All About Reading vs Logic of English
These two are usually compared as rival reading curricula, but they are not the same kind of product, and that is the decision. All About Reading teaches reading: spelling is a separate program you buy on top of it. Logic of English Foundations bundles reading, spelling analysis, handwriting and an introduction to composition and grammar into one curriculum, and its levels are listed at roughly 91 to 127 dollars regular against All About Reading's 159.95 dollars per level.
So the honest split is scope and money. If you want one program to carry beginning language arts, Logic of English does more for less, publishes its full scope and sequence free so you can check before buying, and offers a free placement test with two entry points. If you want a reading-focused program and prefer to add spelling later on its own timeline, All About Reading is built that way, and it is markedly cheaper for a second child at about 85.90 dollars a level because the manual and readers are reusable. Both are parent-taught, so both cost you time. Logic of English verified July 24, 2026; All About Reading verified July 23, 2026.
The real difference is what is in the box
Most comparisons of these two get lost in teaching philosophy, where they are actually rather similar: both teach decoding explicitly and neither wants a child guessing at words from pictures. The difference that changes your bill is scope.
All About Reading is a reading program. It runs a Pre-reading program plus Levels 1 to 4, with a scripted lesson an adult delivers, and the publisher suggests about 20 minutes a day. Spelling is not in it; the same company sells All About Spelling as a separate seven-level line, and the letter tiles you buy once are shared across both. That is a deliberate design, and it suits a family that wants reading to have its own pace and does not want to start spelling at the same time.
Logic of English Foundations is a beginning language arts program. Its own feature list includes phonemic awareness, reliable phonics rules, no sight words, integrated handwriting, an introduction to composition and grammar, beginning comprehension strategies, and spelling analysis, which it calls central to the learning routine of all its curriculum and which starts partway through the first level. Handwriting is explicit in the Level A and B workbooks, with a choice of cursive or manuscript. Each level contains 40 lessons, eight assessments, controlled readers and games.
Put plainly: buy All About Reading and you have bought reading. Buy Logic of English Foundations and you have bought reading, spelling, handwriting and the beginnings of grammar. That is why the per-level prices are not comparing like with like.
Side by side
| All About Reading | Logic of English | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Reading only; spelling is a separate program (All About Spelling) | Reading, spelling analysis, handwriting and an introduction to composition and grammar, in one |
| Structure | A Pre-reading program plus Levels 1 to 4 | Four levels, A to D, each with 40 lessons, eight assessments and controlled readers |
| Starting point | Pre-reading first, or Level 1 for a child ready to decode | Level A for a brand-new reader, Level B if they know A-Z sounds and can blend, with a free placement test |
| Sight words | Teaches decoding first, with irregular words taught explicitly | States plainly that children do not rely on guessing or cueing, and lists No Sight Words as a design principle |
| Handwriting | Not part of the reading program | Explicit handwriting in the A and B workbooks, cursive or manuscript |
| Price per level | 159.95 dollars per full level set; Pre-reading 119.95 dollars | Bundles listed at about 90.97 to 126.94 dollars regular, less during a sale |
| Cost for a second child | About 85.90 dollars per level, since the manual and readers are reusable | Not stated on its own pages, so check before assuming |
| Transparency before you buy | Level contents and FAQ published | Publishes its full scope and sequence free, calling it the nutrition label for curriculum |
| Daily time | About 20 minutes a day, per the publisher | Lesson-based rather than a stated daily minimum |
| Who does the teaching | A parent, every lesson | A parent, every lesson |
Facts are each publisher's own: Logic of English's programme contents, no-sight-words stance, placement test, scope and sequence and bundle prices from logicofenglish.com, verified July 24, 2026, with a sale running at the time so the regular prices are cited; All About Reading's structure, daily time and prices from allaboutlearningpress.com, verified July 23, 2026. Neither is a Fawnio partner and we link to neither. Logic of English does not state a second-child cost on its own pages, so we do not estimate one.
The money, honestly
For a first child, Logic of English is cheaper and covers more. Its Foundations bundles are listed at about 90.97 to 126.94 dollars regular per level, and that price includes the spelling and handwriting instruction you would otherwise buy separately. All About Reading is 159.95 dollars for a full level set, 119.95 for Pre-reading, and covers reading alone; the full Pre-reading-to-Level-4 sequence works out around 760 dollars spread over several years, before any spelling program.
For a second child, All About Reading closes the gap. Its teacher manual and readers are non-consumable, so a sibling needs only the student packet and review box, roughly 85.90 dollars per level, and the letter tiles bought once per household cover its reading and spelling lines together. That reusability is a genuine strength for a larger family. Logic of English does not publish an equivalent figure on its own pages, so we are not going to guess at one; if you have several children, ask them directly which components are consumable before you commit.
