While we are living in a society which is migrating from printed books to digital books, thanks to eBook readers and all the advantages to have a huge library in only one device, according to a study made by Pewresearch.org, the case is completely the opposite when books are meant for children. The study discovers that 81% percent of parents are buying printed books for their kids.
On the other hand, children are also adopting new technologies with a impressive level of acceptance, even learning how to use its interfaces and apps. Both worlds could create some level of confusion for small children, iPad screens with retina display show the pictures and text as clear as printed ones, so a magazine to the eyes of a child that is used to play with an iPad, could become an unresponsive gadget that doesn’t reacts to the touch gestures.
There is a video showing this point:
It is important for parents to show the world to their children, which are very responsive to interactive devices, probably in the future even child books will be deprecated, since the don’t offer animations, video and audio as a fairytale app would offer in an iPad.
Reference:
Pew Research Center, ‘In a digital age, parents value printed books for their kids’, web, viewed 02 June 2013, <http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/05/28/in-a-digital-age-parents-value-printed-books-for-their-kids/>
mediainposter 
I agree with this! My friend was, not long ago, looking for a hard copy of The Hungry Caterpillar, and didn’t want an ebook version. He wanted the physical copy.
Admittedly I still have one of the first books I ever read, it was called The Little Red Hen and has some of my scribbles in it. But I remember it as the book that taught me how to read. I think books still have a place in our society and it just seems more precious to give a child a book, considering the digital era we are in. I think it has something to do with childhood — because personally, with a novel, I don’t mind buying the ebook unless I really love the author or the book and want a physical copy to hold.
All in all I guess a child would learn better with a real book.
I think e books are going to get more interactive especially children’s books. Kids love iPads and iphone because of the tactile/interactive opportunities it presents. I think having all of those interactive features may distract a child so they may not concentrate on the storyline so perhaps developers may need to find a nice balance between the two.