A 14-month-old from New Zealand has amazed viewers around the world with her remarkable reading skills. Eliana, in a viral TikTok video, has captivated the hearts of millions by “reading” aloud to her parents in what her mother, Carrie Rad, calls “Gibberish.” Despite not being able to speak full words, her unique mimicry of reading has stunned experts and viewers alike.
The video, posted by Carrie Rad on April 20, quickly gained millions of views. In the clip, little Eliana sits with a book in her lap, her tone rising and falling as she “reads” the words aloud to her parents. The video has become a sensation, with viewers praising the 14-month-old for her impressive rhythm, tone, and intonation as she mimics the reading process.
Carrie, 36, explained that reading to her children has always been something she envisioned doing. “When our daughter was born, I couldn’t wait to read to her, so we started right away,” she said. From the beginning, reading was a shared family activity, and her husband, Alexander Ayling, was equally involved in reading to their daughter. Carrie added, “Now, Eliana reads back to us in her little language.”
This activity of reading together soon became a cherished part of their family routine. Despite Eliana being so young, she has developed her version of reading—a behaviour that many parents and educators would recognise as a positive sign of early language development.
The TikTok clip went viral, quickly amassing over 4.7 million views in a matter of days, with thousands of comments flooding in from viewers, including educators, librarians, and parents, all praising Eliana’s natural rhythm and intonation. In the comments section, viewers recognised that the 14-month-old was demonstrating impressive skills for someone so young.
One user, a reading instructor, commented, “As a reading instructor, you have no idea how far along she already is.” This statement reflected the sentiment that Eliana was already showing early signs of language skills—something that typically takes much longer to develop.
Others pointed out that Eliana was displaying prosody, which refers to the patterns of stress and intonation in speech, particularly in reading. “Skills for reading begin way before starting school at age 5. Good job, mama!” wrote another commenter. It was clear that Eliana’s ability to mimic the rhythm and flow of reading, even before she spoke full words, had made a strong impression.
Rad shared how heartwarming it has been for her to see people in the education field acknowledge and celebrate what she and her husband have been doing with their daughter. “They’ve pointed out how incredible it is that she mimics the rhythm and tone of reading, even before she’s speaking full words,” Rad said. “It’s been so heartwarming to see people in the field recognize and celebrate what we’re doing as a family—creating a joyful, connected relationship with books from the very beginning.”
Carrie’s deep love for reading, which she has passed on to her daughter, started early. Even when Eliana was much younger, she would grab books and chew on them or rip pages, which is typical for babies discovering their world. But as Eliana grew, she began to engage with the books differently, flipping through the pages, opening and closing them, and making sounds as if she were reading aloud.
“It became obvious she was imitating how we read to her,” Carrie recalled. It became part of their daily routine, where Eliana would sit with her parents, read “alongside” them, and experience books in her own way. Even as a baby, Eliana was actively participating in the family’s reading ritual, creating an early foundation for her language development.
This habit has carried on into her toddler years. Every morning, as Carrie and Alexander sit down for their coffee, Eliana grabs her bottle and heads straight for the bookshelf. Her current favourite read is Birds of New Zealand, but she’s not picky—Eliana will explore anything on the shelf, from poetry to novels.
“She’s not reading at that level yet, of course,” Carrie said, referring to the complex texts on the bookshelf. “But she flips through them all and pretends to read, sometimes for hours.” For Eliana, books are a source of fascination, and she has become fully immersed in the activity, sometimes spending hours “reading” to herself.
Despite her young age, Eliana’s parents have always nurtured her love for books and reading. The books they’ve read to her have not only helped her develop an early connection to language, but they’ve also provided her with a wealth of exposure to new words and concepts. This exposure is key in the development of literacy skills. While Eliana is not yet reading in the traditional sense, her pretend reading mimics a key aspect of language development.
Eliana’s journey with books and reading doesn’t stop with the act of flipping pages or pretending to read aloud. She is also actively engaged with the world around her. Her parents often remark that she spends a great deal of time outdoors, enjoying nature.
Whether it’s in the garden or on a walk, Eliana enjoys observing the world and connecting it with the books she has read. It’s a balance of nature and nurture—learning from both the environment and books.
For now, Eliana’s books of choice include nature-themed reads, like Birds of New Zealand, which are perhaps an extension of her love for the outdoors. Her family supports this connection, helping her make sense of both the world of books and the natural world. Through her “reading” rituals and time spent outdoors, Eliana is developing a love of both literacy and nature, and that’s something her parents are happy to support.
As Eliana continues to grow and develop, it is clear that her parents’ dedication to reading will continue to shape her love of books. Whether or not Eliana grows up to be an avid reader or a linguist, her early exposure to books will undoubtedly have a lasting impact.
Carrie and Alexander’s parenting approach emphasises the importance of early language exposure and its impact on a child’s development. By creating a home filled with books and reading, they have given Eliana the tools she needs to succeed in both language and life.
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