Blog
Notes on reading comprehension, reluctant readers, screen time and the on-device AI behind the app.
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What Actually Belongs on a Kid's Rewards List
11 September 2026
Not every reward holds up the same way. What the research on kids, motivation and rewards says about what to put on the list, and what to leave off.
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Choosing a Book by Comprehension Level, Not Reading Level
9 September 2026
A reading level measures word and sentence difficulty. It says nothing about whether a child already knows enough about the topic to actually follow it.
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Decoding Isn't Reading: What the Simple View Gets Right
4 September 2026
A 1986 reading-science model splits reading into two separate skills. Why it's still the clearest way to work out what a struggling reader actually needs.
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The Two Hours a Week That Stop the Summer Slide
2 September 2026
Reading losses over summer run 10 to 30 percent of a school year's gains. What the research actually shows about what stops it, and what it doesn't.
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Why Your Reluctant Reader Was Handed the Wrong Book
1 September 2026
A child who groans at one book and disappears into another isn't reluctant about reading. What the research says about letting kids choose, and how to run the next pick.
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The Kid Who Reads Every Word and Can't Say What Happened
31 August 2026
Some kids read every word correctly and still can't tell you what happened. Research on this specific profile, how common it is, and what actually helps.
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Does Paying Kids to Read Actually Work?
30 August 2026
An economist paid Dallas second-graders two dollars a book and comprehension went up. What the research actually says, and where it disagrees.