Large print books aren't only for seniors or people with vision loss. For many dyslexic readers, larger text — combined with the right font and formatting — makes a genuine, measurable difference. Here's what works, why it works, and where to find the right resources in Canada.
Dyslexia affects how the brain processes written language. It's not a vision problem — dyslexic readers typically have normal or correctable vision. But the way the brain decodes letter shapes, sequences, and sounds is different, and this difference interacts strongly with how text is typeset.
Smaller, more densely packed text increases visual crowding — where nearby letters interfere with each other. Larger text reduces crowding, giving each letter more visual space.
This makes the decoding process less effortful for many dyslexic readers. More spacing between lines and between words has a similar effect.
Large print books (16–18pt) are designed for a different reason, but the physical characteristics — larger type, more leading, wider margins — often align well with what makes text more accessible for dyslexic readers. Add a dyslexia-specific font and the effect is compounded.
Several fonts have been designed or identified as helpful for dyslexic readers. The key characteristics are distinct letterforms (letters that don't look like mirror images of each other), consistent weight, and good spacing.
OpenDyslexic is a free, open-source font specifically designed for dyslexic readers. Letters have heavy bottoms that are meant to help with letter orientation — preventing the b/d/p/q confusion that many dyslexic readers experience. It's available for free download and is built into Kobo e-readers as a standard option.
Reactions to OpenDyslexic are mixed. Some dyslexic readers find it genuinely helpful.
Others find the heavy letterforms distracting or aesthetically unpleasant. It's worth trying — on a Kobo, you can switch to it for any book in seconds and switch back if it's not helping.
Lexie Readable is another font designed with dyslexic readers in mind. It's based on the premise that familiar letter shapes (rather than radically altered ones like OpenDyslexic) with clear distinctions between similar-looking letters are what most dyslexic readers need. It can be downloaded free and sideloaded onto Kobo devices or used in word processors and ebook software.
Research has found that familiar, clear sans-serif fonts like Arial and Verdana often perform as well as purpose-designed dyslexia fonts for many readers. The key is avoiding fonts with ambiguous letterforms (certain serif fonts make letters like i, l, and 1 nearly identical), tight kerning, and excessive flourishes.
If you're not sure where to start, set your e-reader to a clean sans-serif font at large size with wide line spacing. That covers the basics without requiring any special downloads.
An e-reader is one of the most useful tools for a dyslexic reader who wants to read books independently. The reasons go beyond font choice:
The Kobo wins for dyslexic readers in Canada for one clear reason: OpenDyslexic is built in. No sideloading, no workarounds — you select it from the font menu and you're done. Combined with adjustable size, line spacing, margins, and bold weight, the Kobo's reading customization is unmatched among mainstream e-readers.
Canadian library loans also work natively through Libby — meaning you can borrow ebooks from your public library and read them in your preferred dyslexia-friendly settings, for free.
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These settings apply to all books you read on the device. You can change them any time.
For many dyslexic readers, audiobooks are not a replacement for reading — they're a tool that makes other reading more accessible. Listening to a book while following along in text (using a physical book or an e-reader) reinforces word recognition and can build fluency over time.
The Libby app lets you borrow both ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free. Apps like Learning Ally (designed for dyslexic students and adults) provide audiobooks synchronized with text highlighting, which is specifically designed for this technique.
See our guide on large print vs audiobooks vs e-readers for a broader comparison of what works in different reading situations.
Standard large print books (16–18pt) are an improvement over standard print for many dyslexic readers. The formatting decisions that make books easier for low-vision readers — more leading, wider margins, larger type — are the same ones that help with visual crowding in dyslexia.
The limitation is that physical large print books don't let you change the font. If OpenDyslexic or Lexie Readable is your preferred font, you can only use it with digital formats.
For dyslexic readers who prefer physical books, look for editions with:
Your public library's large print collection is the free starting point — borrow before you buy. See our guide on free large print books in Canada for library programs, CELA, and other free options.
NNELS serves Canadians with print disabilities, which includes dyslexia. Through your provincial library system, you can access their repository of accessible ebooks — EPUB format that you can read on a Kobo at your preferred settings. NNELS will also produce accessible formats of books that aren't commercially available in accessible form, on request.
nnels.ca — access through your provincial library.
CELA's mandate explicitly includes Canadians with learning disabilities including dyslexia. Their accessible EPUB collection can be read on compatible devices at any size, in any supported font. Register through your public library — it's free.
celalibrary.ca — register through your local library.
The IDA has Canadian branches in several provinces that provide resources, workshops, and information for dyslexic readers and families. dyslexiaida.ca for the Canadian chapter.
LDAC provides information and advocacy for Canadians with learning disabilities including dyslexia. Their resource directory can point you toward provincial programs. ldac-acta.ca
If you're looking for books to understand dyslexia better — or for a dyslexic child in your family — these are well-regarded and widely available in Canada:
All three are available as ebooks through OverDrive/Libby from Canadian public libraries, as well as in print from Amazon.ca and Indigo.
Large print resources were built primarily for seniors and people with age-related vision loss — and for years, that remained the only audience. But the accommodations that help those readers (larger text, more spacing, cleaner fonts, adjustable formatting) are exactly the accommodations that help many dyslexic readers too.
E-readers in particular have become powerful tools for dyslexic readers of all ages. A Kobo set to OpenDyslexic font at 22pt with extra line spacing is a genuinely different reading experience than a standard paperback — and for many dyslexic readers, it's an experience where reading stops being a struggle and starts being, occasionally, enjoyable.
That's worth pursuing.