A mixed-methods study on thematic coverage, content quality, and parental perceptions of preschool digital picture book apps

This study investigates the current state of digital reading applications for young children in the Chinese market by analyzing eight of the most widely used apps across three key dimensions: thematic coverage, content quality, and parental perceptions. Thematic categories within these apps were found to be diverse but lacked a unified classification framework. Most digital picture book apps emphasized perceptual features such as visual supports, sound effects, and labeling, which primarily served to enhance attention and multimodal engagement. In contrast, pedagogically oriented features—such as definitions, demonstrations, and invitations to participate—were relatively rare, suggesting limited support for deeper learning and meaningful interaction. While parents generally acknowledged the developmental benefits of digital reading, they also expressed concerns about screen time and its potential impact on children's eye health. Overall, current digital reading apps exhibit considerable potential but require further development in educational scaffolding and content depth tailored to early childhood learning.