E75|Quality of Preschool Read Alouds on YouTube with Dr. Amanda Shimizu

Posted On June 22, 2026

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In this episode, Jake sits down with Dr. Amanda Shimizu to discuss her research paper, A Multimodal Content Analysis of Popular Early Childhood Stories and Read-Alouds on YouTube, co-authored with Dr. Margaret Quinn. Together they analyzed the 50 most popular preschool read-aloud videos on YouTube over a one-year period, examining both video design and instructional quality.

Reference:

Shimizu, A. Y., & Quinn, M. F. (2026). A multimodal content analysis of popular early childhood stories and read-alouds on YouTube. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 14687984261442422. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687984261442422

List of 50 analyzed YouTube videos:

TitleCreator/ChannelLink
No, DavidToadstools and Fairydusthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFcMDiDZbws
This is My Happy FaceSuper simple storieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXMMING5_h4
Inside Out 2Art in minuteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p4nVK4Ua5k
My No, No, No DayStorytime with ryan & craighttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-gWhnvdgQ
The Most Serious FartStory Time at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoKTjdAJFxo
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a WormMrs. K’s Bookworm adventureshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmU8RSguPLI
Don’t Let the Pigeon Eat ChocolateMommy and Sam Storytime anytimehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwxUgkMIc74
I Am Not AngryReading Rockethttps://youtube.com/watch?v=_QOw52OzJuk
The GruffaloReading ishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhhUE1qe3GA
Swim SchoolBluey Official Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtU1CHprtu8
Who Pooped on MeStory Time at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txSsFiVA0tY
If You Think There’s Nothing To DoLittle Cozy Nookhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taZIYvYOqcU
So Much SlimeKid Time Story Timehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIkgQFhqIgI
Eat Your PeasGigi’s Magic Mailbox[link unavailable]
Be Respectful and ListenSleeptime Music and storieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG3arGjg0Hk
The BeachBluey Official Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKzmUpkTvS0
Hey, That’s My MonsterKid Time Story Timehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc71w9J86yg
Green Eggs and HamDr. Seusshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Kksn76jZk
Too Much GlueKid Time Story Timehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_QF0VGakx8
What If You Had Animal Teeth?Miss B LIVE!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_QF0VGakx8
How to Give your Cat a BathBri Readshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86bjHWalRlA
Food FightStoryTime PlayTimehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTIVuT_g204
The Cat in the HatDr. Seusshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Irl_oWD6M
Cocomelon JJ and Friends Box of BooksHoots & Taleshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLFUo_l5d0I
Naughty Tim SprocketToadstool and Fairy Dusthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCwJcH9h1BQ
The Good, The Bad, and The SpookyStoryTime at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JI5HB3Pg9w
Dinos Love DonutsStoryTime at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TEBa0EiNg8
Don’t let the Pigeon Eat Your Ice CreamMommy & sam Storytime Anytimehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R7PlM4lUvo
I Am Martin Luther KingStorytime with Ryan & Craighttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5WyidVQLL8
The Wrong BookToadstools and Fairy Dusthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfwqZNlFsfk
Broken Crayons Still ColorReading Robinsonshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJNJjMcf6gI&t=5s
The Snail and the WhaleReading ishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAsZdCtHOc
Pete the Cat Screams for Ice CreamPink Thumb Learning Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdzB3rxiyVE
Flat CatKidTimeStoryTimehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1s-N2b9QgI
Pete the Cat Falling for Autumn5 Minutes with Uncle Benhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuHjjHDB1eM
Llama Llama Misses MamaReading ishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9j0UjLc0E&t=181s
Blue Betsy: Little Blue CowLittle Moonbeamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em2wnQ8qd0I&t=179s
The Way I FeelReading ishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1mxBUXZdqY&t=13s
There Was A Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some SnowStoryTime at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buGDbGjcP-4
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a BatSToryTime at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvMVTjHxiyE
The Very impatient CaterpillarStoryTime at Awnie’s Househttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT-F-dxAUQE
TootHoots and Taleshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fAS_TdIi6E
Tooth5 Minutes with Uncle Ben [link unavailable]
This Book is a MistakeToadstools and Fairy Dusthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04I4u-QyGlo
The Great Turkey RaceRead Aloud with Mr. Paulhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjxJ7JRmN-g
The HiccupotamusVookshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EouPRqmomk0
The Grouchy LadybugMoving Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x31rwpCMlM
Don’t Trust CatsFat Cat Bookshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T817NASjDo
My New Friend is So Fun!Storytime Read Aloudshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LLsAsXHYZw&t=15s
Ms. SBriReadshttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/IXlbD0Jbs-U


Discussion Overview
3:37 — YouTube stats & young children’s screen time
5:28 — Promises & perils of YouTube as an educational platform
7:01 — The 50 most popular channels & creator types
11:04 — What makes a high-quality read-aloud?
13:22 — Video design features (music, animations, props)
17:35 — The “disembodied reader” problem
23:02 — Instructional features: before, during & after reading
28:40 — The 2×2 matrix: production vs. instructional quality
38:10 — Recommendations for YouTube creators
40:58 — Follow-up research coming
43:51 — Jake’s Take

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