Dilemmas in Selecting Early Reading Content for Young Children: A Family Perspective

Abstract

Early reading plays a well-documented role in young children's language acquisition, cognitive development, and emotional socialisation. Within the family - the primary site of early literacy - parents act as "gatekeepers" who determine which books children encounter. Yet their choices are not purely pedagogical; they are entangled with educational anxiety, commercial marketing, children's preferences, and digital media shifts. This conceptual paper examines the multifaceted dilemmas facing Chinese families when selecting early reading materials. It identifies four parental-level obstacles: insufficient literary knowledge, developmental misjudgements, consumerist influences, and intergenerational conflicts. It then analyses structural imbalances in the children's book market, including the dominance of functional texts over aesthetic works, the prevalence of moralistic narratives, and the underrepresentation of high-quality indigenous picture books. Finally, it explores how algorithm-driven recommendations and screen-based reading further complicate selection. The analysis concludes that these dilemmas reflect a deeper tension between adult-imposed standards and children's authentic needs, calling for a more child-centred approach to content choice.