In this digital age children are being exposed to technology at increasingly younger ages, with ’38 percent of kids under age 2 using smartphones or tablets’ daily (Lange, 2013). This level of influence is bound to have repercussions on the publishing industry, yet not as most people would assume. Despite fears that technology will bring an end to print, studies find that 58% of children still prefer reading in print (Literacy Trust, 2013), suggesting that digital advancements will merely broaden the range of reading prospects for children.
In spite of this, ‘reading for pleasure is in decline’ (Davis, 2013) with only 16% of boys and 29% of girls aged 5-7 reading for fun (Williams, 2013), this having a negative impact on the children’s publishing in general. Thus with ‘sales in children’s […] publishing up 10% in 2014’ (Williams, 2014) due to the emergence of digital publishing, ‘having a share in this market seems like a no-brainer, especially if you are in children’s publishing’ (Bergsma, 2013).
Children’s Apps are on the rise, and publishers need to use this platform to their advantage. The benefits of Apps are limitless; ’an app can renew itself’ (Bergsma, 2013) unlike print ensuring the maintenance of the child’s engagement. Scribble Press is a perfect example of how publishers can adopt emerging technologies successfully. The company started as an in-store independent publishing chain – in which children could create and then have their books published – and has expanded to become an iPad App, downloaded over 200,000 times (Barber, 2013).
Publishers shouldn’t ignore, but embrace the shifts in reading activities and devices. If they focus on making the Apps fun, reading experiences – perhaps using a combination of print and digital books, then children’s publishing will thrive.
Word Count: 284
Bibliography:
Barber, A., 2013. New From The Big Orange Desk, Scribble Press Blog [online] 17 April. Available at: https://scribblepress.wordpress.com/
Bergsma, J., 2013. The App: The Book of The Future? Independent Publisher [online] Available at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1629
Lange, M., 2013. 40% of Kids Use iPads Before They Can Speak, The Cut [online] 28 October. Available at: http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/10/40-percent-kids-use-ipads-before-speaking.html
Owen, L., 2014. How To Read To Your Kids in A Digital Age, GigaOm [online] 18 August. Available at: https://gigaom.com/2014/08/18/how-to-read-to-your-kid-in-a-digital-age/
National Literacy Trust, 2013. Survey Finds Children Still Prefer Reading Physical Books to E-books, literacy trust [online] 16 January. Available at: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/news/5175_survey_finds_children_still_prefer_reading_physical_books_to_e-books
Williams, C., 2013. Survey: Squeeze on Children’s Reading for Pleasure, The Bookseller [online] 11 April. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/survey-squeeze-childrens-reading-pleasure
Davis, A., 2013. Whatever Happened To The Magic of a Good Story? Evening Standard [online] 11 April. Available at: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/whatever-happened-to-the-magic-of-a-good-story-parents-are-reading-to-their-children-to-get-them-ahead-rather-than-for-pleasure-8568173.html
Williams, I., 2014. Future bright for Children’s books as industry names plot next chapter, The Guardian [online] 26 September. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/sep/26/future-childrens-books-industry-bookseller-conference-sales-publishing
In spite of this, ‘reading for pleasure is in decline’ (Davis, 2013) with only 16% of boys and 29% of girls aged 5-7 reading for fun (Williams, 2013), this having a negative impact on the children’s publishing in general. Thus with ‘sales in children’s […] publishing up 10% in 2014’ (Williams, 2014) due to the emergence of digital publishing, ‘having a share in this market seems like a no-brainer, especially if you are in children’s publishing’ (Bergsma, 2013).
Children’s Apps are on the rise, and publishers need to use this platform to their advantage. The benefits of Apps are limitless; ’an app can renew itself’ (Bergsma, 2013) unlike print ensuring the maintenance of the child’s engagement. Scribble Press is a perfect example of how publishers can adopt emerging technologies successfully. The company started as an in-store independent publishing chain – in which children could create and then have their books published – and has expanded to become an iPad App, downloaded over 200,000 times (Barber, 2013).
Publishers shouldn’t ignore, but embrace the shifts in reading activities and devices. If they focus on making the Apps fun, reading experiences – perhaps using a combination of print and digital books, then children’s publishing will thrive.
Word Count: 284
Bibliography:
Barber, A., 2013. New From The Big Orange Desk, Scribble Press Blog [online] 17 April. Available at: https://scribblepress.wordpress.com/
Bergsma, J., 2013. The App: The Book of The Future? Independent Publisher [online] Available at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1629
Lange, M., 2013. 40% of Kids Use iPads Before They Can Speak, The Cut [online] 28 October. Available at: http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/10/40-percent-kids-use-ipads-before-speaking.html
Owen, L., 2014. How To Read To Your Kids in A Digital Age, GigaOm [online] 18 August. Available at: https://gigaom.com/2014/08/18/how-to-read-to-your-kid-in-a-digital-age/
National Literacy Trust, 2013. Survey Finds Children Still Prefer Reading Physical Books to E-books, literacy trust [online] 16 January. Available at: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/news/5175_survey_finds_children_still_prefer_reading_physical_books_to_e-books
Williams, C., 2013. Survey: Squeeze on Children’s Reading for Pleasure, The Bookseller [online] 11 April. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/survey-squeeze-childrens-reading-pleasure
Davis, A., 2013. Whatever Happened To The Magic of a Good Story? Evening Standard [online] 11 April. Available at: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/whatever-happened-to-the-magic-of-a-good-story-parents-are-reading-to-their-children-to-get-them-ahead-rather-than-for-pleasure-8568173.html
Williams, I., 2014. Future bright for Children’s books as industry names plot next chapter, The Guardian [online] 26 September. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/sep/26/future-childrens-books-industry-bookseller-conference-sales-publishing