Why more and more countries are focusing again on reading for children
Tablets, smartphones, cartoons, games, social networks…
Screens are now an integral part of children’s daily lives. Sometimes too much.
In recent years, a question has come up more and more often among parents, teachers and even governments: have we gone too far with screens?
What if the answer was… in books?
The observation: omnipresent screens from a very young age
According to numerous studies, children today spend several hours a day in front of a screen, often well beyond official recommendations.
Experts regularly point out:
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a drop in concentration,
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sleep disorders,
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a decrease in vocabulary,
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difficulty managing emotions,
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and an impact on the development of the imagination.
Without demonizing screens – which can also be educational – one thing is clear: excess raises questions.
Nordic countries lead the way
In recent months, several countries in Northern Europe have made headlines by strongly reassessing the place of digital technology among children.
In Sweden, for example, the education authorities recognized that they had gone too far in the digitalization of schools and decided to massively returning to paper books, reading and handwriting.
In Denmark and other Nordic countries, the debate around:
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the ban or limitation of smartphones at school,
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the age of access to social networks,
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and recommended screen time
is now at the heart of public policies.
Why?
Because these countries, often at the top of the rankings in terms of education and well-being, remind us of one essential thing: children's brains need slowness, imagination and depth.
The book: a simple… and powerful alternative
Reading a book is not just “not being on a screen”.
It is:
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develop language and understanding,
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stimulate the imagination,
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learn to concentrate,
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nourish empathy,
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share a quiet moment with a parent,
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create a reassuring ritual.
And when the book is personalized, the impact is even stronger.
When the child becomes the hero of the story
A personalized book doesn't just tell a story.
He said to the child:
“This story is about you. You matter.”
The child recognizes himself, gets involved, turns the pages with pride.
Reading then becomes a pleasure, not an obligation.
It is exactly this philosophy that guides ZebraBook :
offer books that reconnect children to reading, to themselves and to their imagination — far from endless scrolling.
What if, ultimately, the real luxury was to slow down?
At a time when everything is fast, where everything flashes, where everything demands attention, giving a book to a child is almost a militant act.
A simple act.
A sweet act.
A lasting act.
The Nordic countries remind us today: the future of our children is not only built on screens, but also – and above all – in the stories they read.