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In the twenty-second century, there is a boy surrounded by technology

and modern machines.

He decides to visit his grandmother, who likes keeping old photos,

clothes, books… When the boy arrives at his grandma’s house, he starts doing

his homework using an e-book.

- What is it? - Grandma asks.

-This is my new e-book.

Suddenly, Grandma opens an old trunk and picks up a traditional book.

She shows it to her grandchild.

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-What is that thing? It is so strange! -The boy says.

-Your computer will help you to find out. –Grandma says. Then she turns

on the computer.

-What would you like to do? The computer asks.

-We would like to know the story about the traditional book.-Grandma

replies.

-I will look for it! The computer says.

-Are you ready? Grandma asks.

-Yes, I am! The boy answers.

Then, the computer starts speaking. ‘Since the beginning of civilization,

people have had to face up a crucial question: how to preserve and transmit

culture; that is, the beliefs and knowledge of the society, in both time and space.

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The origin of the history of the book dates back to the first pictorial

expressions which were made by our ancestors, that is, the cave paintings made

in the Palaeolithic’.

Then Grandma realizes that her grandchild has fallen asleep and she turns

off the computer.

At that moment, the boy starts dreaming and he dreams about...

...Once upon a time, there was a book called Gulliver and an e-book called

Digitalin. One day, they met in a big library but when they saw each other, they

got frightened because they have never seen each other before. Digitalin was

very brave and he said:

- Hello! I am Digitalin and I am 5 years old, what’s your name?

- Hi,Digitalin! My name is Gulliver and I am so old that I hardly remember

how old I am- answered Gulliver.

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- And...Why is Gulliver your name? The e-book asked.

- Because inside myself I have got the most exciting, mysterious and

sensational adventures in the world. Besides, the main character of those

stories is Gulliver- said the traditional book.

Digitalin was very jealous of what the traditional book had said so he replied:

- Do you know that I can store about one thousand books?

Gulliver answered furiously:

- I am older than you are, so I have experienced many stories. I will tell you

one. The primitive men didn’t write, instead of that they painted animals

on the walls of the caves using branches, leaves, blood, ashes...

- Why are you showing off? Past is gone and now children prefer e-books

to old and dirty books- answered the e-book.

Gulliver didn’t care about what the e-book was saying and he replied:

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- You should know that 5000 years ago in Middle East writing was born. At

the very beginning, people usually drew on a clay board using a cane, the

quill. Later, other kind of signs replaced those drawings. Just a bunch of

people knew how to read and write.

Digitalin was getting more interested in what Gulliver was telling. He was

thinking that it was an amazing tale, so he wanted to know something else about

this old story.

- Go on! Go on! Tell me more! - said Digitalin.

- The traditional book continued telling the incredible story.

- Egyptians had a very difficult type of writing, the hieroglyphics. They

made different signs and drawings to write the names of Pharaohs and Gods.

They wrote on a roll made of a plant, the papyrus.

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Suddenly, the librarian came in and the traditional book had to quit

explaining. When the librarian saw them, she took the e-book to put it in the

most important and beautiful place in the library while she put the traditional

one in a shelving with the rest of other old books.

Gulliver got sad because it wanted to stay next to the e-book. They both

were important although the e-book was the greatest. The e-book also got sad

because now it liked tales from the traditional books and he wanted to listen to

Gulliver.

Then, a child whose name was Juan came into the library. For homework,

he had to read and summarize a book.

- Hello Juan! Said the librarian I’ll lend you this e-book because I know

you’re a very careful child.

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- Thank you so much, I’ll take care of it as if it were mine- said Juan.

After about one hour, Juan was very tired.

- I have a headache and my eyes sting-said Juan.

- What has happened to you? The librarian asked.

- I have started to feel dizzy after watching the screen so much time- said

Juan.

Meanwhile, Gulliver who had listened closely and knew the consequences

of watching the screen for so long, instead of saying ‘I’m the best’ or ‘I told

you’, it felt badly because deep down, it got on with the e-book.

Juan walked around and had a look to several pop-up books. Suddenly he saw

Gulliver and chose it. Ah! What wonderful stories and illustrations!-he thought.

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- This book is better than any other one. It shouldn’t be alone and scorned-

said Juan.

The librarian was embarrassed and put Gulliver in the main shelves. It was time

to close.

- You know Gulliver, I have realized that you‘re like me or better than me.

Can you go on telling me your background?

- Of course- said Gulliver

- Hundred years ago, almost nobody could read or write. Monks used

animals’ skin in the shape of parchments and a fountain pen. This process of

writing was time consuming.

About six hundred years ago, a German man called Gutenberg invented the

printing press. It was an embossed alphabet.

- Oh my God, Gulliver, you’re so important and valuable, I want to be like

you.

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- Thank you very much, Digitalin but you’re very important too- said the

traditional book.

Next day, the librarian left the traditional book and the e-book in a

beautiful shelving together.

Children were happy and glad with both, the e-book and the traditional

book. It was a lesson for Gulliver and Digitalin but even more for the librarian.

When Juan woke up, he realized that, sometimes, old things are good too, and he

went to look for his grandmother’s old books.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of

the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information

contained therein.

This magazine was published by the students and teachers of :

o CEIP “Antonio Machado”DE ALHAMA DE MURCIA, ESPAÑA,

o Scoala gimnaziala “Aurel Vlaicu”, BRAILA, ROMANIA,

o Igsaş İlköğretim Okulu, KOCAELI , TURKEY,

o Nachalno uchilishte "Sv. Kliment Ohridski",CHIRPAN, BULGARIA

within

Lifelong Learning Programme – Comenius Multilateral Partnership in the „History of the book” project

(2012- 2014)