A
Aditi
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
I've always looked for an avenue like this, wherein my children can learn from enthusiastic young students who love a subject and can instill that love in the kids ❤️❤️
9:18 AM
English Reading Classes for Kids in the Netherlands, 1:1 and Online
For children who read English at home or at an international school: a real book in English, talked through with a college mentor, around the school day in the Netherlands.
Character interview
A thoughtful idea
What is Bookstaken?
One child. One mentor. One book at a time.
Loved by Parents, Enjoyed by Kids 💛
across the world
H
Himani
(Nagpur)Mother of 7 years old
Thankyou so much for this report It is so thorough and well drafted Smahi is enjoying her reading session too
2:36 PM
K
Kavita
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
Thanks for such wonderful sessions and hope kids continue it 🤞 specially Oorjit....he get bore very quickly...so I always afraid to admit him for any classes 😄
6:47 PM
A
Aditi
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
I've always looked for an avenue like this, wherein my children can learn from enthusiastic young students who love a subject and can instill that love in the kids ❤️❤️
9:18 AM
H
Himani
(Nagpur)Mother of 7 years old
Thankyou so much for this report It is so thorough and well drafted Smahi is enjoying her reading session too
2:36 PM
K
Kavita
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
Thanks for such wonderful sessions and hope kids continue it 🤞 specially Oorjit....he get bore very quickly...so I always afraid to admit him for any classes 😄
6:47 PM
A
Aditi
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
I've always looked for an avenue like this, wherein my children can learn from enthusiastic young students who love a subject and can instill that love in the kids ❤️❤️
9:18 AM
H
Himani
(Nagpur)Mother of 7 years old
Thankyou so much for this report It is so thorough and well drafted Smahi is enjoying her reading session too
2:36 PM
K
Kavita
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
Thanks for such wonderful sessions and hope kids continue it 🤞 specially Oorjit....he get bore very quickly...so I always afraid to admit him for any classes 😄
6:47 PM
A
Aditi
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
I've always looked for an avenue like this, wherein my children can learn from enthusiastic young students who love a subject and can instill that love in the kids ❤️❤️
9:18 AM
H
Himani
(Nagpur)Mother of 7 years old
Thankyou so much for this report It is so thorough and well drafted Smahi is enjoying her reading session too
2:36 PM
K
Kavita
(Nagpur)Mother of 10 years old
Thanks for such wonderful sessions and hope kids continue it 🤞 specially Oorjit....he get bore very quickly...so I always afraid to admit him for any classes 😄
6:47 PM
Why families abroad choose Bookstaken
Four things that matter when you live far from home.
your time
Your time zone
Pick a time that suits your family's week. Every time you see is in your own time zone.$20
a session
Your currency
You see and pay in your own currency: $20 a session.Someone from home
A college student from India, like an older cousin, reading with your child every session.Their mother tongue, too
Our free book hunt finds stories in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and many more Indian languages.
English at school in the Netherlands
At school
English is compulsory in the last two years of Dutch primary school, groep 7 and 8. About a third of schools start earlier, some from groep 1.
With Bookstaken
However early it starts, school English is a few lessons a week. Bookstaken adds whole books, read in English and talked through.
Source: Government of the Netherlands; letter to parliament on early foreign language teaching (vvto).
Dutch stories, in English
By writers from the Netherlands, and all in English.
The Letter for the King
Tonke Dragt
Ages 8–12
A young knight-to-be carries a secret letter across a dangerous kingdom.
Lampie
Annet Schaap
Ages 9+
A lighthouse keeper's daughter, a monster in the admiral's house, and a sea of secrets.
The King of the Copper Mountains
Paul Biegel
Ages 7–11
An ancient king is fading, and each night an animal arrives with a story to keep his heart beating.
Ages from Pushkin Children's Books, Five Books.
Where to find English books in the Netherlands
Your child reads their own copy of every book.
The American Book Center
Amsterdam and The Hague
A children's floor
Scheltema
Amsterdam
English children's books
Boekhandel Van Rossum
Amsterdam
English children's books
School breaks in the Netherlands
Schools can differ, so check your child's calendar.
