Kids and teacher sitting at a table

“My students were engaged with the stories and looked forward to Excite Reading™ each day. They were exposed to rich vocabulary and asked so many questions because they were truly interested! As a teacher, I appreciated having the most important topics for discussion at my fingertips, saving my precious time to plan other aspects of curriculum. Thank you for the opportunity to experience Excite Reading™!”

— Katie H., Kindergarten teacher, Pooler, GA

Introducing Excite Reading™

Bridge the gap between decoding and reading comprehension with a rich e-library of authentic literature.

Today's students are entering school with more diverse reading readiness and less exposure to words and books. These emerging readers need help beyond decoding, such as vocabulary and background knowledge, to be able to read with true comprehension.

Excite Reading™, a part of the Whole Child Literacy System™, develops vocabulary and background knowledge while putting the whole child at the center of instruction.

This supplemental program for grades PreK-2 addresses diverse reading readiness through

  • a library of rich, engaging e-books
  • themes that explore gardens, insects, music and more
  • carefully designed lessons that holistically build vocabulary and background knowledge
  • activities creating context to deepen comprehension
  • family connections to extend learning at home
  • support for social emotional learning
Teacher showing lessons to kid
Teacher and kid in class working on a tablet

Research shows that skilled reading requires instruction not only in decoding but also in language comprehension–including background knowledge and vocabulary–so children can truly understand what they read.

Excite Reading™ focuses on building comprehension by:

  • Encouraging joy in reading with authentic children’s literature read by human narrators
  • Exploring ideas and building skills with lessons that prompt rich discussion and model best reading practices

Download a sample story and Book Guide and see for yourself.

Download your free story and Book Guide.

Excite Reading™

Build vocabulary and background knowledge to move beyond decoding to reading comprehension

Learn more.

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What the research says

“Planning for repeated readings of a text with rich vocabulary and of related learning activities enriches children's learning across domains and the curriculum. It is also a wonderful strategy for making the most of the reading experience.”
(Kinsner and Parlakian, 2021)

Kid smiling and holding book above head
Engage students with a fun e-library

A mix of classic and contemporary titles draw students into reading with anytime access in school or at home. This collection of charming stories and enticing themes includes human-read narration that helps develop understanding as students explore different worlds.

Make connections across curricula and cultures

Lessons include questions that spark conversations exploring cultures. Peter Rabbit's mother goes to the baker and buys brown bread. What other kinds of bread do families eat--pitas? Naan? Tortillas? Thoughtful questions and engaging activities also cross to other subject areas such as math, social studies, art and more.

Build vocabulary and background knowledge for context and understanding

Corresponding book guides help educators build vocabulary and background knowledge so emerging readers can make sense of each story's world within words. Each theme builds a larger context so students can embark on a higher level of discourse using vocabulary to express questions, answers, and ideas.

Track student progress

Using the teacher portal, educators can assign books to the whole class, small groups, or individual students. They can see at glance what books students have on their shelves and how many have been read.

“Excite Reading™ has changed my instruction by enriching the curriculum with text that has rich vocabulary, engaging topics, thought-provoking questions and beautiful illustrations.”
— Elizabeth M., 2nd grade teacher, Quabbin Regional School District, MA

“I believe that we have been able to have some really meaningful conversations about the social aspects of life that have come up in the stories. I think that these books make the students think more about themselves and how they can make personal connections to the book or think about themselves, having certain feelings that the characters are also having in first grade. It's really important for the students to be able to make those texts-to-self and text-to-world connections that are going to help them in the long run with their reading.”
— Emily E., 1st grade teacher, South Burlington School District, VT

Excite Reading™ Awards and Accolades

2022 Readers Choice Awards by SmartBrief on EdTech

2022 Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence

Excite Reading™ was recognized as a solution that supports innovative, effective teaching and learning.

2022 Readers Choice Awards by SmartBrief on EdTech

2022 Readers Choice Awards By SmartBrief On EdTech

Excite Reading™ was recognized for changing the education landscape for the better through innovative solutions, the latest technology or pioneering problem-solving.