Parent guides
Books & Reading: practical guides for parents
Practical guides from the PARE Media Family Technology Desk. Each article offers a specific next step. Read our editorial approach to understand how the guidance is made.25 guides found
How do we choose an audiobook for a family trip?
Pick a story that fits the audience and can be paused around the journey.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat if a book’s cover gives my child the wrong impression?
Look inside together and explain that the cover is only one introduction.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we choose a book gift when we do not know the child’s tastes?
Ask a concrete question and leave room for exchange or another choice.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we turn a book into a simple activity?
Follow one detail the child wants to explore and keep the project optional.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhere should my child start a book series?
Check whether the volumes depend on one another before choosing a starting point.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I review a book my child’s friend recommended?
Take the recommendation seriously and inspect the exact book.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat if my child asks for the same book every night?
Decide what works for the shared routine and offer variety without hiding the favorite.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat if my child interrupts every page of a read-aloud?
Find out whether they want conversation, help following, or a different pace.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we keep a reading journal without turning it into a scorecard?
Record what the child wants to remember rather than counting every completed page.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readIs it okay for my child to stop reading a book?
Separate an optional reading choice from a required assignment.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow can my child write a book review without sharing personal details?
Choose the audience first, then focus the review on the book.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we find a fact book for a child’s specific question?
Use the question to choose a useful section, then check how current the answer needs to be.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we choose a chapter book to read together?
Choose for shared interest and a workable session length.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we choose library books without turning the visit into a test?
Make room for curiosity, browsing, and a small practical limit.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we choose books in two family languages?
Choose for the people sharing the book and the purpose of the session.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we talk about fiction and facts in a children’s book?
Look at the particular claim and the kind of book making it.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we help a child follow the panels in a comic?
Look at one page together and notice the visual cues.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do I review a graphic novel my child wants to read?
Look at the images, dialogue, story, and intended audience together.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow can we try poetry at home without making it a lesson?
Start with a short poem and let the sound or image be enough.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow can we preview a book before buying it?
Check the actual format and a lawful sample before committing to the purchase.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we read a wordless picture book together?
Follow the pictures and allow more than one telling.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we choose a read-aloud for siblings of different ages?
Choose a shared experience with room for different ways to participate.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readHow do we share a book with grandparents over a video call?
Prepare the pages, sound, and ending before the call begins.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat belongs in a small home reading basket?
Choose a few accessible books and rotate them when interest changes.
Read guide →Books & Reading · For caregivers · 2 min readWhat can we read while waiting for a library hold?
Keep the wanted title on the list and choose a separate present-day option.
Read guide →