Technology at the library doesn’t have to be only apps, gadgets, and gizmos- it’s important to use your traditional book collection to support your technology literacy efforts too! Picture books can be a fun way to establish a print literacy connection in a tech program, or a great way to recommend families to extend ideas at home.
I’m currently reading The Nature Fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative by Florence Williams and it has inspired me to think about picture book that might spark a conversation with children about the importance of spending time away from our technology. Some of these picture books may talk about robots, electronics, or computers, but they also focus on the value of unplugged time, a topic that media mentors know should be addressed in any discussion of technology and children.
Check out some of my favorites below:
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino
Hello! Hello! by Mathew Cordell
Unplugged: Ella Gets Her Family Back by Laura Pedersen
Little Bot and Sparrow by Jake Parker
These would be perfect titles to recommend to parents and caregivers as we look ahead to warmer weather, and hopefully more opportunity for unplugged time outside with our families and friends!
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Nicole Lee Martin is a Children’s Librarian at the Rocky River Public Library in Rocky River, OH and is writing this post for the ALSC Children and Technology Committee. You can reach her at n.martin@rrpl.org.