Books that rival screens and social media | Series 1, Episode 34

Episode 34 transcript

Which books will appeal to children as much or more than screens and social media?

Children and teenagers spend more hours on screens than ever before. Smartphones, video platforms, and social media apps are designed to capture attention and keep it. Research shows these platforms use rapid-fire content and reward loops to deliver quick hits of dopamine, the brain chemical linked to pleasure and motivation. For many young people, this sense of reward can feel immediate and personal. A scroll or a click gives instant feedback, whether through a new clip, a notification, or a like.

This matters for learning because the dopamine system is also involved in decision-making, self-control, and memory. When a child’s brain is repeatedly trained to seek fast bursts of stimulation, longer tasks such as reading can feel harder to focus on. Studies connect heavy use of short-form video and social media with lower attention spans, weaker impulse control, and reduced working memory. Other research finds that when adults or carers read to children from books, brain activity is richer in areas tied to social skills and understanding compared with screen-based storytelling.

High levels of early screen exposure are also linked to slower language development and lower literacy. Researchers studying young children find links between extended screen time and delayed communication and emotional regulation. These findings are important for parents and schools that want to foster literacy skills. Reading is not only about decoding words but also about developing empathy, understanding different viewpoints, and practising sustained attention.

The challenge is clear. If screens appeal so strongly because they activate reward systems in the brain, what can books offer that has a similar pull? One answer lies in interaction. Screens give children choices, control, and a sense of achievement. Books can provide these too, but the formats need to be varied and engaging.

Interactive fiction is one option. Choose-your-own-adventure titles, where readers make decisions that shape the story, mirror some of the decision-making control that games and apps give. Branching plots can generate curiosity, anticipation, and the same desire to see what happens next that children experience when clicking through a social feed. Books that invite readers to solve puzzles or complete challenges as part of the story tap into problem-solving instincts. Each solved puzzle brings a sense of progress similar to completing a level in a game.

Another strand is philosophical or reflective books that prompt children to think about choices, dilemmas, and perspectives. Approaches used in Philosophy for Children, such as those promoted by Peter Worley, encourage young readers to stop and consider alternative viewpoints. A book that asks a question or presents a scenario for debate makes the reader an active participant rather than a passive observer. That kind of intellectual engagement can spark the same satisfaction that children get from exploring content online that teaches them something new or confirms a belief.

Imaginative interaction is another route. Some books invite readers to take part physically, through prompts to shake the page, tap, or turn back. Hervé Tullet’s Press Here is a well-known example that turns the act of page turning into a playful activity. Cristina Cubells’s This Book is Too Quiet! builds sound into the reading by asking the child to add the noise themselves. This kind of interaction borrows the responsive element of a touch screen but keeps it grounded in print.

Recent examples show the range of possibilities. Superquesters mixes story with STEM problem-solving. Sam Gayton’s Press Start to Play builds on gaming culture to frame the narrative. BUST OR TRUST: A Kids’ Mystery Book by Small Wardour combines fact and investigation, asking readers to weigh evidence. Tom Percival’s This Way Up blends storytelling with interactive design. Formats that fold out or can be built, such as Ingela P Arrhenius’s Fold-Out + Play: Doll’s House or Paul Farrell’s Build a Castle, add a construction element that appeals to hands-on learners. These examples show that books can draw on the same instincts that make screens engaging: control, achievement, discovery, and interaction.

The link to empathy is central too. Screens can feed ambition and self-worth by presenting images of success or belonging. Books offer a quieter but lasting form of this by allowing readers to step inside the life of a character, see through another perspective, and practise emotional responses in a safe setting. Research into reading and empathy suggests that narrative fiction can strengthen the ability to understand and relate to others. For children and teenagers navigating social pressures, that can be as powerful as the approval loops on social platforms.

There is also the question of how reading connects to problem-solving and resilience. Stories often present challenges, mistakes, and consequences. Following a character who works through difficulty allows young readers to rehearse responses to real-life challenges. That mirrors the way some young people use online content to learn how to handle situations or gain clarity on issues that cause worry. Books can meet the same need but with more depth and context.

Teachers and parents often ask how to make books feel as rewarding as screens. The answer is not to compete on speed or volume but to build on what books do uniquely well. Physical interaction, branching stories, puzzles, and reflective prompts can deliver engagement without the constant demand for novelty. Story-based interaction can spark the same dopamine-driven sense of control and achievement that screens offer, while supporting literacy, empathy, and critical thinking.

