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PSPKK123 March 24, 2021  •  46 Comments

The ultimate guide to decodable books

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

So … how do you feel about decodable books?

I admit it. I avoided them for a long time.

I felt that decodable books were boring, stilted, and would kill a love of reading.

I preferred to use leveled books with beginning readers. I thought that if I taught them multiple ways to solve words, their fluency and comprehension would be better than if they learned to read using decodable text.

But I changed my tune when I studied the science of reading.

Despite what I’d learned in graduate school, I discovered that our brains must connect the sounds to the letters when solving words. Having kids solve words by using the picture or context clues can actually teach bad habits for later on.

The good news is that there are some amazing decodable texts that are exactly what new readers need.

If you’re looking for the best decodable readers, you’re in the right place!

In this post I’ll share my favorite decodable books. I’ll also share some other choices that are not my favorite but are still popular with other teachers.

Finally, I’ll share some free decodable readers for those on a tight budget.

Favorite Decodable Books

Half-Pint Readers

Half-Pint Readers are fantastic for brand new readers. The books, created by a kindergarten teacher, are simple but engaging, and the books actually tell real stories with a problem and solution. The end of each book includes both simple and high level questions that build comprehension. Best of all, the books are affordable so you can easily purchase multiple copies.

Highly, highly recommended!

Great for: Level A is perfect for brand new readers who are just starting to sound out words. Level B introduces blends, digraphs, and simple word endings. Level C features long vowel sounds and more blends and word endings.

Price: Very affordable! Consider purchasing multiple sets for reading with small groups.

Get Half Pint Readers here

Reading for All Learners

We used the I See Sam books (Set 1) a lot when my little guy was first starting to read words. They start very, very slowly … gradually adding letters and sounds, and with very few words on each page.

The stories would not make sense without the (wonderful) pictures, because the text can feel rather stilted. “See Sis sit in it. See me. See me sit in it.” I can overlook the stilted language, though, because the pictures allow for wonderful discussion, and they truly are adorable.

Great for: Set 1 is perfect for brand new readers, but with six sets that get progressively more difficult (and 141 total books), you can go a long way with these.

Price: Very affordable! Go even less expensive and get the black and white editions.

Get Reading for All Learners books here

Whole Phonics

If decodable books have a bad name, Whole Phonics will redeem it. The stories are creative and funny, and the pictures are the best I’ve seen. My only issue is that the verb tenses often switch (a pet peeve of mine), but the stories are so good I can overlook it.

The books are on the longer side, so you may want to start with a simpler set or read a book in more than one sitting.

Great for: Older struggling readers and kids who are past the very beginning stage (but still learning to sound out words).

Price: These are high quality books with a price to match (around $5 a book). Keep in mind, though, that these are full color, well-developed stories and worth every penny.

Get Whole Phonics books here

Flyleaf Decodable Books

These are the loveliest, highest quality decodable texts that we own. They are also on the expensive side, but definitely worth a purchase. The books advance rather quickly, and there aren’t a lot of books for each pattern, but you will love having them in your collection.

Great for: Kids who are advancing quickly. The books are incredible, but there are only a few for each stage.

Price: These are high quality books and priced accordingly, at about $4 a book. (When you think about it, that’s still a great price, but you need so many decodable books for beginning readers … and the cost adds up fast.)

Get Flyleaf books here

S.P.I.R.E.

This is a wonderful series of 120 books. I love that even the simplest stories have interesting plot lines. The books slowly advance, adding new phonics skills through six levels.

The illustrations are black and white, but they are still engaging.

Great for: Both brand-new readers and kids moving at a faster pace

Price: The books are just under $4 a book, which feels a little pricy for black-and-white readers. But the stories are high quality, so I think it’s worth it.

Purchase S.P.I.R.E decodable readers here

The Alphabet Series

This is another high quality series that slowly adds new sound-spelling correspondences with each book. Don’t let the black and white interior illustrations fool you … these are interesting stories with funny pictures.

Absolutely one to own, and a great choice for small group lessons!

Great for: Both brand-new readers and kids moving at a faster pace

Price: The price varies, but I was able to find them for about $3 a book (linked below).

