Kendallville, IN – Big Universe is an outstanding tool that empowers our students to drive their own learning! The extensive selection of digital fiction and nonfiction books allows each student to select books of interest at a variety of reading levels that meet the needs of the student rather than the needs of a budget! Students feel more independent and confident because they have ownership of their literacy development. This is fueled by the quality book choices that are provided and the success they experience through differentiated instruction. Big Universe has created a love of learning in our students that continues to stimulate creativity and discovery!

Johnson City, TN – Big Universe has been the key factor in motivating and increasing reading engagement among students across our district. Students naturally gravitate towards technology, and Big Universe provides the perfect venue for students to enhance their literacy skills using such innovative methods. It provides students with choice and independence in text selections, yet is flexible enough for educators to facilitate and manage, all of which is completely transparent for parents to view. With Big Universe, we can now place a leveled library complete with quality fiction and nonfiction texts in every elementary classroom across our district. Big Universe provides quality resources that make it easier to differentiate literacy instruction for an array of diverse learners. Text levels and assigned readings can be shared and viewed across literacy settings, making it easier to streamline instruction, allowing for a less fragmented curriculum. Without reservation, we can recommend Big Universe to any school or district!

Sicklerville, NJ – I am an Elementary Special Education teacher utilizing the beneficial features of the Big Universe reading program in a variety of ways. The text selections reinforce and exemplify a number of reading strategies and helps me as an educator both present and reinforce such reading strategies as Synthesizing, Inferencing, Making Connections, and Self-Monitoring. My students enjoy a wide array of book genre and formats that encourage independent reading success. Even struggling readers can appreciate easy access to leveled reading material and read-alouds that model oral reading fluency. I encourage my students to build up their personal bookshelves and to recommend high interest books to others. I am a big advocate of Big Universe in my school and constantly encourage students to take advantage of this valuable resource. The writing feature allows my developing authors to build the most amazing stories and share them weekly with the whole class in a interactive and creative way. Big Universe has allowed my students to recognize reading as a privilege, not a chore. Thank you for influencing young minds with the power of great books!

Hayward, CA – The third graders of St. Joachim School love logging into Big Universe to discover new books and write their own stories. We use Big Universe during reading time or writing lessons. Students find books that spark their interest and use reciprocal teaching as they read. The writing section is a favorite for all writing levels. They enjoy finding pictures to go along with their story, as well as, uploading their own custom pictures. The children are able to navigate themselves through the website that is safe for all users. As their classroom teacher, I enjoy checking their bookshelf and get an idea of what they like to read. I can also see the quizzes that the students take at the end of their book. I would highly recommend Big Universe to any teacher or school who wants to add supplemental content reading, leisure books, general interests to their library and creative writing with technology.

Buffalo, NY – As the Enrichment teacher at South Buffalo Charter School I have found Big Universe Learning to be an invaluable teaching tool in promoting cross-curricular literacy skills for the 21st century. Our students have the ability to read over 4,900 digital leveled books from real publishers as well as an opportunity to create and publish their own books within the website. My students have their own Facebook like homepage that allows them to add other students as friends, send positive pre-written messages to one another, and to share their bookshelves with other members. I assign my students leveled digital books to complete literacy based activities and give them the opportunity to create and publish their own books. I also have my students evaluate books from other members and take reading comprehension quizzes that are built right into the website. Big Universe Learning is also a great resource for project-based learning. My students use Big Universe Learning to research information to include in their iMovie projects as well as other interdisciplinary learning activities. My students enjoy using Big Universe because it brings learning to life by giving them the opportunity to read, collaborate, and share knowledge inside and outside of the classroom.

New Lisbon, WI – Big Universe provides our students with a vast collection of digital books at multiple reading and interest levels. Our students are engaged and love using this program. Whether our students are in the computer lab reading or using mobile devices such as the iPad, they are engaged and excited about reading and writing. The teacher tools provide a great way to monitor student progress, assign books by curricular topic and collect data on each student. I highly recommend all schools begin the journey of using Big Universe in their districts to promote literacy.

Owensboro, KY – Big Universe is changing the attitude about reading and writing and bringing a new level of excitement to our students. It has allowed students to show ownership of their writing by allowing the whole world read their pieces. It provides a library of books students who have do not otherwise have access to them.

