KOCHI: Have you been among those who have mourned the death of the book-reading generation? Have you harboured midnight dreams about keyboard thumping youngsters wiping out books from the face of earth?Then, it's time you put some of those fears at rest. At least that's what the recent trends in book sales have to say. The popular bookstores in the city unanimously agree that it is youngsters, roughly within the age group 8 to 16 years who claim the major chunk of reading material."If Pinocchio says lies then his nose will become really big," explains five-year-old Ryan, drawing his nose forward animatedly to emphasis his point. He has come with his mother to buy 'story books', he says. For young children like him fairy tales and comics like Spiderman and SpongeBob are among the favourites. "Gradually they move to the Tintin and Asterix series and then to Archies, Goosebumps, Famous Five, Secret Seven and other adventure stories," says Blossom book shop owner Abdul Latheef. It's not just adventure stories, the young are into classics as well. "Abridged versions of classics with bold letters and lots of pictures appeal to them," says Jijo K, branch manager, DC Books. But the trend is not encouraging throughout the age spectrum. In fact, there is a decline in sales starting with late teens. The Press Club branch of Blossoms lies next to a college but despite that the share of college students in the sales is low, said the shop owner. "This age group is mostly influenced by bestseller charts. Classics and other serious books do not appeal to them too much. The likes of Stephenie Meyer and Chetan Bhagat are more popular. But even these last only for some time," he says. After the young the next best readers are in the 35 plus age group. "There is more scope for serious and philosophical books here," Jijo said."Even the likes of Jeoffrey Archer are finding place in the above 35 group now," says Paico Books sales executive Vinob K S.While the young-adults may be locked under the charms of the so-called frivolous books, it looks like the youngest of the young are the new champions of the book-reading culture.
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