In the heart of a family’s living room, where books and stories reign supreme, a mother of six sits surrounded by her children, reading aloud a tale that has drawn them all in. It’s a scene that could take place in any home, but for Jessica, reading to her children isn’t just a nightly ritual—it’s an intentional act of love and protection. Her journey into the world of book screening didn’t start with a business plan or a desire to build an app. It started with a moment of surprise and discomfort, the kind of moment that can catch any parent off guard.
Jessica had always been an avid reader. As a young girl growing up in southern California, she would climb high into the family’s Chinese Plum tree, a book in hand, escaping into its pages. Lost in stories, she would forget everything around her—until one of her parents would call, “Hey worm, come down, it’s time for dinner.” Her nickname, “Worm,” or the slightly more elaborate “Wormaletti,” was a testament to her bookish nature.
Years later, as a mother, her love for reading naturally translated into nightly storytime with her own children. But one evening she found herself reading aloud from a book recommended by a trusted blogger, only to stumble upon an unexpected and inappropriate reference. Unlike moments before when she could skillfully replace the occasional bad word with something less offensive, this passage left no room for glossing over. Caught off guard, she stopped the reading abruptly, leaving her children puzzled and insistent on knowing what had caused her discomfort.
That moment became a turning point. Determined never to be blindsided again, Jessica made a promise to herself and her family: she would pre-read every single book that entered their home. What began as a simple protective measure turned into a system—a spiral-bound notebook filled with lists of “in” (safe) and “out” (questionable) books. But as her family grew, and their reading materials spanned everything from toddler board books to tween novels, the system became harder to maintain.
Jessica’s relentless determination to improve her process pushed her forward, but it was her husband, a tech entrepreneur, who saw the potential for something more. Jessica laughs, describing him as the type of person who dreams of ways to improve even the experience of sitting in a portable toilet. His practicality and passion for problem-solving sparked the idea for a digital tool. “There’s gotta be a better way,” he said, and with that, the first version of ScreenItFirst was born. While Jessica had been laser-focused on her pre-reading system, her husband saw an opportunity to make it easier for others to share and search for questionable content in children’s books.
What began as a simple catalog of “in” and “out” books for Jessica’s own children quickly grew into something much bigger. Friends, family, and even acquaintances from online homeschooling forums began asking for a way to share their findings, and soon the need for a community-driven platform became clear.
ScreenItFirst bridges the gap between offering valuable insights and empowering parents to make decisions based on their own values by providing objective, crowdsourced snapshots of book content rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all judgment. It’s a place where families can preview direct snapshots from thousands of books and search for over 1.5 million book titles to share snapshots of their own. Instead of telling parents what they should think or how they should react to a book, the app gives them the tools to see for themselves what’s inside—a modern transparency that respects individual judgment.
ScreenItFirst’s mission is simple: provide parents with the information they need to find the right book at the right time to build a healthy mind. By allowing users to preview specific excerpts of potentially concerning material, ScreenItFirst enables parents to evaluate content through the lens of their own beliefs, family values, and concerns. It doesn’t dictate what’s acceptable or unacceptable. Instead, it provides the facts and leaves the decision-making in the hands of the parents, acknowledging that different families have different perspectives.
For Jessica and her family, the platform has been both a blessing and a curse. “It's a little like opening Pandora's box,” she admits. “There are things I’ve read in YA novels that I had never pondered before in my life. I can’t imagine how these types of stories would impact a 13-year-old if a 40-year-old mother of six was rendered physically ill over it.” Beyond the moments of disgust, Jessica is deeply concerned about why such nefarious content exists in children's books. She wonders, What purpose could this serve in poisoning the minds of a generation? And if it’s not intentional, how do so many books make it through layers of editorial review and still end up on school library shelves?
But despite the challenges, the positive impact of ScreenItFirst keeps Jessica going. As her older children have become teens, they’ve even taken on some of the responsibility of pre-reading books for their younger siblings. “They’ve all played a part in building this platform, whether it’s screening books or testing the app’s features,” she says with pride. One of her younger daughters even ran to her with a Dr. Seuss book, asking, “Mommy, did you screen this?” after spotting an illustration of a boy’s bare bottom in the shower.
This sense of family involvement and community participation extends to the broader user base of ScreenItFirst. It’s not just a tool for Jessica’s family, but for all parents seeking to protect their children’s innocence. “We know our humble beginnings have already impacted tens of thousands of parents who have previewed snapshots of books on our site,” Jessica says. “If we can get even 1% of those folks to share a single snapshot of questionable content, we’d turbo our way to the one-million book mark.”
“We’re having a lasting impact,” Jessica says, “and that’s worth every moment of discomfort I’ve experienced.” ScreenItFirst is not just about saving time or avoiding offensive material—it’s about empowering parents to guide their children’s reading journey with confidence.
So, if you spot something, snap it. One picture, one snapshot, can help another parent make a decision that will shape their child’s future. #preserveinnocence
This is her ministry and it’s so so needed. And appreciated