Olivia, NC – I have nothing but praise for the Big Universe program! Students and teachers alike are enjoying the enormous amount of online fiction and nonfiction books that are available. I have observed our teachers using the Big Universe books in whole group instruction, in centers using iPads and computers, and for homework assignments. Being able to assign books that are based on individual reading levels and that also coincides with the curriculum being taught in the classroom is a wonderful way to differentiate instruction.

Ector, TX – Big Universe has been an outstanding literacy program for Ector Independent School District. It has provided our students with the opportunity to not only read books, but to create their own books and it has also encouraged literacy from school to home. Our students have read over 5,000 books and counting. Big Universe is an extraordinary program which is very user and kid friendly, the quality and content of the books are outstanding, it is extremely easy to navigate, and most of all we are impressed by the way our students have been inspired to read and write. Big Universe definitely scores an A+ from the administration, teachers, instructional assistants, students, parents, and technology staff at Ector Independent School District.

Tyler, TX – Big Universe provides our school with a digital library that supports our curriculum across all subject areas. As a 1:1 iPad school, Big Universe offers students an extensive collection of ebooks at home, school, or on the go. We love the ability for teachers to assign books just as easily as a student can search for an independent reading book. Big Universe provides an easy way to bring books into the classroom and has increased time spent reading at home for learning and for pleasure.

Abilene, KS – Big Universe provides a huge variety of books, topics, levels, to suit ALL readers in the classroom. It is very easy to search by topic and easy to navigate through the whole site. I have used it with struggling readers to enrichment for higher readers. The pictures/graphics in the books are wonderful as well!

Greenwood, IN – Big Universe Learning has fully supported our district literacy initiative by providing an expansive digital ebook library with topics for every interest and reading level! Our students love to share their reading selections with their friends. They are also inspired to write when their stories are published and expanded to a larger audience of readers. The company has an obvious commitment to providing a quality educational site for our students!

Cary, NC – Big Universe is an authentic, personalized online learning environment that motivates students to read and write. Students love to share their thoughts and ideas with real-world audiences, and Big Universe provides opportunities for this through the Global Bookshelf Community and Online Self-Publishing. Big Universe gives students voice and choice in what they read and write, creating an atmosphere that fosters student ownership of growth and learning and supports differentiation and individuality.

McKenzie, TN – Big Universe is a reading tool that has sparked excitement in our students. With the push for ebooks and nonfiction books in our curriculum, Big Universe is the perfect match for our school. The sheer number of books instantly added to our collection is a librarian’s dream! Big Universe has also been a hit on our Family Reading Nights. Parents and students enjoy browsing the collection, selecting books for their personal bookshelves, and reading stories together in a fun environment. I highly recommend this engaging website that will instantly enhance your curriculum.

Tustin, CA – At Beswick, Big Universe has been instrumental as we make the transition to Common Core State Standards and the increased focus on non fiction text. Teachers have included links on their classroom Haiku/website pages and it has been a tremendous support for us all as we work to incorporate more technological resources as well.

Abilene, KS – With each second grade student in my classroom having an iPad, we have used Big Universe in a variety of ways. During their Read to Self time, they are able to choose a book based on their reading level of interest to them with no obvious stigma of reading a book below grade level. Additionally, those that are able to comprehend books beyond the second grade level are able to do so. This increases their confidence, which in turn has an impact on their reading development. Many of these books have an Accelerated Reader quiz and since AR is a component of our Core Reading Curriculum, this is another advantage of using the e-books. Being in an attendance center which houses only second and third grades, our school library has streamlined our book collection to be geared to that age child which sometimes limits choices to the students reading way below or way above the 2nd/3rd grade reading level. Big Universe is a remedy to that. The ability to assign books to individual students is a component of Big Universe that speeds up the process of the children finding a new book from an online list. Overall, Big Universe has been a good investment for our school building and I would highly recommend everyone trying it out.

Gastonia, NC – Big Universe is an engaging and exciting tool to enhance literacy instruction. With over 5000 books, Big Universe has become a major part of our school’s response to the Common Core’s call to expose students to an increased variety of non-fiction texts. The wide range of leveled texts has allowed us to provide a diverse body of students with additional reading materials that are both rigorous and appropriate. From independent reading to content area instruction, Big Universe has been a big success!

Binghamton, NY – One of the main reasons we choose Big Universe was to reach out to families and make the home/school connection. We had a 'Snuggle Up and Read' night where one of the activities that the students and families could participate in was to log on to their Big Universe page and start reading together. The families loved the versatility of Big U for all devices. With the home/school connection teachers can see what students are reading at home as well as communicate and share a love of books.