Get Alphabet Series books here

PhonicBooks

These are a favorite of many reading teachers. For the first books, kids only need to know a handful of letter sounds. The books have a unique illustration style (photographed backgrounds with cartoons drawn on top). The early books are very, very short — making them a great choice for brand new readers.

Best for: All levels! The early books are ideal for brand new readers, but PhonicBooks has a variety of series, including books for struggling readers up to 14 years old!

Price: The Dandelion Launchers (pictured above) are sturdy, full-color books for about $3 each.

Get PhonicBooks here

Power Readers

Susan M. Ebbers’ power readers are incredibly affordable because they are made of thin paper and are meant to be disposable. That’s because the front of each book includes (quality) worksheet-type activities that students can do to prepare them for reading. Even more activities are in the back, including comprehension questions.

Great for: Teaching beginning readers in small reading groups (Before and after reading activities are built right into the books!)

Price: Since these are flimsy, write-in books, they are just over $1.50 each.

Get Power Readers here

Express Readers

Full disclosure! I did not expect to like these books. I am not a fan of the Comic Sans font, and the illustrations are much less professional than other books I’ve reviewed.

But when I got my hands on them, I fell in love very quickly. These books are very sturdy with thick pages. I love that the text is nice and big, on the left side of the page. Each book has quite a few pages, and the best part is that they tell good stories that make sense. My little guy certainly didn’t notice that the pictures are less professional. He laughed at them and loved that he could find the little fly on each page. These are on the pricier side, but worth it.

Get Express Readers here

Go Phonics

Go Phonics offers spiral bound decodable books with multiple stories in each book. The stories are funny and hilariously illustrated (though black and white).

My little guy has read the simplest book (the tiny one pictured in the center of the pile above) at least 15 times!

Great for: Using as reading books for small groups; turn to a new story for each lesson. Or use them for homeschooling since each book contains multiple stories. Start with short vowel stories and move up to words with long vowel pairs.

Price: On the pricey side; All 7 phonics readers cost $127.00. You can buy individual readers for about $19 each. They are high quality and sturdy.

Get Go Phonics readers here

Junior Learning decodable books

I wavered about whether or not I should include these in my favorites list because the quality varies so much. The illustrations and physical quality of the books are always good, but some of the stories are so bizarre and contrived that it was impossible to have a good conversation about them afterward. And yet … so many good ones too! You certainly can’t beat the selection.

Great for: Beginning readers and learners with advancing skills

Price: Extremely affordable; you can often get them for around $2 a book. A good thing, since in a set there may be several books with such odd storylines that you won’t want to use then.

Get Junior Learning books here

Other Decodable Books

Jelly and Bean books are from the UK and look amazing! I haven’t gotten my hands on them, but I’d love to. I’m impressed by the samples on the website.

Primary Phonics are vintage decodable books that are quite popular. I can’t in good conscience put them on my favorites list because I really didn’t like them. In fact, I purchased the full set and returned them after previewing them. The stories were strange and hard to follow, and because the books are almost 100% decodable, the stories are very stilted. I appear to be in the minority, however; many people love these books.

BOB Books are another popular choice, likely because they are so affordable and so easy to find. I don’t care for the stilted language (“He did get it”), and the illustrations leave much to be desired. But they will do the job.

Check out Little Learners & DSF Decodable Readers from Australia. The stories themselves are set in regional Australia and look wonderful.

Dog on a Log books look strange to me; the author has taken public domain images and slapped them together. The sample books I have read do not appeal to me, but many people say that their learners with dyslexia love Dog on a Log books and report great success using them.

Little Learners Love Literacy are decodable books from Australia. I haven’t used them, but they look fantastic … such great pictures!

Sunshine Decodable books are from New Zealand and look wonderful; I’ve heard great things.

Spalding has a variety of decodable books that look promising.

High Noon offers decodable books that are appealing to older learners.

Reading A to Z is mainly a source for leveled books, but they do have a decent decodable section.

Simple Words offers decodable chapter books.

Apparently Geodes has amazing decodable texts. My guess is that they are quite pricy.

SuperBooks are vintage decodable books that have a special charm. The stories are often interesting, though the text can feel stilted. You cannot beat the price; these are sturdy, full-color books for just over $1 a piece.

Bug books are short vowel decodable books that you can purchase.

Free decodable books

SPELD SA (in Australia) has a huge set of free decodable books that you can print or read on a screen using Powerpoint. You can get their older free decodable books here.

