The magic of reading together, on paper or on screen

Have you ever wondered what kind of magic lies within the pages of a book?

Watch a child open one. The first picture appears, a page turns, and for a while the rest of the room fades away.

Today that magic comes on paper and on screens, and many parents wonder which one to choose. Here’s what each does well, how to pick for tonight, and a handful of ideas to make reading together a habit you both look forward to.

What do paper books do best?

A paper book is something you can hold. Kids feel the pages, hear them turn and can see how much of the story is left.

It’s easy to flip back to a favorite picture, or to write your name inside the cover. On a low shelf, a paper book is always ready to be picked, and it never runs out of battery halfway through a chapter.

For many families, it’s also a screen-free moment together.

What do screens do well?

Screens have their own tricks. With e-books and reading apps you can make the text bigger, look up a word with a tap and carry a whole library in your bag.

Some apps read aloud or add sounds and little animations. They’re handy on car rides, in waiting rooms and on holidays far from your bookshelf.

How do you choose for tonight?

You can have both. Many families keep a simple rhythm: paper for bedtime and shared reading, screens for trips and quick look-ups.

Let the moment decide. A long story on the sofa? Paper. A word you both want to check? Screen. A new book for the road? Whatever fits in the bag.

Read it together

Whatever the format, the magic grows when you read side by side. A few ideas to try:

• Ask before you read. Many stories start with a question. In You Shine, Amazing Boy, before Ben’s story begins, the book asks if it’s easy to be kind when it means giving up something you really want. Let your child answer first, then read on.
• Let them turn the pages, or swipe them.
• Give each character a voice. Silly voices are the best ones.
• Pause and wonder. Now and then, ask: “What do you think happens next?”
• Read the favorite again (and again). Kids love knowing what’s coming.
• Swap roles. They read a word, a line or a whole page to you.

• Ben Makes a Friend
• Amira's Wildlife Garden
• Luna the Curious

Make a cozy reading corner

A basket of books at child height and a cushion by a good lamp: that’s a reading corner. If you use an e-reader or a tablet, keep it in the same basket, so reading time feels the same either way.

Swap a few books in the basket every week or two. A new cover is a small surprise, and an old favorite coming back is a big one.

Keep the story going

When the book closes, the story can carry on. Draw your favorite scene together, or invent a new ending over dinner. Short stories make this easy: you can read one at bedtime and talk about it at breakfast.

Then choose tomorrow’s book. On paper or on screen, the magic is in reading it together.

Looking for more ways to make story time special? Read Why read stories together, and how to make it fun.

Questions about reading together

Should kids read on paper or on screens?

Both can have a place. Many families choose paper for bedtime and shared reading, and screens for travel and looking things up. What matters most is reading together.

How long should we read together each day?

Whatever fits your day. Ten minutes at bedtime counts, and so does a long story on a slow Sunday.

My child can read alone. Should we still read together?

Yes, if you both enjoy it. Take turns with the pages, or read a longer book together that they'd find hard on their own.