brick & mortar
In 2017, Forbes magazine published an article“ How Storytelling Can Make You a Better Leader” where the author notes that research shows facts embedded in stories are between 6 – 22 times more likely to be remembered than facts presented without a narrative. Stories are carriers of meaningful content. They sweep us up into a world where, for those moments we are reading, we are curious and interested about something or someone. How can retailers help kids find books that are engaging, as well as meaningful? As an author, a ministry leader and a mother to eleven children, this is something I’ ve been thinking about for a long time.
While authors need to provide quality content, and publishers need to develop those ideas into something attractive to consume, it’ s retailers who play a key role in what children are exposed to. They are making decisions today that shape the next generation of readers.“ Shape” is not hyperbole. Books are more than entertainment; they can also introduce us to a new idea or speak to a belief system or a worldview that can form a mind for a lifetime. As Christians, it is a high calling to find entertaining content that teaches children about the heart of God. Here are seven ways I encourage you to think about engaging the hearts of children through literature.
continued on page 18 >>
www. christianretailassociation. org / CRA today 17