Core Knowledge has free decodable readers that you can read online. They’re absolutely lovely! You do need to do a little digging to find them.

You can get free Measured Mom Nonfiction Decodables right here on this website. Just click here to view and download.

You can also check out my decodable books that feature high frequency words. Each free book comes with a lesson that explicitly teaches a high frequency word. Find them here.

Starfall has free decodable books that you can print. (You can also purchase full-color editions.)

Have you seen our short vowel decodable passages?

Decodable Passages: CVC Words

$5.00

This affordable set features 23 passages to help new readers develop fluency with CVC words. Each page includes blending practice, a short reading passage, a comprehension question, and spelling practice.

Buy Now

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

Filed Under: Reading, Balanced literacy Tagged With: first grade, kindergarten, short a, decodable books

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Phonics books for compound wordsHow to get started with literature circlesFour-in-a-row games for i-e words
Should you use leveled or decodable books with beginning readers?
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Reader Interactions

46 Comments

  1. Stacey Rickman

    March 25, 2021 at 5:06 am

    Jolly Phonics has decodable texts that follow the JP scope and sequence. Heggerty is planning to release decodable texts soon as well – I’m excited to see these.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      March 25, 2021 at 5:43 am

      Thanks, Stacey! I ordered the Jolly Phonics books but I didn’t care for them. Maybe I ordered the wrong set? They didn’t seem to follow a scope and sequence that made sense to me. I’m excited about Heggerty’s books, too; although it looks like they are starting with a higher level and not books for beginners.

      Reply to this comment
      • Carol

        March 28, 2021 at 3:59 pm

        Hi Anna,
        Yes, the JP scope and sequence teaches several digraphs – ai, oa, ie, ee, or, ng and oo – before all the single letter sounds have been taught. They also teach letter sounds before letter names. I have used this scheme for phonics teaching but I found it very confusing.

        Reply to this comment
        • Anna Geiger

          March 28, 2021 at 7:22 pm

          Well that explains it then! I was really confused by the books I received. Thanks, Carol!

          Reply to this comment
          • Carol

            March 29, 2021 at 1:09 am

            ch, sh, th, qu, ou, oi, ue, er and ar are also included in the “basic code” so any of these sounds might appear in the first level of books. I think the idea was to give children one way of spelling each of 42 sounds as quickly as possible so that children could write independently as soon as possible. (Forgetting – or not realising? – that one way of representing the long vowel sounds is simply by the vowels themselves! I think ai, ee, ie, oa and ue are some of the least common spelling patterns for the long vowel sounds.)

            Reply to this comment
  2. Laura Watkins

    March 26, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    The Institute of Multi-Sensory Education has a nice set of Decodables you can buy and download.

    Reply to this comment
  3. PAMELA J CLARK TURNER

    March 26, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    What’s your thoughts on BOB Books?

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      March 26, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      You can find my opinion under “Other Decodable Books.” 🙂

      Reply to this comment
    • Charlotte

      March 29, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      I myself think they are a great start for building confidence. As a mom with admittedly zero training in education, I’ve been pretty happy with them. My quick learner out grew them fast, but the “stilted” language (and brevity) in the Bob Books was helpful to get my more insecure learner going again after he got “lost” in public school The art is, as Anna states, lacking, but it doesn’t stop my daughters (5&6) from sneaking them down to read through them again. I taught my now 5 yo almost entirely on these, followed by the measured mom sight word readers (which she’s taking down <>) and phonics readers, and she now confidently reads well beyond Kindergarten level in her spare time. I don’t have a lot to compare them too(aside from various hand me downs including leveled readers, world books, and first little readers— all of which were frustrating to start off with), but after these and the sight words, I can set my kid’ free with about anything they find interesting, and they figure it out. They’ve made it through 4 kids and should make it through the last 2. I will say the order is confusing. It appears they made a few levels, then went back and filled in the gaps with a later generation. My preferred order to teach them (of what I have) is collection 1, then 6, then 2, then the sight word s (K/1st), then collection 3. Still, I think everyone should grab the measured mom sight word books if they are still up and pair them with some sight word worksheets.

