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
An Online Reading Tutor from India, for Kids Anywhere in the World
Live 1:1 sessions for kids 6–14 with a college mentor from India. They read, talk it through and write their own stories. Booked in your time zone.
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.
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.
Less than a local tutor
What an hour costs in the US
Bookstaken
$20
from $17 on longer plans
A local tutor
$23–30
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 sessionSingapore
Local tutorSGD 25–50 an hourBookstakenSGD 25 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: Which countries do you teach in?
Families in the US, UK, UAE, Singapore, Australia, Canada and elsewhere join online. Any country is welcome.
Q: How do session times work across time zones?
You book in your own time zone, and the times you see are already converted. Sessions are on Google Meet.
Q: Which currency do I pay in?
You see and pay in your local currency: pounds, dirhams, Singapore, Australian or Canadian dollars, euros, or US dollars elsewhere.
Q: Do the mentors speak fluent English?
Yes. Our mentors are college students from DU, the IITs, NITs, SRCC and more. We screen applications, conduct interviews and provide training before assigning a mentor to a child.
Q: Does it follow the US, UK or IB curriculum?
No. It isn't tied to a syllabus. Your child reads a real book picked for their interests and level, which fits alongside any school.
See all 9 questions
Q: How does my child get the book?
Your child reads their own physical copy, not a screen. We share the book in advance, so you can buy it locally or order it online.
Q: Can my child read in our home language too?
Sessions are in English. Our free book hunt also finds stories in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and many more Indian languages, for reading at home.
Q: How much does it cost?
Your first 60-minute, 1:1 Bookstaken session is free, with no payment details needed to book it. Paid prices depend on your family's billing country and the session pack you choose. The Pricing page shows your currency, the full pack price and the average price per session. Paid sessions have no expiry.
The Pricing page shows the available packs in your billing currency.
See your plansQ: How much does it cost in my country?
UK: £15 a 60-minute session (from £13 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges £20–35 an hour. UAE: AED 73 a 60-minute session (from AED 61 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges AED 75–200 an hour. Australia: A$30 a 60-minute session (from A$24 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges A$40–120 an hour. Canada: CA$28 a 60-minute session (from CA$24 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges CA$30–75 an hour. US: $20 a 60-minute session (from $17 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges $23–30 an hour. Singapore: SGD 25 a 60-minute session (from SGD 21 on longer plans); a local tutor usually charges SGD 25–50 an hour.
Wherever you are, the first session's free.
60 minutes, 1:1, with a mentor matched to your child.
