Reading rates in the UK have become an increasing concern, particularly among children and teenagers. Recent trends show a decline in the amount of time young people spend reading for pleasure, with only 32.7% finding reading enjoyable and many choosing digital entertainment such as social media, video streaming, and gaming instead. This shift has been linked to lower levels of reading engagement outside of school, which can impact vocabulary development, comprehension skills, and overall academic performance. As a result, educators and organisations are increasingly focused on finding new ways to re-engage children with reading and build stronger, more consistent reading habits from an early age.

yomi was developed, in order to tackle the declining reading rates among children and teenagers. By utilising gamification, it transforms reading into a fun experience to help foster a love of reading and build consistent reading habits. It offers both reading aloud and silent reading modes to develop storytelling and concentration skills. Every two weeks, users grow a new digital pet based on their reading progress, encouraging continued engagement and motivation, with different stages of evolution reflecting how much they have read.