Give the Gift of Confident, Independent Reading
Ello listens to your child read from real books, teaches and motivates them, and transforms them into enthusiastic readers.
Interested in gifting Ello to a child in your life (not your own child)?
How Ello Works
How Ello Works
5 books delivered each month; unlimited use of the Ello reading app
No more guesswork - perfect books, delivered
‘Just right’ books are hard to find. Each month, our reading experts hand-select 5 delightful books your child will love, at just the right level to help them grow. Use the books for the month with the Ello app; keep any books for $5 each and return any you don’t want to keep using the included pre-paid label. Check out some books that are in our collection.
Wondering which books are the best fit for your child’s level and interests?
How an Ello Subscription Works
5 books, delivered monthly
Books are expertly matched to your child's reading level and interests.
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Your child reads to Ello
Ello listens to your child read out loud and coaches them just like a great teacher would.
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Return or keep your books
Return your books via free, prepaid shipping at the end of the month, or pay $5 for each book you keep.
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Choose your reward
Every month, your child can select a prize with the points they earn reading.
5 books delivered each month; unlimited use of the Ello reading app
Reading is the gateway to learning
Statistics every parent should know
Children are 2x more likely to drop out of high school if they are not a proficient reader by the end of 3rd grade.
Children are 4x more likely to remain a poor reader through 4th grade if they are behind in 1st grade.
Children are exposed to 78k more words each year when they read at least 1 book each day.
Reading skills have stalled during the pandemic. Reading fluency in the U.S. is roughly 30 percent behind what would be expected in a typical year.
5 books delivered each month; unlimited use of the Ello reading app
The world’s first virtual reading coach that works with real books
Other apps talk, Ello listens
First-of-its-kind AI technology
Real books, quality screen time
Turn your child into a confident, independent reader
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Ready to hear ‘I want to read more!’ from your kids?
Who We Are
While in high school, Catalin built a mobile payments system at PayNearMe with Macintosh-father Steve Capps. He has won the Lemelson-MIT Graduate Student prize, Stanford's Kennedy Medal, Forbes’ 30 under 30, and Business Insider’s 40 under 40. Originally from Germany, Catalin moved to Silicon Valley at age 17 and now lives in San Francisco with his partner Ruby.
Earning her BSE in Elementary Education from Kansas State University in 1991, she then spent 28 years as a Special Education Resource Teacher for grades K-5. She has worked with students with various academic and behavior disabilities in regular classroom settings, small group intervention and one on one therapy settings. She received her Masters in Special Education in 1994 from University of Central Arkansas. Enhancing her knowledge of reading, she received training in the Orton Gillingham methodology in 2013 receiving Therapist level credentials and a Dyslexia Endorsement from the University of Arkansas in 2014. Implementing Orton Gillingham practices in her classroom significantly enhanced her skills as a reading teacher, especially in the area of Dyslexia and related reading disorders. Upon retiring from the classroom in 2017, she joined Brainspring as an Orton-Gillingham Instructor and has conducted trainings all over the country, helping teachers deepen their knowledge of the science of teaching reading. She continues to serve as a reading consultant with many districts and teachers.
Victoria covers both front-end and backend software development for Ello and has an interest in machine learning. Victoria's goal is to build software systems that improve people’s lives and she strongly believes that software has the power to change the world for the better.
Victoria lives in Nairobi, Kenya and she enjoys spending time with friends and family, sketching, and photography.
Unity isn’t just work for Alena, but is also her main hobby. She’s an indie developer who has already published her own game.
Alena was born and raised in a village in Russia and now lives in Berlin with her husband, daughter, and two cats. She enjoys reading and is crazy about house plants, which she tracks caring for using a Trello board in true engineering style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ello revolutionizes the way children learn to read by combining real books with state-of-the-art speech recognition technology and Artificial Intelligence. Ello listens to your child reading out loud, uses evidence-based strategies to help your child when they get stuck, and behavioral psychology to motivate them to keep going.
Ones that your child will love!
Every box of books has to meet three criteria:
- Highly engaging
- Just the right level for your child’s reading ability
- Matched to their interests
We believe that fantastic books create enthusiastic readers and we work with reading specialists to source classic beloved books and new undiscovered gems. The best part is that we take the guesswork out of finding books that are "just right" for your child – ones that are not too easy and not too hard.
Ello books are sent to you to use for the month. After the month is over, you get to choose whether you purchase the books for just $5 each (you can choose to keep just one, two…or all!), or return them with the included pre-paid shipping label.
As an Ello member, you will have unlimited access to the Ello app and a monthly box of five real books that work with it. Use the books for the month and return any books you do not wish to keep with the included pre-paid shipping label. Any books you choose to keep are just $5 each. New books are sent each month, challenging your child, sparking a love of reading, and rewarding them with real prizes sent in next month's box.
Generally 4–8 years of age, but it depends on the child.
At the younger end, if they can read the sentence “I am a cat” then Ello will work for them.
At the older end, Ello works well through the end of 2nd grade for a child reading at grade level, and longer if they are behind.
Right now, we offer only 5 books per month. But you can email us at support@helloello.com to let us know you'd like more.
