I never thought I'd see the day when traditional ink-and-paper books went out of style. And yet, it seems that they're becoming a thing of the past, taking a backseat to e-readers.

Now don't get me wrong, I definitely see the appeal of e-readers. They save paper, hold tons of books, and are more portable than traditional books. Those are major pluses, and the popularity of the e-reader isn't what's worrying me. No, what truly worries me is the fact that there is a possibility for these e-readers to completely replace books someday.

As a child, I constantly had my nose in a book, flipping pages, folding corners, and staying up late under my covers, a flashlight in one hand and a paperback in the other. I felt that I could become more absorbed in what I was reading if I could hold the book in my hands. It simply felt more real. The pages, the cover, the story, the words: everything felt much more real to me.

So it came as a shock to me when my brother said that his class would not be using books anymore; rather, they did all of their reading on laptops. Whatever happened to the dog-eared class copies of The Giver and The Outsiders of my youth? And besides that, what about the negative effects that constantly reading off of a screen has on one's overall health? Medic Daily states that there are many detrimental effects that e-readers can have on both our physical and mental health, including missing out on important information while we read, losing sleep, damaging our eyesight, and causing stress in our bodies (http://www.medicaldaily.com/e-books-are-damaging-y...).

Once again, I must reiterate that I do not technological advancement is a bad thing. I myself am utilizing it now, as a I write this article, and if it weren't for technology, I wouldn't have this platform to begin with! I do wholeheartedly applaud the fact that we can now access a plethora of information at any time, as well as become more connected with one another and aware of what is going on in our world.

Yet there is something about real, tangible books that can never be replaced by an e-reader. There is nothing quite like holding a book in your hands, feeling it hum with the power of a new story, new knowledge, a new adventure. Throughout the ages, we've born witness to the power that books have to change the world, for worse or for better. And we've always gone on believing that even though we can't live forever, our history will remain alive in our books, for they have the power to withstand the test of time.

P.S. - For funny cartoons about e-readers and books (like the cover image I used on this article), visit http://ebookfriendly.com/best-cartoons-ebooks-digi....