How reading practice works in BukaBoom
One short phrase is one step. The reward is instant, so children want to read the next one.
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1Pick a story
Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Thumbelina and 50+ more classic fairy tales, told in short phrases for beginning readers.
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2Read the phrase aloud
Tap the microphone and read the line on the screen. Speech recognition follows along: the words your child reads light up, karaoke-style.
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3Open the picture
Each phrase opens another piece of the illustration. Finish the page and the picture is complete.
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4Earn a star
Every finished story gives a star and a new book on your child's own shelf. Stars can't be bought — only earned by reading.
Help when a word is hard
A tricky word should not end the reading session. There are four gentle ways to keep going.
Tap to hear it
Tap any word and the phone says it aloud.
A pointing hand
Shows the word the reader is stuck on.
Your choice of checking
Letter by letter for beginners, or word by word — gentle, normal or strict.
Blots
Ink over a word that just won't read and keep going.
Rewards that can't be bought
We don't sell stars for money. They are a child's own achievement: read more, earn more.
A star for every story
Read a story aloud to the end and get a star.
A bookshelf of their own
It fills with the books your child has read, so progress is easy to see.
A look they will love
Stars unlock themes, live backgrounds, avatars and frames.
Calm and clear for parents
BukaBoom is built as a focused reading app, not a noisy cartoon feed.
No ads
There are no ad banners or video ads in the app.
Voice stays on the phone
Speech is recognized on the device. Your child's voice is not sent to our servers.
Purchases under control
Some stories are open from the start. The rest come with a subscription through the app store, protected by parental controls.
Who BukaBoom is for
Beginning readers, from preschool and kindergarten to the first grades. Your child should know the letters — putting them into words and phrases happens inside the story.
- Daily reading practice, 10–15 minutes
- Building reading fluency
- Bedtime stories read together
- Reading aloud with a parent
- Learning to read in a second language
Fairy tales in 8 languages
Switch at any time. Made for bilingual families and for children learning to read English as a second language.
- English
- Spanish
- French
- Portuguese
- German
- Korean
- Chinese
- Russian
Questions parents ask
What age is BukaBoom for?
It is made for beginning readers, from preschool and kindergarten to the first grades. The one requirement is that your child already knows the letters. Beginners can use letter-by-letter checking and a gentle mode.
How does the app know my child read correctly?
Your child taps the microphone and reads the phrase on the screen. Speech recognition compares what it hears with the text: words that were read light up and the illustration opens piece by piece. Parents choose how strict the check is.
Is my child's voice recorded?
No. Speech is recognized on the device. Your child's voice is not sent to our servers and is not stored. See the privacy policy for details.
What if my child can't read a word?
Tap the word and the phone will say it. A pointing hand shows where the reader got stuck. A word that just won't read can be inked over with a blot so the story goes on.
Are there ads in the app?
No. BukaBoom has no ads.
How much does BukaBoom cost?
The app is free to download and some stories are open from the start. The rest are available with a subscription through the app store; the current price is shown in the store before you buy.
Which languages can my child read in?
Eight: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Korean, Chinese and Russian. You can switch at any time.
Where can I get the app?
BukaBoom is available on Google Play.
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