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A study in Britain has warned of children increasingly viewing reading as not so interesting an activity possibly due to their involvement with the internet and television, as about a fifth of them would be embarrassed on being seen with a book by friends.

According to the National Literacy Trust, reading is on “a decline” due to other pressures on children’s time such as the internet, video games and television, Daily Mail reported.

Only 33.5 percent of the youngsters agreed that reading was “cool”, with the figure falling to 14 percent among boys aged 14 to 16. Some 17 percent admitted they would be “embarrassed if my friends saw me read”.

Children are reading fewer books, comics, magazines and even websites than seven years ago, prompting the charity to warn of a “worrying shift” in reading habits.

It said it was “essential” for children to have time to read because pupils reading outside their textbook lessons do better in exams.

The trust has called on parents and teachers to set aside at least 10 minutes a day for reading with children while demanding a national campaign to inspire children to read, the way the Olympics renewed interest in sport.(IANS)