Research

In theorising the work, Kucirkova, Littleton & Cremin (2016) argue that there are six key characteristics that are crucial to consider in relation to reading for pleasure with digital books.  Drawing on Anna Craft’s (2010) conceptualisation of twenty-first century childhoods and discussions with teachers and children at primary schools, the authors considered the key ways in which digital books can support what Craft labelled the “4Ps”, that is the pluralities, possibilities, playfulness and participation options in the 21st century.

The analysis identified six key facets of digital book in relation to reading for pleasure:

• affective
• creative
• interactive
• shared
• sustained
• personalised reading engagements.

These facets are not unique to digital interactive books- many printed/physical books and audio books have these characteristics too. However, the advent of storybooks and e-books available for new reading devices (such as Kindle and iPads), have brought these characteristics to the fore.

Further details of the ideas underpinning this work, the research findings and the practical guides are available in the following papers:

Kucirkova, Littleton & Cremin, 2016, Young children’s reading for pleasure with digital books: six key facets of engagement

Kucirkova & Sakr, 2015: Child-Father creative text-making at home with crayons, iPad, collage & PC

Kucirkova, Sheehy & Messer, 2015, A Vygotskian perspective on parent-child talk during iPad story sharing

Recommended reading

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