Top Pick

Elementary School Reading Apps and Websites

Get kids reading early by helping them explore their passions to build literacy skills. Whether they're analyzing leveled news stories, finding books online and connecting to other readers, or taking assessments and monitoring their growth, students will be developing much-needed skills for comprehension and fluency. These top apps and websites offer content perfectly tuned to what elementary school-age students need so they can develop into expert readers with a love of the written word.

Explore Current Events

Smithsonian: TweenTribune Visit Website: http://www.tweentribune.com
Trustworthy tween news site has cool classroom component
Grades K-12
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
News-O-Matic for School, 2016-17 Nonfiction Reading Publisher: Press4Kids
Flexible, interactive daily stories for elementary school students
Grades 2-5
Type App
Price $6.99
Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
News-2-You Publisher: AssistiveWare
Draw kids into weekly news with powerful symbols and voice narration
Grades 2-6
Type App
Price Free to Try, Paid
Platforms iPad
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 5
Newsela Visit Website: https://newsela.com/
Absorbing daily news stories offer kids just-right learning content
Grades 2-12
Type Website
Price Free, Paid
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating 4

Find and Connect with Other Readers

Reading Rainbow Skybrary Family Publisher: Reading Rainbow
Kids can "go anywhere, be anything" with vast book and video library
Grades K-4
Type App
Price Free to Try, Paid
Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating 4
Bookopolis Visit Website: http://bookopolis.com/
Cute social network lets kids log books and connect with other readers
Grades 1-8
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
BiblioNasium Visit Website: http://www.biblionasium.com
Site for reviewing and sharing books makes reading a social adventure
Grades 2-6
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 3
Harry Potter Reading Club Visit Website: http://hpread.scholastic.com
The fun and fantasy of Harry's world plus literary discussion
Grades 3-7
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
LitPick Visit Website: http://www.litpick.com
Tweens' reviews of YA literature great for classroom use
Grades 5-12
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4

Target Reading Comprehension

Brainzy Visit Website: http://www.education.com/games/info/
Handy, engaging early reading and math topics in fun, inviting package
Grades Pre-K-1
Type Website
Price Free, Free to Try, Paid
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating Not Yet Rated
Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Classroom Edition Publisher: Hooked on Phonics
Research-based curriculum adapts beautifully to fun, easy-to-use app
Grades Pre-K-1
Type App
Price $49.99
Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating Not Yet Rated
Raz-Kids Visit Website: http://www.raz-kids.com/
Solid choice for leveled readings and progress-tracking
Grades K-3
Type Website
Price Free to Try, Paid
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
Epic! - Unlimited Books for Kids Publisher: Epic! Creations
Free, expansive digital library unlocks treasure trove of books
Grades K-6
Type App
Price Free, Free to Try
Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire, Fire phone
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating 4
ReadWorks Visit Website: http://www.readworks.org/
An ELA teacher's one-stop shop for reading-comprehension resources
Grades K-8
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
ReadWorks Digital Visit Website: http://digital.readworks.org
Research-based site makes it easy to assign, differentiate readings
Grades K-12
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 5
FluencyFinder Publisher: Lantz, Glass and Gaskins, LLC
Tool lets teachers save time, track data while testing reading fluency
Grades 1-8
Type App
Price $6.99
Platforms iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
LightSail Publisher: LightSail Inc.
Robust, responsive reading tool measures meaningful literacy outcomes
Grades 1-12
Type App
Price By subscription
Platforms Android, iPad, Chrome
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating 4
Accelerated Reader 360 Visit Website: http://www.renaissance.com/products/accelerated-reader
Boundless, flexible tools promote instructional, independent reading
Grades 3-12
Type Website
Price Contact for pricing
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 3
Rewordify Visit Website: http://www.rewordify.com
Text-leveling tool gives every student access to complex readings
Grades 3-12
Type Website
Price Free
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
StudySync Visit Website: http://www.studysync.com/
Superb ELA resource spurs critical thinking with dynamic multimedia
Grades 3-12
Type Website
Price Free to Try, Paid
Common Sense Rating 5
Teacher Rating 5
ThinkCERCA Visit Website: http://www.thinkcerca.com
Critical-reading program buoyed by high-interest texts, clear structure
Grades 4-12
Type Website
Price Free, Paid
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 4
iTooch 6th Grade Language Arts Publisher: eduPad Inc.
Quality lessons, challenging quizzes help kids learn core concepts
Grades 5-8
Type App
Price Free to Try, Paid
Platforms Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apps for Windows
Common Sense Rating 4
Teacher Rating 3