You hand your child a beautiful picture book, and they push it away. You offer a chapter book that matches their reading level perfectly, and they say, “No thanks.” But mention an ebook on the tablet or a story on their device? Suddenly, they’re interested.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Millions of parents face this exact scenario, and it triggers a specific kind of parental anxiety. Are we raising readers or screen addicts? Is digital reading “real” reading? Should we force print books even when it creates battles?
The answer isn’t simple, and honestly, the experts disagree. Let’s look at what research actually tells us about digital reading, examine different professional perspectives, and figure out what makes sense for your family.
What the Reading Comprehension Research Says
Here’s where things get interesting: the research on digital versus print reading shows nuanced results that don’t fit neatly into “screens bad, books good” narratives.
A comprehensive 2023 meta-analysis published in Educational Research Review examined 39 studies comparing print and digital reading comprehension. The findings revealed that readers generally comprehend narrative texts slightly better in print, with the difference being small but consistent across age groups. However, and this matters, the comprehension gap largely disappears when readers are given adequate time with digital texts and when the digital format doesn’t include distracting hyperlinks or multimedia elements.
Virginia Clinton-Lisell, a literacy researcher at the University of North Dakota, has extensively studied this phenomenon. Her research indicates that the medium itself isn’t the primary issue. Rather, how we interact with each medium creates different reading behaviors. We tend to skim digital text more readily, while we approach print books with an expectation of deeper engagement.
For beginning readers specifically, a 2024 study found that children aged 5-7 showed no significant differences in comprehension between print and digital texts when both formats presented the same static text and images. The problems emerged when digital versions included autoplay, animations, or interactive elements that competed for readers’ attention during reading.
The “Screens Are Fine” Perspective
Some educators and researchers argue that digital reading is simply the literacy landscape our children will inhabit. Dr. Maya Georgieva, who studies digital literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University, makes a compelling case that resisting digital reading is like insisting children learn to write with quills instead of pencils.
This perspective emphasizes several advantages of digital reading. Ebooks can adjust font size and spacing, which helps struggling readers. Built-in dictionaries provide immediate vocabulary support. Some apps track reading progress and provide data that parents and teachers can use to guide instruction.
Audiobooks with highlighted text, often accessed through devices, can support reading development by helping children connect written and spoken language. The National Literacy Trust’s 2023 research found that children who used audiobooks showed improved reading attitudes and were more likely to read for pleasure.
For reluctant readers, the device itself provides motivation. If a child reads 20 minutes daily on a tablet versus zero minutes with print books, the tablet wins. Reading practice, regardless of medium, builds neural pathways for literacy.
Proponents of digital reading also note that virtually all professional reading, emails, reports, research, and news happens on screens. Teaching children to read effectively on devices prepares them for real-world literacy demands.
The “Print Matters” Perspective
Equally respected researchers raise serious concerns about screen-based reading, particularly for developing readers.
Maryanne Wolf, a cognitive neuroscientist at UCLA and author of Reader, Come Home, argues that deep reading, the kind that builds critical thinking and empathy, requires the immersive, distraction-free experience that print books naturally provide. Her research suggests that digital reading encourages what she calls “skimming behavior,” where readers extract surface information without deeper comprehension or reflection.
Physical books provide tactile and spatial memory cues that support comprehension and retention. When you remember a passage, you often recall where it appeared on the page or how far through the book you were. This physical geography of text appears to enhance memory formation.
Naomi Baron, Professor Emerita of Linguistics at American University, has extensively researched reading preferences and outcomes. Her 2021 study of more than 400,000 readers across multiple countries found that 92% preferred print for longer, more challenging texts. Readers consistently reported better concentration, less multitasking, and deeper engagement with print books.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends print books over ebooks for children under five, citing concerns about attention, the quality of parent-child interaction, and the broader screen-time context in which digital reading occurs.
The Overlooked Middle Ground: It Depends on the App
Here’s what often gets missed in the digital-versus-print debate: not all digital reading experiences are equivalent.
Reading a novel on an e-reader with an e-ink display (like a Kindle) creates a dramatically different experience than reading on a backlit tablet filled with notifications. A phonics app with systematic instruction and controlled text serves different purposes than a gamified reading app where the “games” overshadow actual reading.
The International Literacy Association’s 2024 position statement emphasizes that quality matters more than medium. Digital reading tools that provide explicit phonics instruction, decodable texts, and progress monitoring can effectively support reading development, sometimes more so than unstructured print book access alone.
The key differentiators for quality digital reading include: static text without autoplay features, limited or no hotspots that interrupt the reading flow, adult co-engagement rather than independent device use, and content that aligns with systematic reading instruction rather than relying on memorization or guessing strategies.
What This Means for Your Family
So, where does this leave you when your child reaches for the tablet instead of the bookshelf?
First, examine what kind of digital reading they’re doing. Are they reading actual text, or primarily watching videos with occasional words? Are they practicing phonics and decoding, or memorizing whole words through repetition? Is the app teaching systematic reading skills, or entertaining them with games that happen to include letters?
Second, consider your child’s total reading diet. A child who reads exclusively on devices but reads daily, progresses through increasingly complex texts, and demonstrates strong comprehension is in a different situation than a child avoiding reading skill development by consuming only digital media.
Third, recognize that the research shows different patterns for different aspects of literacy. For basic phonics practice and decoding skill development, quality digital tools work well. For building reading stamina, deep comprehension, and love of narrative, print books may offer advantages, but only if your child actually reads them.
Practical Strategies That Honor the Research
Instead of forcing print books or surrendering completely to screens, try these approaches:
Match the medium to the purpose. Use systematic phonics apps for skill practice. Use print books for sustained, distraction-free reading. Use audiobooks with text for building fluency and expression.
Create device-free reading zones and times. Perhaps bedtime reading happens with print books, while car rides allow audiobooks. This builds variety without battles.
Co-read digital content. Sit with your child during device reading time. Ask comprehension questions. Point out new vocabulary. Your engagement turns passive screen time into active literacy instruction.
Choose digital reading tools strategically. Not all apps are equivalent. Look for programs built on systematic phonics instruction rather than on gamification or sight-word memorization.
Gradually increase print exposure without ultimatums. Keep appealing print books visible and available. Read them aloud yourself. Model print reading. But don’t force immediate change.
Address the underlying issue. Does your child prefer devices because the screen provides reward systems that print books don’t? Are print books too difficult for their current skill level? Do they associate print books with pressure and devices with freedom? Understanding the “why” helps you respond effectively.
The Reading.com Approach: Systematic Instruction, Digital Delivery
At Reading.com, we’ve designed our app to provide what research shows works: systematic, explicit phonics instruction delivered through an engaging digital format. We don’t rely on gamification that distracts from reading.
Our approach recognizes that digital tools can support reading development when they’re built on solid literacy science. The device isn’t the enemy. It’s the delivery method. What matters is what that device is teaching your child about how reading actually works.
If your child gravitates toward screens, let’s use that motivation strategically. The Reading.com app meets them where they are while teaching them the phonics foundation they need to eventually read anything, anywhere, whether on a device or in a print book.
Ready to turn screen time into strategic reading skill development? Start your 7-day free trial today and discover how the right digital reading tool can build the foundation for lifelong literacy.