Each month, at the end of the month, we text you to check how it's going. Tell us then! Or you can email us at support@helloello.com at any time.
The box will ship within 4 days of you signing up.
Yes! We love to share the love of reading. If you would like to donate your books, simply email support@helloello.com and let us know. Send your books back as normal and we will take care of the rest, ensuring that books end up in the homes of children who need them most.
The Ello app works on iPads running iOS 15 and newer and Android tablet devices. For a complete list, click here. Please note that Ello does not currentlywork on laptops or desktop computers or phones.
Each month, your child will receive a box of five engaging and developmentally appropriate books. They’ll pick up their tablet and Ello book and begin reading out loud to Ello. Ello will help them if they get stuck, and motivate them to keep reading.
Ello acts just like an engaging parent or teacher. As your child reads, Ello brings the story to life, provides words of encouragement, and helps them if they get stuck so they don't get frustrated.
We then use behavioral psychology and a growth mindset paradigm to keep your child encouraged, help their confidence soar, and build a love of reading. As they read more, they collect stars and badges, and if they read all their books they get a prize sent in the next month's box.
Ello uses proven, phonics-based reading strategies to help your child decode words and develop fluency.
We make it easy! We’ll take you through a short series of questions in our onboarding process.
We will automatically update the books over the course of your subscription, so Ello grows along with your child.
No. Ello’s coaching is tailored to the books we have selected for your child.
We make it easy! We’ll take you through a short series of questions in our onboarding process.
We will automatically update the books over the course of your subscription, so Ello grows along with your child.
Ones that your child will love!
Every box of books has to meet three criteria:
- Highly engaging
- Just the right level for your child’s reading ability
- Matched to their interests
We believe that fantastic books create enthusiastic readers and we work with reading specialists to source classic beloved books and new undiscovered gems. The best part is that we take the guesswork out of finding books that are "just right" for your child – ones that are not too easy and not too hard.
Ello books are sent to you to use for the month. After the month is over, you get to choose whether you purchase the books for just $5 each (you can choose to keep just one, two…or all!), or return them with the included pre-paid shipping label.
Every box comes with 5 books, perfectly selected to match your child's reading level and interests. After your first month, your child will also receive a physical reward, such a special book or craft kit, for their hard work and reading from the previous month.
What does it mean that a book is ‘just right’ or ‘levelled’ for my child?
It means that it is challenging enough so that they develop their reading skills, but not so challenging that they get frustrated.
In school, your child's teacher does this. We bring this into your home by determining your child's level, leveling popular books, and sending them to you. By answering a few short questions, we can help determine your child’s appropriate developmental reading level.
Absolutely! We know that building a library of high-interest books is one of the best ways to instill a love of reading. With Ello, you are in control of which books you keep. Best of all, you can keep each book for $5 which is likely much less than you’d find or Amazon. Just return the ones you don’t want.
Absolutely. Simply attach the pre-paid, pre-addressed label to your Ello box, put the books inside that you want to return, and leave it for USPS to pick up. You can return your books up to 4 weeks after receiving them.
With Ello, you pick which books you want to keep and which books you want to return. Simply put the books you want to return in the Ello box, add the prepaid label, and give it to USPS. We’ll presume you want to purchase any you don’t send back!
If you lose or significantly damage a book, you will be charged the cost of the book.
Because our books work with the Ello app, they’re leveled just right for your child, and they’re cheaper than you’ll find online!
It’s up to you.
If you choose to allow it, we process the audio of your child reading so that Ello can provide real-time support and motivation, and so your child can access certain features of the app, such as listening to themselves read. Separately, you can opt-in to give us access to this data so that we can improve Ello.
We also collect data of your child's progress to provide the service (for example the rewards.)
Finally, we collect anonymous and aggregated usage data. See our privacy policy for full details.
It is up to you if we collect any data - it is optional.
If you choose to allow it we use the audio of your child reading to provide additional features such as your child listening to themselves read. Separately, you can opt-in to give us access to this data so that we can improve Ello.
We then use data of your child’s progress to provide the service (for example the rewards,) and anonymous and aggregated usage data to improve the product.
No. Never.
No. Never.
It's very secure. We use industry-leading encryption and security.
Absolutely! We know that building a library of high-interest books is one of the best ways to instill a love of reading. With Ello, you are in control of which books you keep. Best of all, you can keep each book for $5 which is likely much less than you’d find or Amazon. Just return the ones you don’t want.
Absolutely. Simply attach the pre-paid, pre-addressed label to your Ello box, put the books inside that you want to return, and leave it for USPS to pick up. You can return your books up to 4 weeks after receiving them.
With Ello, you pick which books you want to keep and which books you want to return. Simply put the books you want to return in the Ello box, add the prepaid label, and give it to USPS. We’ll presume you want to purchase any you don’t send back!
If you lose or significantly damage a book, you will be charged the cost of the book.
Yes. Please email support@helloello.com and we will help.
We include a pre-paid envelope in every Ello box so you can easily send back any books you do not want to keep.
Unfortunately not. After 4 weeks with the books, you will be charged for any unreturned books. If you know in advance you will miss the deadline please email support@helloello.com and we’ll see what we can do!
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