Every Child Deserves the Chance Reading Gave Me
A letter from our founder, Ron Rose, about why The Skillful Reader exists.
Ron Rose
Founder, The Skillful Reader
My love for reading started as a kid, sitting on the floor reading encyclopedias, sometimes with pages already torn out. Through books and programs like RIF, I discovered people, places, ideas, and possibilities far beyond the world I knew.
My educational journey wasn't traditional.
I earned a GED.
But that never became the ceiling on what I could learn or who I could become.
I kept reading. I kept learning.
Over time, that ability to learn helped me build a successful career and become a technology business leader.
Reading wasn't the only reason I got there.
But I know my life would be very different if I had never become a reader.
That's why The Skillful Reader is personal to me.
Somewhere today, there is a child beginning to believe that reading just isn't for them.
I don't just think about the reading difficulty they're experiencing now. I think about everything they haven't discovered yet.
- The book they'll love.
- The subject that will fascinate them.
- The career they don't know exists.
- The person they may become.
I don't want difficulty with reading to close those doors before a child has the chance to discover what's on the other side.
That's why I built The Skillful Reader: to help struggling readers become stronger, more confident readers while preserving their dignity and helping them discover what they're capable of.
I can't predict what reading will unlock for a child.
I just know what it helped unlock for me.
And I believe every child deserves the chance to find out.
Ron Rose
Founder, The Skillful Reader
Three commitments behind every session.
Evidence first
We measure what is actually happening, learn from real readers, and improve the product based on evidence. We won't pretend the evidence tells us something it doesn't.
Dignity for older readers
A struggling 8th grader is not a beginner. They are a reader with a gap. Our stories and tools respect their age, interests, and pride.
Clarity for parents
Parents shouldn't have to guess what their reader needs next. We explain what a child is working on, why, and what comes next, in plain language.
Help us reach one million strong readers, starting with yours.
Questions first? Browse our FAQ or get in touch. We read every message.