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
Online Reading Classes for Kids in New Zealand, 1:1
Your child reads a real book, then talks it through with a college mentor, after school or at weekends, on New Zealand time.
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
Is a reading tutor right for your child?
Sound like your child? Here's what changes.
“Can read, but avoids books”
A book picked for what they already love.
“Reads the words but misses the meaning”
They talk it through, so the meaning sticks.
“Starts books and doesn't finish them”
A book picked for them, at a pace they can keep up with.
“Loves reading and wants someone to talk books with”
A mentor to talk every chapter through with.
Look elsewhere if your child is still learning letter sounds (phonics), needs specialist dyslexia support or needs exam or grammar prep.
Reading at school in New Zealand
At school
Since 2025, New Zealand schools have taught reading through structured literacy in years 0 to 3: sounds, letters and words, step by step.
With Bookstaken
That builds the decoding. Bookstaken adds the other half: a whole book, talked through, and your child's own verdict on it.
Source: New Zealand Ministry of Education, structured literacy approaches, 2025.
New Zealand writers to read together
By writers from New Zealand.
Snake and Lizard
Joy Cowley
Ages 6+
Two friends who could not be more different, in short, funny chapters.
Age & content guide →
The Great Piratical Rumbustification
Margaret Mahy
Ages 4–9
A pirate party, a babysitter and a house that gets very noisy.
Age & content guide →
The ACB with Honora Lee
Kate De Goldi
Ages 10+
Perry and her grandmother make an alphabet book of the rest home.
Age & content guide →
Ages from Gecko Press, David R. Godine, Tundra Books.
Where to find English books in New Zealand
Your child reads their own copy of every book.
Unity Books
Auckland and Wellington
Your public library
Every town
Free to join for children
School breaks in New Zealand
Schools can differ, so check your child's calendar.
Summer holidays
Mid-December to early February
A tutor in New Zealand, or Bookstaken
A private English tutor
NZ$30–60
an hour, usually
Bookstaken
$20
a 60-minute 1:1 session, from $17 on longer plans
Families in New Zealand pay in US dollars. Local rate: Superprof New Zealand, English tutors, 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 New Zealand?
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.
Q: How does this fit with reading at school in New Zealand?
Since 2025, New Zealand schools have taught reading through structured literacy in years 0 to 3: sounds, letters and words, step by step. That builds the decoding. Bookstaken adds the other half: a whole book, talked through, and your child's own verdict on it.
Q: Which children's books from New Zealand are good to read together?
Try Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley, The Great Piratical Rumbustification by Margaret Mahy and The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate De Goldi. 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?
US dollars: families in New Zealand see and pay every price in US dollars.
See all 7 questions
Q: When are the school breaks in New Zealand?
Summer holidays: mid-December to early February. Schools differ, so check your child's calendar. Our free reading plans for the breaks are on the site.
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.
