Maggie, I have had that with both my boys. Thomas, at 9 months, is still there. We get around it by reading cardboard books so it doesn't matter so much if he grabs them (although I still have to hold them at arms length). Jack loves books and spends a good deal of time reading or being read to now that he's 2. I'm not sure when it got to the point that we could read to him without him trying to eat the book. It was probably not much after 9 months. We persisted with him too, reading cardboard books, or paper books held at a distance and it has paid off. He really, really loves books and by 18 months could read all the letters and a few words. It is worth persisting, even if it feels like you are fighting a losing battle. I am sure that by reading to them anyway, you are helping to develop a love of reading.