Bruner & Kucirkova (2025). Learning with and from Digital Books: Children's Meaning-Making in the AI Era.
- Examines how children construct meaning in AI-mediated digital reading
- Warns against shallow engagement loops in e-books
- Stresses the role of adult scaffolding alongside adaptivity
Radesky et al. (2022). Prevalence and Characteristics of Manipulative Design in Mobile Apps Used by Children.
- 80% of apps use "dark patterns" like time pressure and parasocial lures
- Most prevalent in apps used by lower-SES families
Rideout & Robb (2020/2021). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age Zero to Eight.
- Documents persistent digital divide
- Lower-income children have higher screen exposure but limited access to quality resources
Marsh (2021). Young Children's Literacy in the Digital Age.
- Documents literacy practices in digital contexts
- Stresses quality, equity, and critical use of technology
Spear-Swerling (2019). The Science of Reading and Its Practical Implications.
- Synthesises research on structured vs. balanced literacy
- Highlights teacher training as critical for effective decoding instruction
Gaab et al. (2019). Early Predictors of Reading: The Case for Phonological Awareness.
- Shows phonological awareness is the strongest early predictor of reading outcomes
- fMRI reveals early brain differences in at-risk children
Kucirkova (2019). The Future of Reading in a Digital Age.
- Explores personalisation and e-book design
- Notes risks of algorithm-driven reading
Romeo et al. (2018). Beyond the 30-Million-Word Gap: Conversational Turns Shape Brain Function.
- Conversational turns predict both language skill and neural activation
- Back-and-forth talk is more impactful than word counts
Conway (2018-2024). Why Phonics Teaching Must Change.
- Argues for fidelity-based, multi-sensory phonics approaches
- Critiques balanced literacy as insufficient for struggling readers
Neuman et al. (2018). How Joyful Dialogic Reading Jumpstarts Early Learning.
- Dialogic conversation during reading deepens vocabulary and comprehension
- Teacher prompts significantly increase engagement
Takacs, Swart & Bus (2015). Benefits and Pitfalls of Multimedia and Interactive Features in Digital Storybooks: A Meta-analysis.
- Digital storybooks can boost comprehension and vocabulary when features align with text
- Distracting hotspots and games harm learning
Cárdenas-Hagan (2015). The Role of Morphological Awareness in Reading Development.
- Explicit morphology teaching strengthens comprehension and vocabulary
- Particularly impactful for bilingual and ELL learners
Shaywitz (2003). Overcoming Dyslexia.
- Summarizes cognitive and neurological roots of dyslexia
- Argues for explicit, systematic phonics-based instruction
National Reading Panel (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read.
- Comprehensive review of over 600 studies
- Confirmed explicit phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension as pillars