Stays on this device. Entries are saved only in this browser, so you can come back tomorrow. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else. Use a nickname or initials, not a full name.
This tracker is for families who would rather log reading on a phone than on paper. Add up to eight readers, log minutes each day, and see progress toward a goal, a reading streak and what each supporter owes. It saves to this browser only. Nothing is sent to us, to the school or to anyone else.
Who it's for
A parent or caregiver tracking one or more children during a read-a-thon, on their own phone, tablet or computer. Older readers can use it themselves. It works for any reading event: a school read-a-thon, a library challenge or a family goal. It is not a class or school system. Organizers don't see anything entered here, so families still report totals the way your event asks.
How storage works
- This browser only. Entries are saved in this browser's local storage so they are still there tomorrow. They are not uploaded, synced or shared. A different phone, a different browser or a different profile starts empty.
- Private or blocked mode. If the browser blocks storage, as many private windows do, the tool shows a warning. Entries will disappear when you close the page, so print or export before you leave.
- Use a nickname. Each reader has a Nickname or initials field (up to 24 characters). It starts as "Reader 1". There is no reason to enter a child's full name.
- Delete any time. Delete all data, in the notice at the top, removes every reader and entry the tool has saved in this browser. Remove this reader removes one reader and their entries. Both ask you to confirm first.
- Clearing browser data clears the tracker. If you clear site data or history, your entries go with it. Export a CSV now and then if the log matters to you.
Setting up a reader
Each reader gets a tab. Use + Reader to add another (up to eight). For each reader, set:
| Field | What it means | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname or initials | The name on the tab and progress heading | Reader 1, Reader 2… |
| Minutes goal | Total minutes the reader is aiming for over the event | 300 |
| Reading starts | First day of your event | The day the reader is added |
| Reading ends | Last day of your event | 13 days after the start (a 14-day window) |
Use your event's dates so the day-by-day chart matches the reading period. The goal is the reader's own; set it together with them.
Logging reading
Under Log reading, enter a date (today by default), minutes, and optionally books finished and a short note about what was read (up to 80 characters). Press Add minutes or Enter. Minutes are rounded to a whole number and must be from 1 to 1,440, the minutes in one day. You can log more than once a day, and the day's entries add together. Listening to audiobooks and being read to count, and the minutes field says so.
Every entry appears in the Entries table, newest date first, with a × button to remove a mistake.
What each number means
| Stat | How it's calculated |
|---|---|
| Minutes read | All logged minutes added together |
| Of goal | Minutes read ÷ minutes goal, rounded down, shown up to 100%. A progress bar shows the same thing. |
| Days with reading | Number of different dates with more than 0 minutes |
| Day streak | Consecutive days with reading, counting back from today. If today has nothing yet, it counts back from yesterday, so the streak doesn't break until a whole day is missed. |
| Books finished | All books-finished entries added together |
A bar chart shows minutes for each day from the start date to the end date, up to 60 days. Hover over a bar to see its date and minutes.
Pledges and caps
The optional Pledges section shows what each supporter owes at the current total. Use + Add a supporter and fill in four fields: a label, the pledge type, the amount and a cap. A new supporter starts as "Supporter 1", per minute, $0.05, no cap. Use a first name or "Aunt", not contact details.
- Per minute: amount × total minutes read.
- Flat: the amount, whatever the minutes.
- Per book: amount × total books finished.
- Cap: the most the supporter owes. If the calculated amount is higher, the cap is used and "(cap)" appears next to it. Enter 0 or leave it blank for no cap.
The table shows each supporter's pledge, what they owe now (to the cent) and a total. Because it updates as minutes are added, families can tell a per-minute supporter the final amount as soon as reading ends. For choosing rates and caps, see our guide to read-a-thon pledges.
Worked example
Example Imagine a reader with the default 300-minute goal and these entries in the first week: 30, 25, 40, then nothing on day 4, then 20, 45 and 35 minutes. One book is finished on day 2 and one on day 6. It is now day 7.
- Minutes read: 30 + 25 + 40 + 20 + 45 + 35 = 195.
- Of goal: 195 ÷ 300 = 65%.
- Days with reading: 6 (day 4 is empty).
- Day streak: 3 (days 5, 6 and 7; the gap on day 4 ends the count).
- Books finished: 1 + 1 = 2.
The reader has four supporters:
| Supporter | Pledge | Owes now |
|---|---|---|
| Grandma | $20 flat | $20.00 |
| Uncle | 10¢/min, cap $15 | 195 × $0.10 = $19.50, so the $15.00 cap applies |
| Neighbor | 5¢/min, no cap | 195 × $0.05 = $9.75 |
| Aunt | $2/book | 2 × $2 = $4.00 |
| Total | $20 + $15 + $9.75 + $4 = $48.75 |
Printing and CSV export
Print reading log prints the reader's progress panel: stats, the daily chart, the entries table and the pledges table. Export CSV downloads a spreadsheet file named after the reader's nickname, with four columns: date, minutes, books_finished and note, sorted by date. Open it in any spreadsheet program, or attach it if your organizer accepts digital logs.
Using it alongside a paper log
Many schools ask for a paper log with a grown-up's initials. The tracker doesn't replace that. Use it as your daily scratchpad, then copy the totals onto the paper log, or print the tracker's log if your organizer accepts it. Our free 2-week printable reading log has a line for each day. Tips on verifying minutes and collecting logs are in our read-a-thon reading log guide.
For organizers
The tracker does not send totals to you. Recommend it to families who want a phone-based log, and keep collecting totals your usual way: paper logs, a form or a class tally. Because it stores only a nickname and nothing leaves the device, you can suggest it without adding a new service to your privacy review. Our student privacy guide for read-a-thons covers the questions to ask about any tool that does collect data.
Method note: The tracker does arithmetic on what you enter. It doesn't check minutes against anything, and it rounds only for display. Amounts owed are rounded to the cent.
Next steps
- Print a matching paper log from our reading log and tracking minutes page.
- Help supporters choose a pledge with our per-minute and flat pledge guide.
- See how the whole event runs in our read-a-thon fundraiser guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can two parents log the same child from different phones?
Not in a shared way. Each browser keeps its own separate copy, and nothing syncs between devices. Pick one phone as the reader's log. If two adults both want to track, one can text minutes to the other, or both can keep separate logs and add them up at the end. Exporting a CSV from one device and reading it on another works for checking totals.
What happens to the data when the read-a-thon ends?
It stays in your browser until you delete it or clear your browser's site data. Nothing expires on its own. When the event is over, export a CSV or print the log if you want a record, then use Delete all data to remove everything. If you plan to use it next year, you can keep the reader and change the dates and goal.
Does the tracker apply a cap to flat pledges?
Yes, if you enter one, though there is rarely a reason to. The cap rule is the same for every pledge type: if the amount owed is higher than the cap, the cap is used. For flat pledges that only matters if the cap is set lower than the flat amount. Leave the cap blank or at 0 for flat gifts.
Is there a limit on minutes per day?
The tracker accepts up to 1,440 minutes in a single entry, the number of minutes in a day, and rejects anything higher. It doesn't enforce a daily cap beyond that, and it does let you add several entries for the same date. If your event has a daily limit, follow your organizer's rule when copying totals to the official log.