      Reply to this comment
  4. Anna

    March 26, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    We purchased the Geodes decodable readers this year and they are amazing – great artwork and a lot of engaging nonfiction topics. They are quite pricey but if you are able to write a grant or persuade your school to make the purchase they are well worth it.

    Reply to this comment
    • Priscilla Flynn

      March 28, 2021 at 7:06 am

      I googled Geodes readers and am having a difficult time seeing the text inside of their books. Were you able to find a good resource to look at before purchasing to see if they would meet your needs? Thank you.

      Reply to this comment
  5. Wendy

    March 26, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    SPELD SA Australia has free download decodable books.

    Reply to this comment
  6. Wendy

    March 26, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    Decodable books Australia have books that are also available on iPad app

    Reply to this comment
  7. Pam

    March 29, 2021 at 4:10 pm

    This list is such a great resource, thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful review. I wonder if anyone who has used any of these has information or thoughts about the level of cultural/ethnic inclusion in the books. It’s something I want to take into consideration when evaluating and buying new materials.

    Reply to this comment
    • Wendy

      April 4, 2021 at 1:43 pm

      In Australia – here are two options
      https://www.speldsa.org.au/APS-Set-1
       https://dsf.net.au/resources/online-store/item-details/little-learners-dsf-decodable-readers-tam-and-pat–239ae58c

      Reply to this comment
      • Anna Geiger

        April 5, 2021 at 4:55 pm

        Thank you, Wendy – I’ve added them to the list!

        Reply to this comment
  8. Sarah

    March 29, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    I can highly recommend the Little Learners Love Literacy books. They follow an excellent sequence and don’t progress too quickly. They follow the same family and their friends throughout. Lots of humour and colourful illustrations. I also love the Sunshine decodables. I’m in New Zealand and the illustrations reflect Pasifika children. The Australian version has illustrations reflecting Caucasian children. The first three sets follow the same family of characters.

    Reply to this comment
  9. KT

    April 2, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    Simple Words Books are fantastic for older kids. My profoundly dyslexic 8 year old’s confidence has SOARED since reading his first chapter book. The website has a list of every single word in the books, so you can look and see if your early reader is ready. The Gold of Black Rock Hill is the current favorite.

    Reply to this comment
    • kt

      April 2, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      whoops, I see you’ve got them listed in your Other Decodable books section.

      Reply to this comment
      • Anna Geiger

        April 3, 2021 at 8:09 am

        Thanks so much for sharing how much the Simple Word Books have helped your son, KT! This is fantastic to hear!

        Reply to this comment
  10. Sandy Russo

    April 4, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    Hi to the Measured Mom team and followers.

    You may all be interested in the new free Phonic Readers from SPELD SA in South Australia. There are two versions available, the PowerPoint version have sound buttons when opened in PowerPoint and 100 titles https://www.speldsa.org.au/SPELD-SA-Phonic-Readers-New-Series

    And our old free series of decodable readers has many versions and worksheets https://www.speldsa.org.au/speld-phonic-books

    There are many more free resources on the site for those who are looking for more. Including SOS Spelling for Older Students and an Intensive Literacy program.

    We often show both parents and teachers your resources. So thanks Measured Mom

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      April 5, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing, Sandy! I’ve added them to the list.

      Reply to this comment
      • Sandy Russo

        April 7, 2021 at 6:33 am

        Thanks Anna, appreciated.

        Reply to this comment
    • Sue

      April 15, 2021 at 6:16 am

      I concur with all the recommendations for SPELD books. I teach a class of mixed 2nd-language English speakers, and this series has been wonderful for building their self-confidence & eagerness to read. A really great series!

      Reply to this comment
  11. Carol

    April 9, 2021 at 5:22 am

    I am in the UK and love the “Jelly and Bean” books.

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna Geiger

      April 10, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      Thank you, Carol, they look amazing! I added them to the list.

      Reply to this comment
      • Carol

        April 12, 2021 at 8:30 am

        I also use Ruth Miskin’s Read Write Inc books. The simplest set I have are the Green Books which are too difficult for beginners but they are good for readers who know some blends and digraphs. They have a “Speed Sounds” and blending practice at the front of the book, as well as a list of “Red Words” – words in the story which are not decodable. There is also a vocabulary check and a book introduction. At the back, they have comprehension questions and “Speed Words” for extra practice. There are fiction and nonfiction books.

        Reply to this comment

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