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6 Free Reading Resources for Children With Print Disabilities

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Child Reading
Accessible digital books, audiobooks, and read-aloud tools help children with print disabilities enjoy stories, improve literacy skills, and build confidence in reading. (Pexels).

Every child deserves the chance to experience the joy of reading, yet millions of children with print disabilities face barriers that make traditional books difficult or impossible to access. A print disability can include blindness, low vision, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, or other physical conditions that make holding or reading printed text challenging. Fortunately, technology and nonprofit organizations have made accessible reading easier than ever through high-quality, free digital resources. If you’re looking for free reading resources for children with print disabilities, these six options can help build literacy, confidence, and a lifelong love of books.

1. Bookshare Opens the Door to More Than One Million Accessible Books

Bookshare is one of the most comprehensive resources available for children with print disabilities. Eligible U.S. students can access more than 1.4 million ebooks, textbooks, and children’s titles at no cost, with features like synchronized text highlighting, audio narration, adjustable fonts, and digital braille support. A child with dyslexia can listen while following highlighted text, improving decoding and comprehension over time. Parents appreciate that books can be read on computers, tablets, smartphones, and compatible assistive devices. For qualifying students, it remains one of the best free reading resources for children with print disabilities.

2. Unite for Literacy Makes Reading Accessible for Early Learners

Unite for Literacy offers hundreds of free digital picture books for young readers. The books include colorful photographs, simple language, and narration in more than 50 languages. Families can begin reading immediately without creating an account or downloading software. Children who struggle with printed text often enjoy listening while viewing engaging images. This combination helps build vocabulary and encourages independent reading.

3. Tar Heel Reader Supports Emerging Readers of All Abilities

Tar Heel Reader provides thousands of easy-to-read books designed for beginning readers and individuals with disabilities. Many books include speech output, simple layouts, and predictable sentence patterns that reduce frustration. Teachers and speech-language pathologists regularly use the platform because content can be adapted for different learning needs. Children using augmentative and alternative communication can participate more actively in reading activities. This flexibility makes Tar Heel Reader one of the most practical free reading resources for children with print disabilities.

4. Storyline Online Brings Books to Life Through Read-Aloud Videos

Storyline Online features popular children’s books read aloud by well-known actors while illustrations are displayed on screen. Listening to fluent reading helps improve vocabulary, pronunciation, and comprehension. Parents can pause videos to ask questions and discuss the story together. Although it is not designed exclusively for children with disabilities, it works well alongside assistive technology. It is an excellent supplement to other accessible reading tools.

5. International Children’s Digital Library Expands Global Reading Choices

The International Children’s Digital Library offers a diverse collection of free children’s books from around the world. Families can explore stories representing different cultures, languages, and traditions. Many books work well with screen magnifiers and other assistive technologies. Parents may discover stories reflecting their family’s heritage while supporting literacy development. International literature broadens children’s understanding of the world while encouraging reading.

6. Project Gutenberg Offers Timeless Children’s Classics at No Cost

Project Gutenberg provides thousands of public-domain books that can be downloaded in multiple digital formats. Older children using screen readers or text-to-speech software can enjoy classic literature without cost. EPUB and plain-text files can often be customized to meet accessibility needs. Although the library focuses on classic books instead of recent releases, it remains an excellent educational resource. Pairing these titles with accessible reading software creates a personalized reading experience.

Every Child Deserves Access to Great Stories

Finding the right reading tool can transform frustration into confidence for a child with a print disability. Whether your family chooses Bookshare, Unite for Literacy, Tar Heel Reader, or another resource, each platform helps remove barriers to learning. Combining multiple resources often provides the best experience based on your child’s needs and interests. As technology continues to improve, free reading resources for children with print disabilities are becoming even more accessible.

Which of these resources has helped your family the most, or do you have another recommendation? Share your thoughts in the comments and help other parents discover valuable reading tools.

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5 Ways We Inspire a Love of Reading in Our Kids

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Inspire a Love of Learning

As a child, one of my favorite activities was reading. This love of reading and later, writing, helped lead me to major in English in college, become a college English instructor, and learn more about the world than I ever could have without books. Because books enriched my life so heavily, when I had kids, I wanted them to love reading as much as I did. Luckily, most of them do. We inspire a love of reading in our kids using the following methods.

