Resources

The Science Behind READING BRAINPOWER

At READING BRAINPOWER, every tip, technique, and takeaway we share is grounded in science. Our mission is to empower parents, grandparents, and caregivers with practical tools that nurture a child’s brain from birth—but we believe that trust begins with transparency.

That’s why we openly share the research that informs our work. The studies and resources below come from respected universities, medical journals, and early-childhood organizations around the world. They represent the most current evidence on how shared reading builds language, strengthens neural connections, and lays the foundation for lifelong learning.

This is more than story time—it’s brain time. By understanding early reading works, you can feel confident that every book you open with your child is helping to build not only their imagination but also the architecture of their growing brain.

Explore the resources below to see how science supports what every parent’s heart already knows: reading together changes everything.

1. Parental reading to infants improves language scores
Summary: A 2023 randomized study found that infants (under 12 months) whose caregivers read at least one book daily from as early as two weeks old showed measurable improvements in both expressive and receptive language by nine months of age.
Link: PubMed

2. Home reading environment is positively associated with brain activation in preschool children
Summary: This recent study (2023/2024) used neuroimaging to show that preschool children who have richer home reading environments (more regular shared reading, better access to books) show stronger activation of brain regions associated with narrative comprehension and mental imagery — even when controlling for household income.
Link: PMC

3. “Shared reading boosts early brain development” – policy & summary article
Summary: A September 2024 article summarizing the updated policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending shared reading beginning in infancy, emphasizing links to language, literacy, and socio-emotional development.
Link: Neuroscience News

4. “Reading for pleasure early in childhood linked to better cognitive performance and mental wellbeing in adolescence”
Summary: A 2021/2022 longitudinal study of over 10,000 U.S. adolescents found that children who began reading for pleasure early in life performed better on cognitive tests and reported better mental-health outcomes in adolescence. Although it covers a slightly older age range than your 0-3 focus, it supports the long-term value of early reading habits.
Link: Cambridge University Research

5. “Read Early and Often” – a practitioner-friendly resource by ZERO TO THREE
Summary: This resource emphasizes that the neural roots for language are developing even before infants can talk, and that shared reading from early months helps build vocabulary, language foundations, and positive attitudes toward books.
Link: ZERO TO THREE

6. “Removing the guesswork: reading aloud to infants and toddlers helps build language and thinking skills” – Head Start publication
Summary: An 8-month-old (2024) guide that summarizes how reading aloud with children, even before they speak, supports brain connections, listening and memory skills, and future reading readiness.
Link: HeadStart.gov

7. Review: Brain dynamics of typical and atypical reading development
Summary: A 2020 review article summarizing longitudinal neuroimaging research on how reading ability develops in the brain — useful background evidence for how early reading scaffolds later literacy.
Link: Nature Partners