All About Reading vs First Start Reading

The sharpest difference is faith content: All About Reading is None, First Start Reading is Light. One other attribute separates them.

At a glance

All About Reading

Grades PreK-4

Owners report it suits

Dyslexia

First Start Reading

Grades K-1

Both are reported to suit Struggling learners and Hands-on learners.

Skip to who fits

Where they differ

All About Reading First Start Reading
Independence
?

How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:

  1. 1adult-led
  2. 2guided
  3. 3semi-independent
  4. 4mostly independent
  5. 5fully independent
Read the independence guide
Faith content None Light
Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. Struggling learnersHands-on learnersDyslexia Struggling learnersHands-on learners
Method TraditionalEclecticOrton-GillinghamSynthetic phonics ClassicalSynthetic phonicsOrton-Gillingham
Grades PreK-4 K-1

Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.

Where they match

How each one plays by grade

All About Reading runs 3 grades further than First Start Reading. If you want one program to carry the subject for the long haul, plan on leaving First Start Reading around grade 1 and choosing again.

All About Reading

Grades PreK-4

Most families finish about one level a year, and many stop after Level 3 or 4 once a child reads fluently.

First Start Reading

Grades K-1

Kindergarten uses the teacher guide plus Books A-D, and first grade continues with Book E. Optional Classical Phonics and phonetic readers cover some of the noted gaps.

Cost

All About Reading First Start Reading
Price $119.95-159.95/level $54.20/set (A-D)
Consumable Partial Yes
Per child / year ~$120-160 first child, ~$40-50 after ~$54-70 first child, ~$33 after

Where to buy

What parents report

All About Reading

Consistently praised

  • Scripted lessons make it open and go
  • Gorgeous hardcover readers kids enjoy
  • Multisensory tiles keep little ones engaged
  • Reusable with younger siblings
  • It works even for reluctant or dyslexic kids

Reported as challenges

  • Upfront cost per level stings
  • Lots of cards and tiles to cut and store
  • Pace can drag through Level 2
  • Fully parent-led, nothing done alone

First Start Reading

Consistently praised

  • Phonics, reading, and handwriting all in one book
  • Open and go for a first-time teacher
  • Serious focus on pencil grip and letter formation
  • Kids start reading in the very first lessons
  • One of the most affordable ways to teach reading

Reported as challenges

  • Real gaps by the end (no r-controlled vowels, -ing, or -ed)
  • Not enough sight words compared to other programs
  • Book D and E pace can feel fast
  • Scripting and plain pages are not for everyone

Who All About Reading fits

A gentle, scripted, hands-on phonics program taught one-on-one, and a longtime favorite for struggling and dyslexic readers. Parents who need a child working independently, or who have an early reader racing ahead, aren't the audience for it.

Read the full All About Reading entry Check price All About Learning Press

Who First Start Reading fits

Fits classical or traditional families who want an affordable, parent-taught print primer that folds handwriting into phonics and needs no separate readers to start. Parents who want a screen-based, hands-off option, or full phonogram coverage without supplementing, should look at an app like Reading Eggs or a fuller program like All About Reading.

Read the full First Start Reading entry Check price Memoria Press

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Still deciding?

All About Reading compared with

See all 10 All About Reading comparisons

First Start Reading compared with

Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed July 2026.