STORYBOOKS OF FOLKTALES AND ITS EFFECTS ON ATTITUDE TOWARDS READING AMONGST CHILDREN IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

In recent times in Nigeria, there has been persistent nationwide concern against the decline in the interest
in reading storybooks amongst children at all levels - primary, secondary and tertiary and the rising cases
of juvenile delinquencies among Nigerian youths. Many factors have been linked to this current state of
reading apathy. Unfamiliar contents and characters of storybooks available to children as well as
distractions from electronic applications and devices could be responsible for the depth of apathy
experienced. However, some researchers, educationists and activists believe that the total disregard for
the ethnic core values of nationalities in Nigeria and the reluctance to apply these values in the education
of the Nigerian youths through folkloric storybooks are responsible for the apathy, disorientation and
deviance exhibited by many children in the country today. All this has led to the loss of interest and poor
academic performance on the part of the youth. This research attempted the use of folkloric storybooks as
a credible intervention to address reading apathy in Nigerian children.