My sister's oldest child learned to read spontaneously. Good for her. But my sister then thought that all her kids would learn to read spontaneously. Surprise, surprise. They needed instruction. As did my kids.

Also, my oldest was on the slow side of learning to read, even though once that happened he went on and did very well the rest of the way through his academic career.

Some kids are naturally good at "academic" things. Others not so much. That difference is not anything connected to their value as human beings, but just a commentary on what they do differently.

And it's not as though those who read early and readily are better human beings than those who struggle to read. Just as those who are morning people are not superior to later in the day people. They are simply different, and I wish all the morning people would get that.