I believe that children’s literature is definitely in a good place and will continue to be popular.  Harvey’s article showed that print books are still popular, as are books linked to media sources and personalised books (Harvey, 2015).  It is quite positive to see that print is still a popular choice for children and for parents who purchase these books.  However, this article did not discuss the number of patrons who frequent libraries or who buy other types of books.

I believe it is important that ‘parents’ are aware of the benefits of lifelong reading from the moment their children are born.  The sooner parents from all backgrounds are empowered with this knowledge, the sooner they will hopefully begin healthy habits around reading with their children.  It is also the responsibility of the government to provide programs for parents who may not understand the benefits of reading so that they can go on a journey with their children into the world of reading.

I believe that it is so important for children to ‘just read’.  It does not matter what they are reading, as long as they can find something they love and embrace it.  Over time, they will eventually find other genres they enjoy, however it is so important for children just to make a start.  Therefore, I believe that it is the responsibility of firstly parents to encourage their children for find a passion for reading.

Teacher librarians must continue to work in schools to promote reading.  It is vital that students have the opportunity to work and talk with a teacher librarian to pursue their interests of books and help them find books they love so that it is not a chore but something they really enjoy.  Librarians in public libraries are also needed to continue the excellent programs they have for children and parents.

References

Harvey, E. (2015, December 8). Five trends affecting children’s literature. In Book Business.