One thing Logic of English does that we wish everyone did
It publishes its full scope and sequence free, with the framing that a scope and sequence is like the nutrition label for curriculum, and adds a free placement assessment so you can tell whether to start at Level A or Level B. That is unusually open in a market where most publishers show you a sales page and a sample lesson. It is worth using even if you end up buying something else: reading the scope and sequence tells you what a program actually teaches and in what order, which is the only reliable way to judge whether it fits the child in front of you.
The trade-off neither page mentions
Both of these are print curricula where an adult teaches every lesson. That is why they are inexpensive compared with classes or tutoring, and it is also the thing that quietly decides whether they work. A scripted, open-and-go lesson still needs someone to open it, most days, for months. Families who have that slot get excellent value; families who do not end up with a shelf of good materials and a child who has not moved.
If that describes your house, the honest answer is not a cheaper book. It is someone else doing the teaching. The Institute of Reading Development runs live, small-group reading classes for school-age children, which costs considerably more than either curriculum here but removes the daily teaching burden entirely. Our full review sets out how the classes work, what they cost and the refund terms, which are worth reading before you enrol.
See Institute of Reading Development programs and pricing
Our verdict
Choose Logic of English Foundations if you want one curriculum to cover reading, spelling, handwriting and beginning grammar, want the lower per-level price, or value being able to read the full scope and sequence and take a placement test before spending anything. Choose All About Reading if you want a program focused on reading alone, prefer to start spelling later on its own timeline, or have more than one child who will reuse the non-consumable materials. And if nobody at home has a reliable daily teaching slot, choose neither and buy teaching instead. Our full All About Reading review goes deeper on its levels and real total cost, and our guide to reading programs puts every option side by side, cheapest step first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between All About Reading and Logic of English?
The biggest difference is scope. All About Reading teaches reading, and spelling is a separate program you buy on top of it. Logic of English Foundations bundles reading, spelling analysis, handwriting and an introduction to composition and grammar into a single curriculum, and its levels cost less than All About Reading levels. So if you want one program to cover beginning language arts, Logic of English does more for less. If you want a program focused purely on reading, and possibly to add spelling later on its own timeline, All About Reading is built that way. Both are parent-taught print curricula.
Which is cheaper, All About Reading or Logic of English?
Per level, Logic of English, and by a clear margin once you account for what each covers. All About Reading is 159.95 dollars for a full level set, or 119.95 for Pre-reading, and that buys reading instruction alone. Logic of English Foundations bundles are listed at roughly 90.97 to 126.94 dollars regular, sometimes less in a sale, and that price covers reading, spelling, handwriting and beginning grammar together. The one place All About Reading pulls ahead is a second child: because its teacher manual and readers are reusable, a sibling costs about 85.90 dollars per level. Logic of English does not state a comparable figure on its own pages.
Is Logic of English good for a child who guesses at words?
That is exactly the habit it is designed to prevent, and it says so directly. Logic of English states that its structured approach ensures children understand the relationship between letters and sounds and do not rely on guessing or cueing to read words, and it lists No Sight Words among its design principles. All About Reading also teaches decoding first rather than word memorisation. So both are reasonable answers to a guessing habit; the choice between them comes back to scope and price rather than to this specific issue.
Which one should I start with for a 5-year-old?
Look at what the child can already do rather than at age. Logic of English has two entry points and publishes a free placement test: Level A is for a child starting their reading journey, and Level B is for one who already knows the sounds of A to Z and can blend and segment one-syllable words. All About Reading has a Pre-reading program for the stage before formal reading, then Level 1 for a child ready to decode. Whichever you pick, use the publisher's own placement guidance instead of buying by school year, because both companies state that their level numbers are not grade levels.
Do I have to teach these myself?
Yes, and this is the trade-off both share. All About Reading and Logic of English are print curricula in which an adult delivers every lesson; All About Reading suggests about 20 minutes a day. That makes them cheap in money and expensive in parent time, which suits a homeschooling family or a parent with a reliable daily slot. If nobody in your house has that time consistently, the honest answer is that a cheaper book will not fix it: a taught class or tutor does the teaching for you, at a higher price. Choose by which resource you actually have, time or money.
How we reach these verdicts, and the sources behind them, is on our methodology page. Logic of English's programme contents, its statement that children do not rely on guessing or cueing, its No Sight Words and integrated-handwriting design, its spelling analysis, its two starting points and free placement test, its published scope and sequence and its bundle prices were read from Logic of English's own pages and verified July 24, 2026; a sale was running on that date, so the regular prices are the ones cited and you should confirm the current figure at checkout. All About Reading's structure, its separate spelling line, its roughly 20-minutes-a-day guidance and its prices were read from All About Learning Press's own pages and verified July 23, 2026. We do not state an age range for Logic of English or a second-child cost for it, because its own pages did not give us either. Neither publisher is a Fawnio partner, and we link to neither. We earn a commission if you sign up to the Institute of Reading Development through our link; it appears only as the alternative for families without the time to teach a curriculum themselves, not as a like-for-like replacement for either program.