Helping little ones learn to read, one book at a time.
We've helped over 20,000 parents teach their children to read with phonics books, progress charts, and activities through the letterbox.
A few words from our happy parents
See why families love Reading Chest
"The service is fast and efficient and our daughter really enjoyed having a variety of books to choose from (whereas at school she could only choose one at a time, and often ended up with books she wasn't that interested in)."
Vicki Lonnon
"I have used Reading Chest for over four years and am an extremely happy customer. It's been an excellent resource, good book selection and faultless customer service. I highly recommend it."
Claire Wise
"Thank you so much for the service that you provide. Reading Chest has been an extremely important resource in their reading progress. Both of my children are now working at greater depth in reading and are reading books above their school year group!"
Amy Broughton
"The moment I walked in to find both kids (in different years) curled up with their latest Reading Chest book, reading it just for fun, is a memory I'll keep forever."
Laura Alcock-Ferguson
"Reading Chest has been great to encourage regular reading. The books are all in very good condition and we have enjoyed the sticker charts!"
Karen Wagner
"The variety of books were great, he loved receiving his new books and the activity pack encouraged him to keep on reading through the holidays. To top it off, he moved up a reading level when he started back at school thanks to the Reading Chest!"
Claire Ridgers
"Reading Chest has been a lifeline to me and to my children. It gave my son, who is dyslexic, a confidence in his reading and consequently a love in reading. My daughter tore though the books and was always delighted to see a new envelope arrive in the post."
Olive McCluggage
"As a primary school teacher with a young daughter I was keen to encourage a love of reading. The variety and 'freshness' of Reading Chest books has really helped with this – my 5 year old often has to be told to stop reading so that we can do other things!"
Hayley S
"Excellent service over the last three years. Your service has been invaluable in getting my son's reading to progress. Congratulations Reading Chest team, you do a fabulous job!"
Laetitia
How does it work?
The easiest way to keep your child surrounded by books they actually want to read.
Choose your package
Choose a reading package that best suits your child, then pick the level and type of books you’d like (or let us do it for you!)
Free letterbox delivery
Your books arrive straight through your door — carefully chosen, levelled, and packed with a few helpful extras to keep reading fun.
Return & repeat
Pop your finished books back in the pre-paid envelope, then we’ll send fresh ones to keep your child’s reading journey progressing.
No long-term committment. Pause or cancel any time!
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Our reading guides and advice
Explore our latest in-depth guides and insights on phonics and reading
Helping children learn to read
Helping your child learn to read doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. With a few simple tweaks to your routine, you can turn everyday moments into real confidence-boosters (all without turning your home into a classroom!)
You'll learn:
- • How to make reading feel calm, positive and part of everyday life
- • Simple ways to keep your child engaged, even on the trickiest days
- • How to support your child’s reading journey with confidence
What is phonics?
If terms like phonemes and digraphs sound confusing, you're not alone! Once you get the basics, it's easy to support your child as they learn the sounds that form the building blocks of reading.
You'll learn:
- • The essentials of phonics and how it actually works
- • What key terms like phoneme, digraph and blending really mean
- • Simple ways to help your child master sounds and start building words
Tips on choosing books
Not sure which books will actually click with your child? You’re definitely not alone. With a few simple pointers, you can find stories that feel exciting, achievable, and perfectly pitched — without the guesswork.
You'll learn:
- • How to pick books that fit your child’s reading level and their interests
- • The tell-tale signs a book is too easy, too tricky, or spot-on
- • Easy ways to keep your child motivated and keen to turn the next page
Book bands
Book bands can be pretty complicated! We'll explain how they work, and help you figure out exactly where your child should start.
You'll learn:
- • How the UK book band system works and what each level means
- • Ways to figure out which band matches your child’s reading level
- • How to use book bands to choose books that build confidence, not frustration
Christmas & advent reading traditions to make the season magical
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Bright ideas for bonfire night: spark imagination through reading
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Spooky stories and reading fun this halloween
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World Teachers’ Day: thanking the teachers who spark a love of reading
Read moreWe've been huge fans of Reading Chest for years. The moment I walked in to find both kids curled up with their latest Reading Chest book, reading just for fun, is a memory I'll keep forever.
Reading Chest helped my kids grow a love of reading and books. I cannot recommend them highly enough if you want to help your children learn to read, and learn to love reading.
— Laura Alcock-Ferguson, Verified Customer