Gifts for dyslexic adults: reading pens, e-readers and books that are easier on the eye

What makes a good gift for a dyslexic adult?

A good gift removes a small amount of friction from reading or writing, and does not suggest the person needs fixing. The British Dyslexia Association describes dyslexia as a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and writing, that varies in severity and often occurs with other differences such as dyscalculia or ADHD. Many dyslexic people have strengths in reasoning, visual thinking and creativity.

That mix means a single gift cannot suit everyone. Some dyslexic adults love audiobooks and avoid paper, and some read for pleasure all week. Think about what the person actually does.

• Do they read for fun? An e-reader or a well-made book is a better fit than a gadget.
• Do they deal with print at work? A reading pen reads a printed line aloud.
• Do they dislike being singled out? Pick something discreet, or give a receipt.
• Is it a main gift or an extra? The overlay is an extra at £5.25. The reading pen is a main gift at nearly £360.

Which gifts cost under £15?

Books and a tinted overlay are the cheap options, and the book is the better bet for most people.

Animal Farm in the Barrington Stoke edition is about £8.99. Barrington Stoke says its books use a specially designed font and tinted paper, with carefully edited language and a considered reading level. We could not read that Animal Farm page, so check the edition you buy. It suits anyone who has avoided classics because of how they are printed.

This Is Dyslexia by Kate Griggs is about £12.99. It is a 272-page paperback from Vermilion, published in October 2024. Easons describes it as covering what dyslexia is, the skills of what Griggs calls dyslexic thinking, and advice for supporting dyslexic children and adults at home, school and work. It also covers dyslexia's role in innovation. If the person already finds that framing tiresome, skip it.

The Crossbow A4 coloured overlay is £5.25 and comes in ten colours, according to Dyslexic.com. The British Dyslexia Association says overlays and tinted rulers may help some readers but should not replace a full assessment and should not be the first strategy. Think of it as a small extra and add a gift receipt.

Which e-reader should you give?

The Kobo Clara BW and the Kindle Paperwhite are the two e-readers here, and the main difference is which shop the books come from.

Kobo says the Clara BW holds up to 12,000 ebooks and weighs 174g. Amazon says Kindle lets readers increase text size and adjust line spacing and margins, and offers OpenDyslexic. The Amazon page we read is undated and mentions older Kindle models, so check the model in the listing. Our e-readers for dyslexia guide covers the Kindle Scribe too.

When is a reading pen worth the money?

A reading pen is worth it for someone who regularly meets printed text they find slow, and it is expensive enough that you should ask first.

The C-Pen Reader 2 is about £359.99. C-Pen says it works offline with no wifi, smartphone or computer, has a speaker and an earphone jack, shows word definitions with audio, and holds up to 5GB. It scans English, French, Spanish and Italian. See our reading pens for dyslexia guide for exam rules and free phone alternatives.

What about gifts that are not for reading?

Not every gift for a dyslexic adult needs to be about text. The British Dyslexia Association says dyslexia can also affect organisational skills, so some people appreciate something that makes planning visible. Other shelves in our shop cover timers, planners and apps. A visual timer or a wall planner is an ordinary gift that puts the plan where everyone can see it.

The same logic applies to audio. Plenty of dyslexic readers like audiobooks, and the Kobo Clara BW supports Kobo audiobooks over Bluetooth, though you need headphones or a speaker and audiobooks are sold separately. A gift card for an audiobook service can be a safer option than a device. We did not recheck current subscription prices for this guide.

How do you give a gift without it feeling like a diagnosis?

Wrap it as a present for the person and not for the label. A good Christmas gift for a dyslexic adult should be something they would be pleased to open even if you had never mentioned reading. A well-made book, a good e-reader or a pen they can show off at work all pass that test. A card that says what the item does, without saying why you chose it, passes the test better still.

Things to know

• No claims. We describe what each product does. Whether it suits a particular reader is their call.
• Overlays and fonts. Evidence for coloured overlays is mixed, and we found no evidence for or against OpenDyslexic. Offer choice where you can.
• Receipts. Give a gift receipt with the more personal items.
• We have not tested any of these. Details come from maker, publisher and retailer pages checked on 20 October 2026. Kindle page details we could not reconfirm are marked above.
• Prices move before Christmas. Take ours as a guide.