Decodable Books vs. Leveled Readers: Why the Difference Matters for Your Beginning Reader

You walk into the library, excited to find books for your kindergartener who’s just starting to read. The children’s section offers hundreds of brightly colored early readers. They all look educational. They’re all labeled for beginning readers. So you grab a stack, head home, and settle in for reading time. But ten minutes later, your […]

Twice-Exceptional Readers: Gifted with Learning Differences

Your child demonstrates remarkable creativity and advanced thinking skills, yet struggles with basic reading tasks. They can discuss complex topics with sophisticated vocabulary but stumble over simple words on a page.  If this sounds familiar, you might be parenting a twice-exceptional reader—a child who is both intellectually gifted and has a learning difference. Understanding this […]

Newbery Medal 2025: This Year’s Outstanding Children’s Books

Imagine opening a book and discovering that reading can transport you not just to different places, but to different times entirely. This year’s Newbery Medal winner does exactly that, proving once again that the finest children’s literature combines compelling storytelling with profound themes that resonate across generations. The American Library Association’s announcement of the 2025 […]

Reading Expectations: What Should Your Child Read When?

Your neighbor’s four-year-old is reading chapter books while your child is still working on letter sounds. Your friend’s six-year-old devours novels while your little one prefers picture books. Sound familiar? Take a deep breath—every child’s reading path looks different, and that’s perfectly normal. The Truth About Reading Timelines Here’s what every parent needs to know: […]

Vocabulary Gaps: How to Build Your Child’s Word Bank for Reading Success

Your five-year-old can perfectly sound out “s-a-d” in their early reader book, but looks puzzled when the next page uses “gloomy” instead. They breeze through phonics worksheets but stumble when books use words like “furious” instead of “mad” or “enormous” instead of “big.” Welcome to the vocabulary gap—the hidden reading roadblock that trips up countless […]