I for one hope they never go away, because it always has and will continue to be a wonderful place to visit for my son and I.
Nicholas has developed a real love of reading, and part of the reason is because he's discovered what an adventure roaming a bookstore or library can be.
Educators will tell you that the more children read, the better they become at reading. And the more enjoyable the books, the more likely they'll stick with them, and develop the reading skills they need to succeed in adult life.
As one teacher explained to me, reading should be seen as a pleasurable activity for a child - not a chore.
That's why early on I wanted to expose my 10-year-old to the various tales of entertainment and information that bookstores can provide.
Through books and novels, children can vicariously learn about other parts of the world, or try out new experiences and ideas. They can meet characters who they will enjoy sharing adventures with and you the parent can be part of that positive experience as well.
It's been a few years since I've read to my child, since he prefers to do it himself. However now that he's a fourth-grader, we pick out books that he would like to read, and then discuss them when he's finished.
So inspire your children to read. Expose them to all sorts of literature and reading material whether its children's' novels, e-books or traditional printed classics.
There is a wonderful world full of literature for them - and it's all waiting to be discovered at your nearest book-store or library.
Read more Parenting Perspective blogs by visiting the Parenting Channel on 6abc.com.
