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 Singapore, 1:1
A college mentor from India, a real book, and your child's own verdict on it, after school on Singapore 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
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 Singapore
At school
Every subject in Singapore schools is taught in English, with a mother tongue, Chinese, Malay or Tamil, as the second language.
With Bookstaken
English is everywhere at school. Bookstaken makes it a pleasure: a whole book picked for your child, and a mentor to talk it through with.
Source: Ministry of Education, Singapore; bilingual policy.
Singapore stories to read together
By writers from Singapore.
Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong
A. J. Low
Ages 9+
Singapore's own boy detective and his robot, Watson, on the case of a missing family treasure.
The Diary of Amos Lee
Adeline Foo
Ages 7–10
Amos keeps a diary of his life in Singapore, and writes it all on the toilet.
Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning
A. J. Low
Ages 7–12
Strange noises at Fort Canning, and a boy detective and his robot who don't believe in ghosts.
Ages from Epigram Books, Global Literature in Libraries Initiative, Ampkids.
Where to find English books in Singapore
Your child reads their own copy of every book.
Kinokuniya
Takashimaya, Orchard Road
Woods in the Books
Singapore
A picture-book specialist
Your public library
Across the island
National Library Board
School breaks in Singapore
Schools can differ, so check your child's calendar.
Year-end holidays
Late November to 31 December
Mid-year holidays
About four weeks in June
International schools follow their own calendar.
An hour with a mentor, for less than a local tutor
What a local tutor usually charges for a primary-age child, next to our price.
What an hour costs in Singapore
Bookstaken
SGD 25
from SGD 21 on longer plans
A local tutor
SGD 25–50
Local tutor rates from Care.com, TheTutor.link, MyPrivateTutor, FamilyTutor, KIS Academics and Tutorlyft, October 2026.
Prices in other countries
UK
Local tutor£20–35 an hourBookstaken£15 a sessionUAE
Local tutorAED 75–200 an hourBookstakenAED 73 a sessionAustralia
Local tutorA$40–120 an hourBookstakenA$30 a sessionCanada
Local tutorCA$30–75 an hourBookstakenCA$28 a sessionUS
Local tutor$23–30 an hourBookstaken$20 a session
Local tutor rates from Care.com, TheTutor.link, MyPrivateTutor, FamilyTutor, KIS Academics and Tutorlyft, October 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 Singapore?
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 English at school in Singapore?
Every subject in Singapore schools is taught in English, with a mother tongue, Chinese, Malay or Tamil, as the second language. English is everywhere at school. Bookstaken makes it a pleasure: a whole book picked for your child, and a mentor to talk it through with.
Q: Which children's books from Singapore are good to read together?
Try Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong by A. J. Low, The Diary of Amos Lee by Adeline Foo and Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning by A. J. Low. 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?
Singapore dollars: families in Singapore see and pay every price in Singapore dollars.
See all 7 questions
Q: When are the school breaks in Singapore?
Year-end holidays: late November to 31 December. Mid-year holidays: about four weeks in June. International schools follow their own calendar. 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.
