This is the app equivalent of eating your vegetables—not flashy, not trendy, but genuinely good for you. Reading A-Z (now rebranded as Kids A-Z) is a teacher-approved, parent-trusted reading platform that does exactly what it promises: gets kids reading at their level with built-in support and progress tracking.

The space theme is cute but won't fool anyone into thinking this is a game. It's structured literacy practice with comprehension quizzes, which means some kids will love the clear goals and rewards while others will need a nudge. But here's the thing: it works. Parent and teacher reviews consistently mention kids reading above grade level, and the adaptive leveling means struggling readers aren't left behind.

The biggest barrier is access—you typically need a school subscription or a pricey individual plan. If you already have it through school, this is a no-brainer daily practice tool. If you're paying out of pocket, it's a serious investment that competes with library cards and other free resources, though the structured progress tracking might be worth it for some families.