KEEPING UP WITH KIDS: PUBLISHER SAYS NEW TECHNOLOGIES CHALLENGE TRADITIONAL BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

ARTS AND CULTURE | 02.04.15 | 15:44

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow

Satenik Tovmasyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Even beautifully illustrated books may not interest kids already
familiar with the latest technologies, according to literary critic,
chief editor of the Antares publishing house Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.

“Children’s demand depends on the innovations brought by newest
technologies. I have seen kids trying to enlarge book pictures,
identifying them with tablet or smartphone capacities,” the literary
critic told media on April 2, Children’s Book Day.

He is sure that the book’s form and content should be in harmony in
order to attract children.

“For that purpose in recent years Antares has published speaking and
singing books, the ones that can be toys for kids,” he said.

Nikoghosyan mentions that fantasy fiction is the main genre for
Armenian children writers adding that characters in fantasy are the
localized versions of world famous ones.

“What is of concern is the cosmopolitan nature of the characters. They
have international, not Armenian, names and do not exist in the
Armenian environment which complicates the propaganda of patriotism
and national values.”

Antares now works with two young authors for publishing new books in
the near future.

According to the “Children’s best sellers” project carried out by the
Armenpress news agency, the best selling children’s book of March is
“Masha and the Bear, the Flying Broom”. It is a tale based on a very
popular Russian cartoon “Masha and the Bear”, telling about a little
girl’s adventures and her magic broom.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress