Parents' Guide to Bookopolis

Bookopolis provides a great way for kids to find new books. In fact, they're encouraged to reflect on their current and previous reading, which helps to promote the joy and love of reading for kids between the ages of 7 and 12. What's more, this exploration of reading is conducted in a fun, safe environment. Kids need their parents' email addresses and approval to create an account for the site. That's a good way to keep adult supervision as a key component of the use of this COPPA-compliant site, while providing opportunities for online safety and privacy discussions (and discussions about why they're so important).

Beyond this, Bookopolis lets students create a record of what they've read, and the more they read, the more rewards they'll receive. Writing reviews lets students practice their communication and writing skills in a space where they can concentrate more on their words than on who'll read them. Badges and points may serve as good motivators for reluctant readers, and the charming animated design may keep kids coming back. The site's largest detraction is that it's very much a solo affair; there isn't anything on the site that promotes discussion or collaboration among users, which feels like a missed opportunity for learning. But for parents and young readers eager to embrace the joy of reading, Bookopolis could be a great location to spend some quality online time.