Books will soon be obsolete in the public schools… Our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years.

– Thomas Edison, The New York Dramatic Mirror, 1913

What a quote! I love these takes because it instills a sense of skepticism for what our (wise?!) technologists are saying today. Especially the ones who are making the technology. No one knows how it will play out. Books remain.

Regarding your son: I am critical of adults' ability to orchestrate effective learning for children. Err on the side of honesty and directness, even in situations that are personally uncomfortable.

Most children are remarkably smarter and more capable of understanding than we (adults) give them credit for. Your son will likely have a better memory than you in the years when the acquired information disparity is highest (you having a lot, him having very little). Children learn early on how and when adults are being untruthful or partially truthful.

You cannot read too much to your son. You cannot talk too much with your son. You cannot listen too much to your son.

You are a little out of date. I long for books for my school aged children. The study guide for a test is now a list of Google Slides presentations and Youtube videos. Edison was on target he just misjudged the timeline and the specific technologies. I'm holding out small hope that the loss of books will be considered a failed experiment someday and they will make a comeback. The current approach has some advantages but I consider it strictly worse than my school experience.