A team of Australian researchers has published in Frontiers in Language Sciences one of the most comprehensive reviews to date on a simple yet powerful habit: home-based shared book reading. But… what exactly is shared reading?
Shared reading — also known as home-based shared book reading — is when an adult (often parents, uncles, aunts…) reads a book with a child and talks about what’s happening in the story. It’s not just about reading aloud, but about interaction: asking questions, commenting on the illustrations, connecting the story to personal experiences… Many families make it part of their bedtime routine.
This systematic review analyzed 46 studies with data from over 56,000 children under 4 years old. It measured various aspects of what’s called the home literacy environment, which includes, for example, the frequency of shared reading, the age at which it began, and the number of children’s books in the home — and examined how these relate to child development.
The RESULTS showed a strong relationship between shared reading and:
- Overall child development, regardless of whether it is measured by frequency, duration, or number of books at home.
- Spoken language, greater than what had been estimated in previous reviews.
- Vocabulary development — especially relevant because vocabulary at age 3 is a key factor for school readiness and later reading success.
In addition, the authors found a moderately strong relationship between the frequency of shared reading and expressive vocabulary (the words a child can produce).
WHY SHARED READING MATTERS: The authors emphasize that expressive vocabulary is linked to pre-reading skills, which in turn predict both word reading ability and socioemotional competence. In other words, reading together from the earliest years not only improves language but also lays the foundation for lifelong learning and well-being.
This study confirms with solid data what many families already sensed: it’s a direct investment in children’s linguistic and cognitive development, with benefits that can last a lifetime.
That said — as a children’s literature author and researcher — I can say with confidence that, beyond these positive results, shared reading has an invaluable intrinsic value: it fosters and strengthens family bonds, contributing to the greatest treasure a child can receive — an enduring legacy they will always turn to as adults when looking back to find the meaning of life: THE LEGACY OF LOVE ❤️
Do you like reading? I love writing.
Germán Ruiz, writer.
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