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This paper examines the relationships among the quality and quantity of parent-child shared book reading (SBR) engagements and children's reading and mathematics outcomes in preschool. Additionally, we explore how child and family characteristics predict the quality and quantity of SBR. Quantity was measured using parental reports of the frequency of SBR. Quality was measured by observational protocols evaluating for questioning, vocabulary, and discussion depth. A structural equation model was estimated using data from a nationally representative sample of 700 children living in the United States from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth cohort. Results indicated that the quality of book reading was associated with children's mathematics outcomes, and the quantity was associated with reading outcomes controlling for contextual variables. Socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity, and children's age predicted the quality and quantity of book reading experiences. These findings indicate that frequent exposure to high-quality book reading may positively impact children's mathematics and reading development, but that variation in SBR exists. SBR is a common practice among many parents; helping parents understand the multiple benefits of the practice may further increase the frequency and quality of the engagement. Implications for research and practice are addressed. Highlights This paper describes the relationship between parental book reading practices, mathematics, and reading outcomes., Structural equation models reveal relationships between the quantity of book reading and children's reading outcomes, as well as the quality of book reading and children's mathematics outcomes., High-quality book reading may positively impact academic achievement in multiple domains, but results may vary based on contextual factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conceptualized father involvement as a multidimensional construct-including warmth, control/discipline and home learning stimulation-and examined associations among father involvement across toddlerhood and their sons' cognitive and social emotional development in preschool. Analyses also tested whether these associations were moderated by ethnicity and poverty status. A total of 4240 young boys were included in the study (20% African American, 26% Hispanic and 54% Caucasian). Results showed that paternal warmth and home learning stimulation (at 24-months) positively predicted cognitive and social emotional skills across all three racial groups (at 48-months/preschool). Furthermore, tests of moderation by ethnicity revealed that paternal control/discipline was related to fewer problem behaviors, higher engagement scores, and more advanced math skills only among boys who were African American. Finally, tests of moderation by poverty status showed that paternal warmth had a stronger association with boys' reading skills when they lived above the poverty line. These findings emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive models of child development that examine the influence of fathers from a dyadic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]