How We Inspire a Love of Reading in Our Kids

To help your kids fall in love with books and reading, you need to immerse them in the reading world.

Read Aloud to Them

From the time our kids were born, we read aloud to them. At first, we started with short board books like Goodnight Moon and The Going to Bed Book. (At this stage, don’t be surprised or annoyed if your child asks you to read the same book over, and over, and over again!) Then we expanded into longer stories until we were reading our kids chapter books when they were in preschool. I continued reading to them all through middle school.

Have a Home Library

To foster a love of reading, surround your kids with books. We always had bookshelves filled with books the kids could look through when they were little and read when they started school.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this. For example, we picked up most of our kids’ books at garage sales for 10 cents or less.

Take Them to Library Activities

The public library is a wonderful resource that we utilize frequently. We started by bringing our kids to the library to pick out their books and to join in on story hour. Because of these early experiences, our kids always associated the library with fun.

Participate in Reading Rewards Programs

In the summer, sign your kids up for reading rewards programs. For example, Pizza Hut has the Book It program. Your public library likely has a reading program, too. Our son was one of the top readers one summer in elementary school, so he got to join the other top readers for a bowling and pizza excursion compliments of the library. He still talks about how much fun that was.

Let Them See You Read

Inspire a Love of Reading

Kids learn best by watching your actions. You can tell them that reading is fun, but if they don’t ever see you reading, you’re not reinforcing that lesson. My kids see me read books and hear me listen to audiobooks in the car. I love to read, and they see me regularly taking time to do so.

Final Thoughts

We inspire a love of reading in our kids, which was one of the best things we could do. Today, they still read for fun and recreation, enjoy learning, and have an exceptional vocabulary.

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Here are 8 of the Best Kids Books On Audible

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best kids books on audibleWe all know reading to a child is paramount to his or her development. In my experience as a mother of two, I’m always on the hunt for fun, new ways to teach my kids. One of our favorite ways is listening to audiobooks. Therefore, I put together my top 10 list of the best kids books on Audible.

There are several benefits from audiobooks that I would like to share with you.

Kids learn to sit still. A byproduct of your children sitting in one place and paying attention to the narration of a book is that they’ll develop a stronger habit of sitting still. Even my two-year-old has shown improvement in his ability to sit quietly when the need arises. This comes in handy when you’re in a public place such as a waiting room or classroom.

Also, audiobooks expand a child’s vocabulary. Children are often introduced to new words in context and with their pronunciation. Often these books promote education, behavior, language, mathematics, etc. It also gives your child a fresh form of media besides a screen.

While reading to your child at bedtime is a vital bonding experience, audio books for kids create another dimension of imagination and education without the addictive side effects of screen time.

Let’s take a look at some great audio books my kids enjoyed over the last few years.

8 Memorable Audio Books for Kids of All Ages

EARLY LEARNERS – 0 to 5 years

1. “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper

Despite its small size, the little engine used the power of positive thinking to conquer a mountain. This lesson is great for every generation of kids and can be enjoyed on audio with the rich tones of Mike Ferreri narrating.

2. “The Peter Rabbit Collection” by Beatrix Potter

This beloved classic exposes your children to the adventures of Peter Rabbit and his woodland friends. On Audible.com, you can now enjoy the entire Peter Rabbit collection for a very low price.

3. “The Cat and the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites” by Dr. Seuss

What was your favorite Dr. Seuss book as a child? Well, now it might be available on Audible for your whole family to listen. These best-sellers have stood the test of time for six decades.

Not to mention, this collection of audible stories is narrated by:

  • Kelsey Grammar
  • John Cleese
  • Dustin Hoffman
  • Billy Crystal
  • And More…

GRADE-SCHOOLERS – 6 to 11 years

4. “The Wizard of Oz” by Frank L. Baum

This classic story is so enjoyable to listen to, due to the dynamic narration performed by award-winning actress, Anne Hathaway. She brings an “all-in” devotion to each character that will capture your kids’ attention (and yours, too!).

5. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling

Why am I putting one of the most popular children’s books on this list? Two words: Jim Dale. Never have you heard an audiobook until you’ve been read to by award-winning voice talent, Jim Dale. Even as an adult, I get a kick out of J.K. Rowling’s great storytelling and Dale’s diverse collection of voices for the memorable characters in Harry’s world.

If you believe your child is old enough for the thematic elements of this book, then give the audiobook a shot.

6. “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers” by Matt Christopher

Do you have a ball player in your family? I don’t know of anyone who wrote better sports books for middle readers than Matt Christopher. I’d finish a story, and feel a strong impulse to grab a ball and glove and speed off to the park.

One of Christopher’s most popular stories, “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers,” is available on audio with a full cast of narrators.

7. “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien

This dramatized audiobook is the narrated telling of Tolkien’s bedtime story about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins. Follow his journey with a whole slew of dwarves as they head toward the Misty Mountain in search of their long-lost treasure – guarded, of course, by a fire-breathing dragon.

8. “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly

This is the true story of the African-American women who helped the United States win the space race. Shetterly’s book became a movie in 2016 and sends an important message to young people that their minds are precious, no matter their color or gender.

Reading is a delight that can last a lifetime. Help your child understand the many layers of literature and the skills he or she will need to get lost in a story and enjoy the endless worlds waiting on the pages.

Bonus Reading: “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Wants to Give Your Child a Free Book Every Month”

Got your own list of best kids books on Audible? We’d love to hear it!

If you’re a stay-at-home mom, make sure you bookmark or pin some of these great resources for later!

A Fun and Economical Way to Get Kids Interested in Reading: Comic Books

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Batman Brave and Bold 21Yes, I am indeed a comic book geek but I am a proud geek at that.  As a parent, I think we all hope that our children will come to enjoy the same things that we enjoy.  To have a son or daughter you can share your hobby with is a fantasy most parents have, whether that hobby is sports, a favorite team, movies, music or in my case, comic books.  I grew up with comic books, they have fueled my passion for reading and have kept my imagination active.

Instilling a Love of Reading

We try very hard to instill a love of reading into our children.  Every night when we put them to bed, we read them 1 – 2 books each and we encourage them to spend time with their books on their own.  They are always getting new books on their birthdays and Christmas, from friends and relatives whose children have outgrown their books, from the library and from Goodwill when we can spare a couple of bucks.  They love it and I hope it continues.

One of the things I started incorporating into their reading just this week is comic books. Comics can be a bit edgy and most are no longer written for kids, they are written for adults. The content of comics, and even Japanese manga series like onee-chan wa game o suruto hito ga kawaru onee-chan, is typically too mature for young kids. However, there are a few publishers that make comic books specifically for children. DC Comics puts out a few featuring their stable of heroes as does BOOM (who bought the rights to make Disney comic books). Both are putting out quality books every month for younger audiences.
Both of my kids know who Batman is and both like him so for our first month I got them Batman Brave and the Bold from DC Comics.  So far, they have requested that comic as one of their nightly books every night this week.  It’s been really nice to see their excitement and interest.  They are still a little young for it but they love it nonetheless.

Comic Books Can Be Educational

I believe comic books can be an educational experience for children and an economical choice for parents.  On average, comics cost $2.99 each.  That is actually a bit steep when you are an adult and you are getting 20 – 30 titles each month.  As adult collectors, we buy them, read them and then generally stick them in a back with a backer board and save them as part of our collection.  Children get significantly more use out of them.  They aren’t concerned with saving them forever now are they worried about keeping them in good condition.  Even though they can’t read them yet, they pour through them and look at the pictures, they come up with their own stories and they exercise their imagination.  It gives them exposure to a new art form that they may not have ever experienced before.  It helps them develop their imagination and most important of all, it is a fun activity for Daddy to share with his boys.

If you don’t have a comic book shop near you, there are plenty of online comic book stores. When I was buying comic books for myself every month I used to use Discount Comic Book Service, now I just go and get 1 or 2 titles per month at my local comic book store.

What are your thoughts on using comic books as a reading tool?

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