An Action Research on the Book and Child Innovative Event in Order to Improve the Perusal and Reading of Children in Iran

Purpose: One of the most effective ways to promote a culture of reading around the world is to encourage reading in childhood. However, children’s reading faces many challenges, including non-targeted educational policies, increasing children's attention to cyberspace, lack of special libraries, the expensiveness of books, and so on. Traditional measures have not been able to solve the problems in the field of promoting children’s books. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to identify the challenges of previous actions as well as to help solve these challenges by fostering innovative ideas through holding innovation events. In order to achieve its goals, this research study the case of innovative book and child event as a reference for production process, collecting and promoting innovative ideas, standardization, value creation, and also prepare the ground for its implementation, and provide solutions for the relevant policy-making agencies. Method: First, through systematic literature review and then through interviews with experts and application of content analysis method, the challenges of traditional actions in the field of children’s books were identified. Reconciliation between children and reading and increasing the children’ desire to read and development of creative ideas in this field wad occured in the form of a startup event. This event is a reference for guiding production process, collecting and promoting innovative ideas, team building, value creation and preparing the ground for its implementation as well as providing solutions for the relevant policy makers. Findings: At first, the existing challenges in the field of books and children were identified in 4 areas (infrastructure, cultural, content, economic). Then, the innovative book and child event, as a startup event in the form of action research that includes four phases of planning, action, observation and reflection, was examined. Originality/value: The numerous challenges identified in the field of promoting children's books have clearly highlighted the need for innovative initiatives. Therefore, in addition to identifying and initially evaluating new applied plans, the innovative book and child event in a dynamic process, challenged these plans, strengthened them in terms of technicality, market and business as well as provided the necessary ground for commercialization of the plan. For example, in this event, an attempt was made to omit intermediaries by creating a direct connection between the publisher and the author, and thus preventing costly publishing, so that the publishers invested in the idea after seeing the initial idea. Another important occurrence in this event was the presence of experts in the field of books and children and their direct contact with the creators of ideas, which greatly helped to improve the quality of works and richness of content and was able to cut the hands of non-specialists