Quanah, TX – Having used Big Universe over the last two years, we have seen our students' interest levels in reading grow exponentially. So many times it has been difficult to motivate students to read. Big Universe has allowed our students to enjoy the non-fiction passages that interest them. Big Universe is user-friendly with our first grade students being able to navigate the site easily. The recent budget constraints put on us by the Legislature have forced us to cut back in areas including our library. Big Universe allows us to access over 5,000 books at a fraction of the cost of the physical books. I highly recommend Big Universe to anyone who is considering online access to books. Big Universe has filled in the missing element on our campus.

Meadville, MS – As a classroom teacher, I couldn't have discovered a better resource than Big Universe. I teach students with various learning disabilities. Many of them HATE to read. When I presented them with the opportunity to read using all the technology they love, they were ready jump in. After they realized that Big Universe offered books on topics that actually interested them - hunting, fishing, ATV's, snakes (yes - I teach mostly boys!) - they were hooked! Students who had NEVER met their reading goals were now exeeding their goals by several books. I love that I can assign books individually based on each of my kids needs too. I know what their interests are and their reading levels, so I can assign books that will allow them to be successful. Another positive to using Big Universe is the set up of the books. I really think that my students feel less frustration because, unlike holding a large book, they only see one set of pages at a time. They aren't allowed the opportunity to be overwhelmed. I am very pleased with the program and how it has helped my students become happy, successful readers.

Bedford, VA – If you want your students to have unlimited access to a large number of fiction and nonfiction ebooks then you need to subscribe to Big Universe. It has a completely safe social aspect that students love. It also has a writing component where students can create their own books then print them or publish their books on Big U! When I tell a class we are going to Big Universe they actually cheer--what better response can you get that that?

Newport, NH – The students at Richards School love BigUniverse. As librarian, I insist that all digital resources we purchase can be accessed by students at home. The best is the grocery store moment, when a parent comes up to me and tells me how much their kids like BigUniverse.

Branson, CO – Big Universe is the perfect solution for online schools desiring an affordable library of credible literature to supplement curriculum or serve as a foundation to design activities that align to standards. The important literature tie-ins are available for every subject matter and the curriculum connections are endless. The math books offer exploration ideas to support math application and there are books on a vast number of topics creating a safe, reliable researching library for students. Student accountability is essential and BU reports are easy to read and provide the details I need to satisfy attendance and student work requirements. The ease of creating student accounts and assigning books saves me time that I can devote to teaching. I love that books are constantly added and students have the opportunity to create and publish their own books for other BU users! Big Universe has saved our online school considerable dollars as supporting trade books no longer need to be purchased and shipped to students' home classrooms, only to be lost or mistreated. The BU library has also stream-lined resources for my peer-reading buddy program, which has saved time with its ease of access and collaboration tools.

Harborcreek, PA – Big Universe has helped our library to take the digital step outside our school walls. Not only has it expanded our collection but it has enhanced our literacy curriculum. Our students love to read, write and share, especially on their own mobile devices. The teachers like the data and management components that work so well with our curriculum. Parents are excited to see their student engaged in the reading and writing process.

Queensland, Australia – At John Paul College, Big Universe widely used within the Primary school. The library staff utilise its great variety of resources to enhance the students learning experience. Within my classroom I use Big Universe to find texts related to our Units of Inquiry and also integrate the resources into my reading rotations. The students enjoy searching for books that are of interest to them and they find it easy stacking their shelves with level appropriate resources. Big Universe is a useful and successful online tool that enhances the students passion to read.

Mobile, AL – The perfect tool for students and parents to encourage literacy within the family and school.

Albuquerque, NM – Big Universe has been an excellent tool in my classroom. It has opened a world of literature to my students that they would not have had access to any other way. I use Big Universe almost daily. It is a literature circle, it is a research tool, it is an inspiration for lessons, it is access to wonderful books and information that children may not otherwise have access to. Most importantly, Big Universe is a spark for curiosity. Since I have begun accessing Big Universe, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of questions my students have. We are also becoming an increasingly creative class as my students begin to use Big Universe as a creative writing tool! I am so in love with Big Universe and I cannot imagine my classroom without it!

Knoxville, TN – Our classroom teachers are very excited about all the literacy-building features that Big Universe has to offer.

Canal Winchester, OH – Big Universe has created a renewed excitement in our elementary schools for reading and writing and their customer support is outstanding!

Lexington, KY – Digital literacy at its best!