There is nothing more effective in keeping your fire burning for something you love than sharing it with others. Just recently, I received an email with the subject: “Invitation to Share Your Expertise in a Children’s Storybook Research Interview”. Turned out that they are college students who are working on their thesis. After that call, I felt kilig (as we call it in Filipino terms).

Such a wonderful world to be in, this kidlit industry. Although I’m no bookworm myself, there’s something magical about children’s books that — when beautifully written — can reach even the oldest of souls.

As I’ve said in that interview, I can’t remember a moment when I read a book together with my parents. Shared reading as they call it. But I remember our house having bookshelves filled with different books, including children’s books and comics. The kids always have a few

books to flip through at home whenever they feel like it. I most especially remember one quiet weekend when my sister and I were lying on the wooden floor, my dad’s sitting on the sofa chair near the window, and my mom’s settled on the couch near us — all of us were holding and reading a book. Mine’s an activity book for kids. That’s a core memory for me.

The world has changed. Now we are full of responsibilities, distractions and busyness. We don’t get to be still because there’s always something to entertain us — our smartphones, televisions, streaming platforms. You name it. Not to mention the struggle of spending more hours at work to put food on the table.

Parent-child interaction is waning. Those college students see it, too. And they are opening this discussion that an interactive storybook can help foster it. I believe that a well-written (and well-illustrated) storybook can indeed help nurture parent-child relationships and spark a child’s curiosity to explore. Many factors come into play, of course, such as living conditions and education (for both parents and children).

After all, a storybook is only as impactful to a home as how many times it is seen and more when taken out of the shelf. It's a great feat, especially in my country, but I hope every home can own at least one great storybook — not as an escape from the world’s realities, but as a means to connect and build relationships…and core memories.