talal Al Issq, said: "The Internet has changed everything; I wrote my first novel digitally and some more traditional critics were against the idea to start, although more people are open to the idea today. I believe that digital and computer-based books are now taking over their printed counterparts."
Mohammed added that one of the greatest things about the creation of digital books is the ability to "add footnotes in hyperlinks, or to include other digital elements in the form of songs, photos or videos, which can really bring the book alive".
Cristy Burne, the award-winning Australian children's science writer, editor and author of the Takeshita Demons series said: "I'm definitely seeing a rise in the number of kids reading digital books, especially in the US. I've noticed that parents are letting their children choose what they want to read more and more today, and I think this stems from an increasing trust in certain websites and online media."
As to the benefits of digital books from a practical perspective, Cristy says: "One of the things that I love most about digitised reads is that you can take them wherever you go, and they save a huge amount of space."
Many children at the festival agreed that digital books are more easy for them than the print versions.
Hamadah Taha, a 13-year-old student the at Sharjah American School, said that he loves to read books, but he preferred it in digital format than printed books." I don't feel fun reading printed books, as it reminds me of academic books,"
Moza Al Hamdadi, a student at the Sharjah English School, said: "I love to read digital books on my iPad because it is easy and fun to move from one page to another. Sometimes I use the audio books while trying to sleep. If the school books go digital it would encourage us to study more."
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

Afkar Abdullah

Published: Sat 23 Apr 2016, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 23 Apr 2016, 12:19 PM

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