Digital stories are increasingly appearing in classrooms and libraries, not just as “extras” but as an integral part of how today’s students experience reading. They’re interactive, colourful, often beautiful, and sometimes intriguing or haunting. Therefore, it’s important for teacher librarians and teachers to be aware of how to effectively evaluate these evolving text-types. Being visually and digitally appealing does not automatically mean the literature is of high quality or educationally suitable (Dobler, 2013; McGeehan et al., 2018).
So, what should teacher librarians (and teachers) look for when evaluating digital literature? After reading a selection of academic papers on the topic, there were five common criteria that stood out.
Literary merit comes first.
No amount of animation, sound effects or music can make up for rich text. A digital narrative still needs to be well-written with rich vocabulary and age-appropriate (Dobler, 2013; Yokota & Teale, 2014). Literary quality must be at the pinnacle of the evaluation.
Multimodal integration.
Any sound, images, and animation or other digital affordances should work together to enrich the meaning, not just add colour and movement for the sake of it (Serafini, 2010).
Interactivity with purpose.
Swipe, tap, choose-your-own-path — these features can engage readers in new ways by connecting the reader and adding autonomy to the experience. But interactivity should deepen understanding and connection, not distract or feel like a gimmick (Unsworth, 2006; McGeehan et al., 2018).
Usability and accessibility.
One of the real strengths of digital texts is their potential to open doors for diverse learners. Features like adjustable fonts, translations, captions, or read-alouds can make stories more inclusive for students with additional needs or English as an additional language/dialect (CAST, 2018; Walsh, 2013).
Educational and cultural value.
Finally, we need to ask: Does this story connect meaningfully to curriculum outcomes? Does it reflect cultural respect and inclusivity, including authentic First Nations’ perspectives (ACARA, n.d.)? Digital texts, like print texts, need to be both engaging and educationally purposeful.
In short, when evaluating digital stories, it’s not about being dazzled by the technology. Nor is it about gamifying stories to hook students. It’s about finding stories where the digital elements genuinely enhance the narrative, support access, and bring cultural and educational depth. That’s when digital literature becomes a powerful tool for learning and joy.
