Digital Reading: Between And Beyond The Lines

Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post comes from YA blogger Chelsea Swigget on books, technology and some of the adventurous authors attempting to get the two to play nice. Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment.

Digital Reading: Between And Beyond The Lines

“Books are having a harder time holding the attention of a wired youth culture,” says Patrick Carman, author of Skeleton Creek, a multimedia novel that uses both writing and interactive videos to attract reluctant readers. Even with the rise of popular YA books like Twilight and The Hunger Games, Carman explains, “publishing has to think outside the box in order to bring back many of our young readers.”

To compete with the communication and entertainment technology that’s getting “introduced at a younger and younger age” authors like Carman are experimenting with books like Skeleton Creek where readers are lead back and forth between reading a chapter or two of text, and then following the story to a website the book points them towards.

Others exploring this new territory of multimedia in books include John Green, author of Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, who became involved with the internet sensation “This is Not Tom,”  a story that unfolds as you decipher impossibly hard clues with other fans online and Sean Stewart, author of Cathy’s Book which includes a package of “evidence” – like a torn-apart photo and letters – that gives websites and clues to piece together Cathy’s mystery. You can even call the number 650-266-8233 to hear Cathy’s voicemail. And then there’s Fourth Story Media, a company dedicated to multimedia children’s publishing, which recently published The Amanda Project (featured on Ypulse before) to go alongside an interactive website of the same name, and hosts a big online following. Ariel Aberg-Riger, marketing director at Fourth Story Media, says “I think it’s incredibly appealing to readers because it allows you to immerse yourself fully in the world - reading books, watching videos, creating your own perspective, interacting with the characters - approaching and engaging with the material in a variety of ways.”

It’s true. For someone who rarely reads, these types of books offer a way to get more involved in a novel—an exciting prospect for teens who previously might have approached reading as an unwanted requirement. And with novels like Skeleton Creek and Cathy’s Book, it becomes that much easier of a transition from screen to page.

While some frequent readers might consider these editions to be less appealing, this frequent reader likes them quite a bit. Personally I think they add something fresh and unique to YA books, as long as there’s a balance between good writing and electronic extras. I can’t speak for everyone (even though I try), but I feel like these books are doing something good for teen literature.

Of course, reading a book with digital, interactive extras is different from reading a full-text book on a digital device, and the wide age range of readers and writers I’ve asked tend to come down pretty firmly on one side or the other. The verdict for most teens, however, seems to be opting out of e-reading. Even though they take up a lot less space and are better for the environment than printed-paper books, Emilee, a reader and reviewer says, “To me, nothing beats a full shelf of beautiful covers. Or a book in your hands.”

Cindy Pon, YA author of Silver Phoenix, is also worried about the possibility of a distant, bleak future. “It’d be a horribly sad day for me if real books were no longer printed.”  It’s a realistic concern, considering the huge role technology plays in our lives. After all, just five years ago, everyone had their own personal CD collection; now everything is on mp3 players. Will 200-page books turn into a text to scroll through in the future? Or will publishers listen to the voice of teen readers and continue the interchange between print and screen in beautiful hybrid harmony?

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About Chelsea

Chelsea Swiggett is a writer and lover of books. She has an addiction to pop culture, from movies and tv shows to books and celebrities. She loves traveling and plans to hit every state in the U.S. before heading out of the country. You can find her at thepageflipper.blogspot.com for her opinion on books.