LibGuides: Childrens: Decodable Books

Decodable Books

What Are Decodable Books?

A learning tool - Learning to read isn't always simple. Many students require a systematic approach that allows them to learn incrementally.
Decodable Books can become an important part of this system learning process.
Sequential and cumulative based on letter and sound correspondences in words.
Word choice is controlled by phonics principles rather than high frequency words to memorize.
Decodable Books are meant to be a teaching tool for practice.
Once decoding is automatic, students are able to transition to authentic literature.

Which Decodable Books Are Right for My Child?

Ask your child’s teachers what skill your child is currently working on.
Example: If your child is working on reading and writing words with digraphs, look for decodable books that focus on short vowel words with digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh).

Tips for Picking Books

Encourage your your child to pick out books that interest and excite them! If your child is not yet able to read the book themselves, read and discuss it together. Need some recommendations? Ask library staff!

Skills & Decodable Books
List of Decodable Book titles with relevant sequenced skills. Find and borrow titles from Greenburgh Public Library!

Learning Letter Names & Sounds
- Read ABC books together
- BOB Books Alphabet Set
- Play letter-sound games
Phoneme Awareness Student needs to be able to:
- Play with sounds in words
- Tell you each sound in a word
- Blend sounds together
- Hear a sound and write the letter(s) that make that sound
- Example: 'dog' has sounds /d/ /o/ /g/
Consonant Vowel Consonant Words (Short Vowel Sounds /a/ = apple, /o/ = octopus, /i/ = itchy, /u/ = up, /e/ = edge)
- Book Suggestions: Whole Phonic books Level 1, Dog on a Log Level 1, Half Pint Books Level A, Bob Books Stage 1 and 2, Youkan Reading Series 1 and 2.
- Tip: Short Vowels usually progress cumulatively in these books. Short a is usually the first vowel, then add on i, o, u, e.
Digraphs: th, ch, sh, wh & Blends: st, bl, -nt, etc.
- Book Suggestions: Whole Phonics books Level 2, Dog on a Log Level 1, Half Pint Books Level B, Bob Books Stage 3, Youkan Reading Series 1 and 2.
- Tip: Blends are two consonants that are next to each other in a word. Kids who have good phonemic awareness and automaticity with letter sounds can sound out most blends.
- Consonant Diagraphs are groups of two consonants that make a single sound.
-ff, -ll, -ss, -CK, -ng/-nk (ing, ank, ong, etc.)
- Book Suggestions: Whole Phonics Levels 2 and 3, Dog on a Log Step 2 and 3, Half Pint Level B, Youkan Reading Series 3.
- Tip: Most kids can read words with the -ff,-ss, -ll, and -ck endings. Spelling them is the tricky part. The NG/NK is a sound that is made by lifting your tongue in the back of your mouth and the sound comes out of your nose. (Say the word “sing” or “honk” and feel what happens at the end.)
Long & Other Vowel Patterns
- Silent E: Dog on a Log Step 5, Half Pint Books Step 15
- Vowel Teams: Half Pint Books Step 15, Dog on a Log Step 9
- R-Controlled: Half Pint Set 18
Multisyllabic Words
- Book Suggestions: Dog on a Log Step 8 and 9