Skip to main content

Goodbye paperbacks and paper cuts, Captain Obvious reports e-books are the future of reading

The percentage of kids reading e-books has almost doubled in the last couple of years, with a number of children who have read e-books saying they would read more if they had better access to digital publications, according to a new study on the reading habits of America’s youth.

According to the fourth edition of the Kids & Family Reading Report, a bi-annual study published by leading children’s publishing, education and media company Scholastic in conjunction with the Harrison Group, a marketing and strategic research consulting firm, e-books are looking increasingly like the tool necessary to change reading from a required (and therefore, not “fun”) pastime to something that kids want to do of their own choice. More than half of the children who took part of the survey were considered “moderately frequent readers” – 57 percent, to be precise – with “moderately frequent” defined as kids who read one to four days a week.

Recommended Videos

Additionally, one in four boys – a traditionally difficult group to motivate in terms of voluntary reading – said they are now reading more books for fun having enjoyed the experience via an e-book. Overall, 50 percent of all children aged 9-17 that took part in the study said they would read more books for fun if they had more access to e-books, with that itself a 50 percent increase when compared to the answers to the same question asked two years ago.

Compared to the 2010 report, the reach of e-books has doubled in children, with 46 percent of the 9-17 year-olds taking part this time compared to just 25 percent two years ago. Also, sadly, up is the percent of parents who feel that their children don’t read enough for fun; that number jumped from 36 percent in 2010 to 49 percent in the latest report. The amount of parents who are interested in giving their children e-books is now at 72 percent and, let’s be honest, likely to rise if they see the interest expressed in them from the children taking part in this study.

“We are seeing that kids today are drawn to both print and e-books, yet e-reading seems to offer an exciting opportunity to attract and motivate boys and reluctant readers to read more books,” Scholastic’s Chief Academic Officer Francie Alexander comments in the report. “While many parents express concern over the amount of time their child spends with technology, nearly half do not have a preference of format for their child’s books. The message is clear – parents want to encourage more reading, no matter the medium.”

With this kind of target market, how long before we see kid-centric Kindles, Nooks and iPads?

Graeme McMillan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A transplant from the west coast of Scotland to the west coast of America, Graeme is a freelance writer with a taste for pop…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more