This is one of the good ones. Teach Your Monster to Read does exactly what it promises: makes phonics practice feel like play, not punishment. It's backed by a charity (The Usborne Foundation) and designed with actual literacy researchers, which means it's grounded in evidence rather than venture capital.

The 70+ free ebooks are a genuine value-add, and the variety of reading contexts (recipes, signs, instructions) teaches kids that reading is everywhere, not just in storybooks. Parents report real results, especially for reluctant readers who need extra support.

The trade-off? It's not particularly creative or open-ended—you're following a structured path through phonics skills, and once your kid can read fluently, they'll move on. But for that critical 3-7 age window when reading clicks (or doesn't), this is a solid, safe, screen-time choice that actually builds a foundational skill. No ads, no dark patterns, no garbage—just a well-designed learning tool that respects both kids and parents.