Hinterland and children's books

A couple of stories from earlier in the week connected together in my head.

The front page of 'The Guardian' was particularly worrying.

Fewer than half (44%) of the 1,000 parents of reception-aged children who took part in a parallel survey said they thought children starting school should know how to use books correctly, turning the pages rather than swiping or tapping as if using an electronic device.

There were other developmental concerns which had previously been linked to COVID19 lockdowns, but they can't be blamed for everything.

I was also directed to a piece from the next issue of the London Review of Books - for February 2025. This has been written by the author Katherine Rundell, who has created some wonderful books.

This is the text of a lecture given by Katherine.

It sets out the reasons why children's literature is so important to later cognitive development and imagination. As I have previously blogged, I was a voracious reader when young, and have carried that habit on into adulthood.