Children's reading - Family literacy
The reading problem no one talks about (and a small idea that might help)
One in four UK children doesn't own a book. We built a tool to put personalised stories into more hands.
The reading gap is real (and growing)
According to the National Literacy Trust, roughly one in four children in the UK does not own a book. That figure has been climbing for years, and the pandemic made it worse. Children from lower-income households are hit hardest, but the trend cuts across demographics.
The Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report found that children who read for pleasure outperform their peers by an average of 14.4% across key measures. The OECD's PISA 2022 data tells a similar story: engagement with reading is one of the strongest predictors of academic outcomes, stronger even than household income.
But statistics don't read bedtime stories. Families do. And for a lot of families, the problem isn't motivation -- it's finding something the child actually wants to pick up.
The gap
380,000 children in England don't have a single book at home.
The lever
When a child sees themselves in the story, they keep turning pages.
What if the story had their name in it?
That question is the whole reason CuentosIA exists. We started from a stubborn hunch: reluctant readers haven't found the right book yet. Not the right genre, not the right level -- the right book. One where the main character likes the same things they do, lives in a place they recognise, and faces problems that actually matter to a seven-year-old.
CuentosIA generates personalised stories in seconds. You tell it a child's age, interests, and the kind of adventure they'd enjoy. It writes a complete illustrated tale -- not a Mad Libs template, but a coherent narrative shaped around that specific child. Built by a small team who believe that the fastest way to close a reading gap is to hand a child a story they genuinely can't put down.
How it works (the short version)
You choose interests, age, and tone. A full story is generated in under a minute. You read it together -- and tomorrow, they ask for another one.
What we're building here
This blog is a companion to the tool itself. Practical, no waffle, and written for parents and educators who are short on time but serious about reading.
- Free stories you can read tonight: science, nature, curiosity, and everyday moments turned into short illustrated tales.
- Stories matched to specific interests: space, dinosaurs, football, friendship, bedtime calm-downs -- whatever gets them turning pages.
- Resources for homeschooling families and after-school clubs: reading prompts, discussion starters, and printable activities tied to each story.
- Practical reading tips: routines that work, ways to handle screen-time battles, and ideas for reluctant readers -- tested by real families.
Reading builds on itself. A child who enjoys one story tonight is more likely to ask for another tomorrow. That's the only strategy we need.
Early days, honest progress
We're small, we're learning, and we think that's actually an advantage. There's no venture capital roadmap here, no growth-at-all-costs playbook. Just a team that cares about children's literacy, iterating on a tool that gets a little better every week.
What's ahead: sharper personalisation, age-appropriate reading levels, stories that adapt to a child's developing vocabulary, and more languages. We'll share what's working and what isn't, openly, right here. If something's not good enough yet, we'll say so.
If you'd like to see what it feels like, the best way is simply to try one. Pick a story, read it with your child tonight, and let us know what happened. Every piece of feedback shapes what we build next.
Try a story tonight
Pick one, read it together, and see if they ask for another.