Parents and carers

We know it can be daunting and stressful when reading is a challenge, and there can be many reasons why a child might struggle. We’re here to help. We offer lots of support for children and their families, from book recommendations to themed lists, videos and free guides.

How do I choose the right books for my child?

Our books feature a mix of approaches:

Hi lo (high interest, low ability), meaning that the content is appropriate to the age of the reader but the text is edited to suit a lower reading age.

Reading ages (RAs), which range from 6 to 9 and interest ages (IAs) from 5+ to teen. When you view any title on our website you will find the RA and IA listed.

You can download sample pages for our different RA/IA combinations to try with your child before you buy.

If you don’t know your child’s reading age, ask them to look at the samples and cover any words they can’t read with a finger. If they cover more than five words per page, assume it is too difficult for them right now.

View reading age samples