Significance of libraries, comics for children in digital era

Today’s world has become completely digital. Children are surrounded by mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and televisions day and night. This digital lifestyle has distanced them from books. There was a time when children would lose themselves in the colourful pages of comics like ‘Chacha Chaudhary’, ‘Champak’, ‘Balhans’, and ‘Nandan’. But now, the world of screens has snatched those books from their hands.

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In such times, the presence of libraries in schools — and the return of comics and children’s literature — has become extremely important. Reconnecting children with books and developing reading habits has become one of the most essential needs of today.

If children are guided back toward books and comics, it can have a multi-dimensional impact. It will enhance imagination and creativity. It will improve focus and concentration. It will strengthen their command over the Hindi language and vocabulary. It will develop moral values and understanding of life lessons. It will help them move away from screens and toward mental peace and balance. Comics and stories provide entertainment along with education, helping children learn without pressure.

At a time when every child is trapped in a mobile screen, it is extremely important to reconnect them with the magical world of books. School libraries should not be limited to just textbooks, but must also include old comics, interesting storybooks, and traditional tales from grandmothers. These books teach children how to think, understand, laugh, and learn.

Helping children fall in love with books is the first step toward making them better human beings.

And comics are the bridge that can reconnect them with reading — joyfully and naturally.

“A child who befriends books in childhood grows up to be a person full of knowledge and empathy.”

Why it is important?

Relief from screens: Digital media is having a harmful impact on children’s eyes, mental health, and social behaviour. Books help free them from this.

Cultural connection: Stories like Grandmother’s Tales, Akbar-Birbal, Tenali Raman, and Panchatantra help children stay connected to Indian culture and traditional values.

Language development: Comics written in simple and engaging Hindi make the language more accessible and enjoyable for children.

Reading in groups: Libraries encourage children to read together and engage in discussions, which enhances their social skills.

A blend of fun and learning: Reading comics becomes a joyful experience, through which children learn without feeling any burden.