More responses: Why should kids read?

Read Part 1 and Part 2 of our discussion on why children should read. We're having a truly fabulous debate on the subject. Join us!

What do the writers say?

aravindadiga Hello, Karadi Tales. I began by reading what my mother loved to read & I hope all children start off that way. Cheers, Aravind

ranyamanivannan Above all, to open minds. As a child, one interacts only w groups & people parents allow. There's a bigger world out there.

samitbasu i think kids should read only if they feel like it. plenty of other fun stuff to do. it shouldn't feel like a duty.

samitbasu i think there are enough kids who read because they realize books are lovely. the rest cant be forced into reading, which is ok

samitbasu its like asking kids to play football because it builds team spirit and muscles and lung power and spatial thinking.

decemberschild if books were treated as necessary luxuries and/or a treat like they were for me growing up, then I think more would.

decemberschild but if you're still looking for a "why", how about so that they have something to do if the power fails?

More Responses on Twitter:

jcharish one cant take a child to various places and make them get a feel of life...its easier to do so by giving them books :)

icecubz books also help u develop develop ur point of view and create perspectives that u can debate and discuss abt!

icecubz books r bt jus abt da words, diction and imagination, they also teach u to emote, respond, react and respect!

ambikajois Because knowledge is power. Fiction or non-fiction. The ability to imagine is knowledge too!

yorickpinto I'd rather have them discover books, rather than force them down their throats.

yorickpinto I'd rather teach my children to think straight. Reading can be escapist at times.

Responses on Facebook:

Maureen Byrnes Language development, for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Daily reading has greatly improved my son's speech in a way that TV and video could never do. Seeing the written words and connecting the sounds has been crucial for him. Generally speaking though, I don't believe that TV/Video can develop a child's imagination in the same way that books can. My children enjoy visualising the stories they read and creating their own stories, as a result. They are also excellent spellers and have a broad vocabulary, because of the extensive reading they do.

Vidya Sridharan-Balaje Reading enriches kids lives. Reading to my kids have helped them become young readers. But, i dont completely agree with the quote that "Television does not let you think, it thinks for you". I think right amount of t.v time with right set of programs can actually be a positive influence on children.

Cp Viswanath ‎"Television does not let you think. It thinks for you. Television does not let you feel. It feels for you." the great violinist Isaac Stern makes a telly-ing point

Responses on our blog: 

ChoxBox Asked my older child. Got a 'What a question' type of look in response. When prodded further said - 'Because its fun of course.' That about says it all I guess!

Also check out this video on Pratham Books!

Now tell us what you think! Why should children read? 

Continuing the discussion: Why should children read?

In our previous post, we asked you to help us come up with answers to the question, 'Why should children read?' Your responses have been overwhelming!


Here are 20 of the numerous responses our Twitter feed came up with (in no particular order):

• anushankarn because books can stimulate imagination while TV and internet leave no room for it....
• umasaxena books are one's best friends! Always there with you..:)
• vijaysankaran Every minute they read, is a minute they won't be watching cartoons:)
• daintydimwit What do they say about teaching a man to fish...? That.
• schubho because there are wonderful books worth reading and fantastic writers worth knowing!
• shachii Kids should read so that they have friends in books when they're old.
• shachii Kids should read to discover the world around them.
• PriyaSanth it is about imparting to get the best out of the reading habit that can make them think and relate to it.
• Niyantha So that they don't judge a book by its movie.
• sathyarg Kids will learn to think & imagine & dream their own world & experiences rather than just Disney's interpretation :-)
• induviduality it certainly calms them down, helps to keep their manic energy in check. ;-)
• atulagupta Improves Imagination, communication, vocabulary, vision, thinking and reading out loud boosts confidence too...
• anirudhshastry I subscribe to the 1984 line of thought. If you don't have the word for it, you can't think it.
• kiranmanral Kids should read to keep them from destroying the house.
• Vamshiavk to improve vocabulary n imagination
• Shivangiyadav Reading improves world vision, makes it more broad based.
• SistaKAA  bc it encourages creativity, builds vocabulary, introduces new ideas, helps w writing, empowers ea of us 2 find own answers
• barkhad to imagine - every word picture paints a whole world in their head. A world dat they carry in their head 4 d rest o their lives
• spymaami I think children need a little escapism too. And who else is around to tell them stories, right?
• spymaami That way when the movie is made, you can ask people, but have you read the book?

These are just some of the suggestions that our Twitter friends have thrown up. Follow us to join our raging discussion on Twitter!

We have also begun a discussion on Facebook. Join the conversation!

Our friends at Pratham Books rose magnificently to the occasion with this blog post which has a few really thought-provoking answers of its own!.

Any other thoughts? Why do you think children should read?

Why should children read?

Our CEO, C. P. Viswanath says:

At a recent interview on a television channel, I talked about the importance of nurturing the reading habit.  At the end of the programme, the producer of the show asked me if I really believed what I said.  His point was this - when television and videos can communicate information or ideas more comprehensively through words and visuals, why are we so hung up on the written word.


I gave several arguments to support my point but I am not sure that he was convinced.  So shall we try and find 10 clear reasons why a child should read.  Or should we aim for a 100 reasons? I throw the field open to all of you to come up with reasons.  


And now, we're wondering if you all can help us come up with 10 or 100 or even 1000 reasons why children should read! Can you help us?

Pratham Books has come up with some fabulous reasons of their own! Check it out here.

We're also having a raging discussion on the subject on Twitter! Come join our discussion!

Also follow Viswanath on Twitter here.

Leave your suggestions as comments on this post or join our conversation on Twitter or Facebook!

Artistic Experiences

Our friends at Evam blog about their experiences with the Mouse Stories once again. This time, Sunil Vishnu K., CEO at Evam, talks about his own personal experiences dealing with all the people who came together to make this series happen - and it sounds like he had a ball!

Read the post here.

We had a blast working with these talented guys too. Don't forget to check out the Mouse Stories!

If you want a sneak peek into one of the books, take a look at our free e-book edition of The Lion and the Mouse!