Christmas holidays
Two weeks over Christmas
Summer holidays
Six weeks in July and August
Summer dates vary by region.
A tutor in the Netherlands, or Bookstaken
A private English tutor
€25–45
an hour, usually
Bookstaken
€18
a 60-minute 1:1 session, from €15 on longer plans
Families in the Netherlands pay in euros. Local rate: Expert-Zoom, English tutoring at home in the Netherlands, 2026.
What happens in every session
60 minutes, 1:1, on Google Meet.
- Stop 1Ice-breakingA riddle or a quick chat to settle in.
- Stop 2Book discussionIllustrated slides on what they read, talked through together.
- Stop 3ReviewTheir verdict on the book so far.
- Stop 4WritingTheir own story, chapter by chapter.
- Stop 5ClosureA recap to end on, and your report on WhatsApp.
See a sample book conversation
Here is a made-up scene to show the kinds of questions a mentor can ask. In a session, the conversation follows your child's book and their answers.
Leela found a red umbrella on the bus. It had stopped raining, and her stop was next. She stayed in her seat, watching the door for someone to come back.
Retell: What did Leela find, and what did she do next?
Look for clues: Why might Leela have waited? Which detail in the scene makes you think that?
Give an opinion: Would you have made the same choice? Tell me why.
Imagine: What if nobody came back? How would you continue the story?
The aim is to hear their thinking and help them explain it. These are example prompts, not a test or a fixed script.
Kids say "Fine." Our reports say the rest.
After every session you get a report: what they read, what they talked about, and how they're growing.
9:41
Aarav's session report
Week 8 · The Jungle Book
Speaking time
AaravRiya
52%
48%
A note from Riya
Aarav came in bursting with questions about Mowgli leaving the jungle. He argued Bagheera was the real hero, and backed it up with two moments from the book. He's reading with his head and his heart now.
Session snapshot
91%Engagement+4%
86%Vocabulary+3%
90%Understanding+5%
84%Fluency+3%
Session timeline
AaravRiya
0 min60 min
0–15 min
Jungle riddles
15–45 min
Who's the real hero?
45–60 min
A new last page
Illustrative report: the names, book and figures are examples. Your child's report reflects their own session.
A note from their mentor
A few warm lines on their best moments.
Their story journal
Every chapter they write, collected in one place.
Sit in on the first session
See how it works before you decide anything.
What it costs
Free
Your first session.
No card needed.
Then, the more you book, the less each costs
- 4sessions— each
- 12sessions— each
- 24sessions— each
Book as many a week as you like, and pause anytime.
Your local prices are loading. Each step shows the average per session when you buy that pack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What times are available in the Netherlands?
Whatever suits your family. Tell us when your child is free, after school, in the evening or at the weekend, and we match a mentor who is free then too. Every time shows in your own time zone.
Q: What language are the sessions in?
English, from start to finish: the book, the talk and your child's own story. It's English your child uses, not just studies.
Q: How does this fit with English at school in the Netherlands?
English is compulsory in the last two years of Dutch primary school, groep 7 and 8. About a third of schools start earlier, some from groep 1. However early it starts, school English is a few lessons a week. Bookstaken adds whole books, read in English and talked through.
Q: Are there children's books from the Netherlands in English?
Yes. The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt, Lampie by Annet Schaap and The King of the Copper Mountains by Paul Biegel are all in English. Each Bookstaken book is picked for your child's interests and reading level, and your child reads their own copy.
Q: What do we pay in?
Euros: families in the Netherlands see and pay every price in euros.
See all 8 questions
Q: When are the school breaks in the Netherlands?
Christmas holidays: two weeks over Christmas. Summer holidays: six weeks in July and August. Summer dates vary by region. Schools differ, so check your child's calendar. Our free reading plans for the breaks are on the site.
Q: Does my child need to read English already?
Yes. Bookstaken suits children who can already read English. It isn't for learning English from the start.
Q: Is the first session free?
Yes. It's 60 minutes, 1:1, on Google Meet, and no payment details are needed to book it.
Wherever you are, the first session's free.
60 minutes, 1:1, with a mentor matched to your child.
