A seven year-old schoolboy is reading a book A DAY after turning his back on computer games and TV.
Sebastian Beckham has been reading independently since he was five and has so far got through more than 500, from Captain Underpants to the Harry Potter novels.
Sebastian, of Northfleet, Kent, said: “My favourite genre is fiction; the books transport me into another world.”
The JK Rowling fan, who celebrated his eighth birthday on Saturday, does not watch much television and does not play any video games.
He added: “There’s more detail in the books then in the films or on television, I get to know the story more.”
Most children of his age manage a book a week, which is monitored by teachers, but Sebastian’s speed is proving a challenge for his teachers at St Joseph Catholic Primary.
His mum, Rosa, 43, said: “I must give credit to our local library. They have a variety of books to choose from and it’s fun for the kids to use their own cards and feel grown up.
“It’s a great incentive for them. It’s also free – books can become very expensive.
“It’s easy to give in to the video games and let him watch television all the time but if you persevere you will succeed.”
Rosa has considered buying Sebastian an e-reader, giving him access to thousands of e-books in seconds.
But the PA said: “It is important a child of this age gets the real feel of a book.
“Sebastian isn’t just a bookworm – he enjoys trampolining, swimming and cycling. He’s also a Cub and a keen animal lover.
“When he grows up, he would like to be a paleontologist – a word he can spell perfectly.”
Sebastian’s next challenge is a spelling bee which mum Rosa thinks he will excel in as he always gets top marks for his spelling at school.