Publishing trends suggest that more titles are being developed with these ideas in mind. Educational publishers are investing in interactive series that blend story with subject-based learning. Independent creators are exploring physical formats that combine reading with construction or play. At the same time, schools are using philosophy-based texts and discussion-led reading to support classroom dialogue. The aim is not to replace digital media but to provide children with options that feel rewarding in their own right.

The wider context matters too. Children are drawn to screens partly because peers are there. Social connection is a strong motivator, and books cannot replicate the constant peer presence of social platforms. But shared reading experiences, whether in class groups, book clubs, or at home, can provide a social frame for reading. Talking about a story, predicting outcomes, or solving puzzles together makes reading communal rather than solitary. That social aspect may be one way to make books feel more relevant against the pull of digital platforms.

The key is to recognise that books and screens are not equal competitors. Each has different strengths. Screens provide rapid, tailored rewards and constant feedback. Books can offer slower but deeper engagement, with space for empathy, problem-solving, and reflection. By designing reading experiences that give children some control, interaction, and challenge, books can trigger many of the same brain systems that screens use, while also supporting skills that digital media does not nurture. For educators and parents, that balance may be the most practical route to sustaining reading in the digital age.

Further Reading

• News.com.au. Watching short-form videos affects the brain like alcohol, study finds.
• PsyPost. Neuroscientists show children’s brains function differently during book reading and screen time.
• PMC. Screen time and early child development.

Reward circuitry and reinforcement

• Schultz, W. (1997). Dopamine neurons and learning. Science, 275(5306), 1593–1599.
• Berridge, K. C., & Robinson, T. E. (1998). What is the role of dopamine in reward: Hedonic impact, reward learning, or incentive salience? Brain Research Reviews, 28(3), 309–369.

Social media, reinforcement loops, and habit design

• Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Press.
• Montag, C., & Walla, P. (2016). Carpe diem instead of losing your social mind: Beyond digital addiction and why we all suffer from digital overuse. Cogent Psychology, 3(1), 1157281.
• Wilmer, H. H., Sherman, L. E., & Chein, J. M. (2017). Smartphones and cognition: A review of research exploring the links between mobile technology habits and cognitive functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 605.

Adolescent brain sensitivity to social rewards

• Sherman, L. E., et al. (2016). The power of the like in adolescence: Effects of peer influence on neural and behavioural responses to social media. Psychological Science, 27(7), 1027–1035.
• Nesi, J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2015). Using social media for social comparison and feedback-seeking: Gender and popularity moderate associations with depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(8), 1427–1438.

Attention, executive control, and short-form video

• Xu, Z., Gao, X., Wei, J., Liu, H., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Adolescent user behaviors on short video application, cognitive functioning and academic performance. Computers & Education, 203, 104865.
• Swing, E. L., et al. (2010). Television and video game exposure and the development of attention problems. Pediatrics, 126(2), 214–221.

Early screen exposure and language development

• Madigan, S., et al. (2020). Association between screen time and children’s performance on a developmental screening test. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1), e193912.
• Chen, B., et al. (2023). Screen time at age 1 year and developmental outcomes at ages 2 and 4 years. JAMA Pediatrics, 177(6), 567–574.

Brain and behaviour in book vs screen reading

• Munzer, T. G., et al. (2019). Differences in parent–toddler interactions with electronic versus print books. Pediatrics, 143(4), e20182012.
• Strouse, G. A., & Ganea, P. A. (2017). Parent–toddler behavior and story comprehension across electronic and print books. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 48, 10–17.

Reading, empathy, and social cognition

• Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377–380.
• Mar, R. A., & Oatley, K. (2008). The function of fiction is the abstraction and simulation of social experience. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(3), 173–192.

Interactive and puzzle-based reading

• Whitehurst, G. J., et al. (1994). A picture book reading intervention in day care and home for children from low-income families. Developmental Psychology, 30(5), 679–689.
• McCrudden, M. T., et al. (2016). Interactive reading and question-asking improve comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(4), 596–609.

Philosophy for Children (P4C)

• Gorard, S., Siddiqui, N., & See, B. H. (2015). Philosophy for Children: Evaluation report and executive summary. Education Endowment Foundation.

Physically interactive formats and learning

• Uttal, D. H., et al. (2018). Concrete vs. virtual manipulatives in mathematics learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 25, 30–54.

Motivation, autonomy, and reading

• Guthrie, J. T., & Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement and motivation in reading. In M. L. Kamil et al. (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research, Vol. 3, 403–422.
• Guthrie, J. T., et al. (2004). Increasing reading comprehension and engagement through Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(3), 403–423.

UK context on children’s media use

• Ofcom. (2024). Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2024.
• Ofcom. (2025). Media Nations 2025.