What are kids reading?

Social media has turned the eyes of many away from books. In a research conducted earlier this year by London-based advertising consultancy We Are Social, the Philippines topped the world in terms of social media usage. Over 60 million Filipinos are active Internet users, and spend an average of four hours a day in social media sites, mainly on Facebook.

But not all bibliophiles have gone digital. In commemoration of reading month this November, Manila Bulletin asks students around Intramuros about their reading experiences.

Based on the interviews, Mitch Albom tops the list of favorite authors. He penned the best-selling memoir of all time Tuesdays with Morrie, which also is a top pick among the same respondents. Along with Albom are novelists John Green, David Levithan, Stephen King, and Dan Brown — whose works vary from young adult romance to supernatural fiction.

Enriching the vocabulary remains to be the primary reason why the respondents find time to read. Readers also tend to look for a book character whom they can relate with; this, the respondents say, helps them escape from the harsh realities of life.

“Reading makes you go places without moving your feet; it’s like travelling without having to spend money,” a respondent says.

Regardless of what books we read and why we read them, reading has at all times been a source of pleasure, knowledge, and sometimes moral courage.