Books

Like most people, I realize there are some advantages to eBooks.  I've actually spent a lot of time pondering the merits of eBooks versus "real" books.   Many textbooks are now available in eBook form.  Teachers can project digital versions of the textbook in class and make it easier for students to follow along while reading.  

Another great advantage of electronic textbooks is that many can be accessed by students from home.  Of course, the student must have access to the Internet, either through a computer or smartphone in order to do this.  (Yes, I used "access" twice in a row.  Even my beloved thesaurus doesn't have a suitable synonym for the situation.)   That eliminates most of my students.  But, it's still a wonderful option.  Many students no longer have to carry backpacks full of heavy books.  All they need is a cellphone.

Of course, eBooks are cheaper than paper books.  We have 10 iPads at school to be used by our students.  If we want to purchase a novel in eBook form, we only have to pay once to download the novel onto all iPads.  You can see how that might make our limited budget stretch much further.  However, the iPads can be used in class only and cannot go home.  A student loses an iPad or a student loses a paperback that cost $5.99. . . I have to vote for the old-fashioned paperback.

My thoughts turn to home.  We have two 7-foot tall bookshelves in the family room; a bookshelf in the basement; two more in the computer room, a couple more in the hallway for the kids' books, and a newly-added basket filling with books that the girls are setting aside for Gaby.  Even with all those shelves, there are books stacked next to our beds.  There is a pile of books from the school library on the family room floor and another pile on a chair in the kitchen.  Several books sit on the steps, waiting to be carried up and shelved.  Clearly, if we converted to eBooks we would eliminate a lot of clutter.  That's not even worth an attempt at an argument.  Less paper might be better for the greater environment too.  I haven't done any research into the cost to the enviornment of lost trees versus electrical power for eBooks.

We got Les a Kindle for his birthday and we are talking about getting Cassie an eBook reader for her birthday.   I read books on my iPad.  A week ago I eagerly purchased an eBook that wasn't yet available in paper.  I could have waited to get it at the library.  But, new additions can only be checked out for two weeks  with no renewals allowed.  An eBook was clearly the best choice for me.  Ten minutes into the book, though, I realized that some of my friends would enjoy reading the book.  Ooops!  Can't share this book unless I'm willing to relinquish my iPad for awhile.  And for me, the experience of reading an eBook just doesn't equal holding a book in my hands.  I love to thumb the pages of a paperback while reading.  I love to curl up with a book, and can't quite envision curling up with my iPad.  I usually don't have much time to read and typically steal a few pages while drying my hair in the morning.  Water, blow dryer, eBook - not really a good mix for me.   

Cassie has always loved books because I began reading to her when she was newborn. This wasn't the case for Lacey, who had never held a book before we met her.  We had our work cut out for us.  Several weeks after we brought Lacey home, we were at the pediatrician's office.  Lacey dug through the basket of magazines and presented a parenting magazine to me and a puzzle book to Cassie.  Wow!  In such a short time she had learned that there are genres of literature.  This was the beginning of empowerment for her. 

To develop a love of reading, kids need to interact with books.  Yes, they can interact with a book that is reading aloud, flashing video and playing music.  So, we have routinely presented both electronic and paper options to Lacey.  Several times a week, she practices with an interactive reading program on the computer.  She does enjoy this.  The experience probably ranks somewhere between sorting socks and playing Wii.  But, she has more fun hiding books under her pillow to read by flashlight.  After all, this is what her big sister does!   

As I'm writing this, I'm also reflecting on the role that books play in just a single day in our home.  Yesterday I read aloud to the girls during breakfast. This is one of our weekend traditions.  I suppose I could have read an eBook. But, that would deny the girls the pleasure of huddling in front of a bookshelf, debating our next choice.  And, Cassie has so much fun introducing Lacey to her favorites - reading book jackets aloud, showing her illustrations, describing series, etc. After we ran our errands, I took Cassie to the used bookstore that now occupies the old Borders shop.  Borders Bookstore was our special occasion store.  We'd visit there before a roadtrip or as a reward for a good report card.  We didn't always buy books.  Sometimes, we just sat in the coffee shop and Cassie would write in her journal while I graded papers.  Simply being surrounded by books made Cassie happy.  Cassie entered the store half-heartedly because, in her mind, nothing could replace Borders.  Once inside the store, however, she couldn't stop beaming.  She headed for the closest bin, then closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.  She ran her fingers over the spines of the books and began pointing out the titles of recent favorites. 


 "Ten minutes,"   I told her firmly.  "Two books for you and two for Lacey."

"But, Mom, it's so wonderful here!" she lamented.

Later that day, the new books were the reward for the girls having finished cleaning their rooms - a chore that took the past seven days.  Cassie had selected a book for Lacey that we have probably checked out from the library 25 times.  The girls sat together on the couch and Cassie read to Lacey, explaining how much she had always loved the story. 

In the evening, Gladis and Gabriela joined us for dinner.  Before they went home, Gladis changed Gaby into a pair of pajamas.  (an old pair of Cassie's, much to her delight!)  Lacey then ran upstairs and returned with a book so that she could read Gaby a bedtime story.  In a short time, Lacey has gone from hating books to wanting to share a love of reading with Gaby.  This experience just wouldn't have been the same with an eBook.  For now, "real" books will continue to play an important role in our home.