Hyderabad Book Fair Society members and authors are calling for a renewed focus on encouraging children to read books. They believe that while digital platforms are available, reading physical books is the best practice. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to spend time with children and provide them with interesting story books at home. This helps children understand, develop their imagination, and foster logical thinking and questioning skills.
One 16-year-old author named Vaishnavi shared her experience of starting writing at a young age because her parents, especially her mother, encouraged her to read. She believes that children should be taught to read story books for at least an hour a day and practice reasoning and logical thinking. Another author named Laxmi suggested that schools include library periods in their timetables and monitor children’s reading habits. She emphasized that books and newspapers are better options than social media or video games as they help develop a value system in society.
Participants in the book fair also expressed the need for teachers to engage children in a productive way, particularly through storytelling. They believe that schools should prioritize activities such as stage plays, elocution competitions, and essay writing competitions from a young age. Currently, many schools do not even have libraries and are more focused on finishing the syllabus rather than preparing children for society.
