diff --git a/core/strings/reader.odin b/core/strings/reader.odin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1dbfe9451
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/strings/reader.odin
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+package strings
+
+import "core:io"
+import "core:unicode/utf8"
+
+Reader :: struct {
+	using stream: io.Stream,
+	s:         string,
+	i:         i64, // current reading index
+	prev_rune: int, // previous reading index of rune or < 0
+}
+
+reader_reset :: proc(r: ^Reader, s: string) {
+	r.data = r;
+	r.s = s;
+	r.i = 0;
+	r.prev_rune = -1;
+}
+
+new_reader :: proc(s: string, allocator := context.allocator) -> ^Reader {
+	r := new(Reader, allocator);
+	reader_reset(r, s);
+	r.vtable = _reader_vtable;
+	return r;
+}
+
+@(private)
+_reader_vtable := &io.Stream_VTable{
+	impl_size = proc(s: io.Stream) -> i64 {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		return i64(len(r.s));
+	},
+	impl_read = proc(s: io.Stream, p: []byte) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+			return 0, .EOF;
+		}
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		n = copy(p, r.s[r.i:]);
+		r.i += i64(n);
+		return;
+	},
+	impl_read_at = proc(s: io.Stream, p: []byte, off: i64) -> (n: int, err: io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		if off < 0 {
+			return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
+		}
+		if off >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+			return 0, .EOF;
+		}
+		n = copy(p, r.s[off:]);
+		if n < len(p) {
+			err = .EOF;
+		}
+		return;
+	},
+	impl_read_byte = proc(s: io.Stream) -> (byte, io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+			return 0, .EOF;
+		}
+		b := r.s[r.i];
+		r.i += 1;
+		return b, nil;
+	},
+	impl_unread_byte = proc(s: io.Stream) -> io.Error {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		if r.i <= 0 {
+			return .Invalid_Unread;
+		}
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		r.i -= 1;
+		return nil;
+	},
+	impl_read_rune = proc(s: io.Stream) -> (ch: rune, size: int, err: io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+			r.prev_rune = -1;
+			return 0, 0, .EOF;
+		}
+		r.prev_rune = int(r.i);
+		if c := r.s[r.i]; c < utf8.RUNE_SELF {
+			r.i += 1;
+			return rune(c), 1, nil;
+		}
+		ch, size = utf8.decode_rune_in_string(r.s[r.i:]);
+		r.i += i64(size);
+		return;
+	},
+	impl_unread_rune = proc(s: io.Stream) -> io.Error {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		if r.i <= 0 {
+			return .Invalid_Unread;
+		}
+		if r.prev_rune < 0 {
+			return .Invalid_Unread;
+		}
+		r.i = i64(r.prev_rune);
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		return nil;
+	},
+	impl_seek = proc(s: io.Stream, offset: i64, whence: io.Seek_From) -> (i64, io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		abs: i64;
+		switch whence {
+		case .Start:
+			abs = offset;
+		case .Current:
+			abs = r.i + offset;
+		case .End:
+			abs = i64(len(r.s)) + offset;
+		case:
+			return 0, .Invalid_Whence;
+		}
+
+		if abs < 0 {
+			return 0, .Invalid_Offset;
+		}
+		r.i = abs;
+		return abs, nil;
+	},
+	impl_write_to = proc(s: io.Stream, w: io.Writer) -> (n: i64, err: io.Error) {
+		r := (^Reader)(s.data);
+		r.prev_rune = -1;
+		if r.i >= i64(len(r.s)) {
+			return 0, nil;
+		}
+		s := r.s[r.i:];
+		m: int;
+		m, err = io.write_string(w, s);
+		if m > len(s) {
+			panic("strings.Reader.write_to: invalid io.write_string count");
+		}
+		r.i += i64(m);
+		n = i64(m);
+		if m != len(s) && err == nil {
+			err = .Short_Write;
+		}
+		return;
+	},
+};