With more than 20,000 titles on display, children's books are a highlight of this year's South China Book Festival in Guangzhou. But what kind of books are attracting the kids, and are these books the right ones for them?
This booth features famous fairy tales and special versions of classic literature tailored for children, such as "the Water Margin" and "Dream of the Red Mansion". However, only a few children are interested.
Instead, many kids are captivated by books with scary covers, that tell horror stories filled with violence.
"I like this 'Goose Bumps' series. It's about ghosts and adventures," said a child.
Although parents know such books are not always suitable for kids, they can't keep them from reading them.
"I have bought my son all the books in this "Charlie the 9th" series. Actually I don't think it's good for him, because there's violence in the books. But even if I didn't buy it for him, he would still read them, because all his classmates are reading the books and talking about them," said a parent.
Some parents say they are buying classic literature for their children. But the kids would rather read the books recommended by their classmates.
"My parents always buy me fairy tales and other books. I don't like them because they are boring and not real. The books recommended by my classmates are more interesting," said a child.
Experts say that such books could be a bad influence.
"Children lack cognitive ability and self control. These books will influence their mentality in a bad way," said a writer Cao Wenxuan.
Cao suggests that parents should guide their children to choose proper books, and to also read along with them.