Reading on Screens vs Paper: What the Research Says for Children

We run a digital library, so it would be easy to tell you that reading on a screen is just as good as paper. The research is more nuanced than that, and we think parents deserve the honest version. Digital books have real advantages, and a few known pitfalls that are easy to avoid once you know about them.

What the research found

A 2018 meta-analysis that combined dozens of studies, mostly with older children and adults, found a small but consistent advantage for reading comprehension on paper compared with screens, particularly for informational texts and when readers felt rushed. The researchers suggested that people tend to read screens more quickly and less carefully, a habit carried over from scrolling and skimming.

For young children, the biggest difference is not the screen itself but what adults do with it. A study published in Pediatrics watched parents reading with toddlers using print books, basic e-books and enhanced e-books with sounds and animations. With e-books, parents and toddlers talked less about the story, and more of the conversation was about the device ("press this", "don't touch that").

Researchers reviewing electronic storybooks have also found that features that support the story, such as narration and illustrations that match the text, can help children's understanding, while games and animations unrelated to the story tend to distract from it.

Where digital books help

• Access: a large library on a device the family already owns, at any hour, at home or traveling.
• Variety: children can follow their interests to new topics without a trip to the library.
• Narration: read-aloud audio lets children enjoy stories above their reading level and hear fluent reading, which helps when a parent is not available.
• Large, clear text and zoom for children who find small print hard.

Making screen reading work

1. Read together when you can, and talk about the story just as you would with paper.
2. Choose plain, story-first books without games or pop-ups. Our books are simple pages of text and pictures for that reason.
3. Use narration as a bonus, not a replacement. Listening alone is good; listening and talking with you is better.
4. Turn off notifications or use the device in a focus or do-not-disturb mode during reading.
5. Keep the screen bright enough in the day, dim at night, and finish screen reading a little before lights out if your child has trouble settling.
6. Mix formats. Printed books from the library and digital books work well together. Our books can also be downloaded as PDFs if you prefer to print a favorite.

The bottom line

The format matters less than the habit. A child who reads every day, and is read to and talked with, will benefit whether the book is on paper or a screen. Use digital books for their strengths, keep some reading time device-free, and keep the conversation going.

Find a book to read together

Browse the full library by age, or search the store by genre. Many books are free to read with no account.

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