Phonics Books

Why it worksThe first book in a decodable series by Julia Donaldson. It uses only the sounds a child has already been taught, managing to pack in a joke and an ending despite the strict constraints.

Worth knowingSince Level 1+ is for the very first term of Reception, confident readers will find this far too easy. Better to move up the Songbirds levels instead.

Why it worksDesigned for the earliest stage of reading, this book focuses on the essential skill of blending sounds together. It uses a few Set 1 sounds and simple pictures to help children learn to say words out loud, which is the vital foundation for everything that follows.

Worth knowingThe Book Bag Books are supplements to school teaching and are the part of the RWI scheme you can actually buy. Check which color ladder your child is on at school before purchasing.

Why it worksA teaching tool rather than a storybook, this focuses on sound practice. Children find letters and sounds hidden in busy scenes, repeating the sound every time they make a discovery.

Worth knowingThese are sold to schools in packs, making individual home copies expensive and hard to find. For home use, the "Read with Oxford" line is the consumer version.

Why it worksA shared reading book where adults read the left-hand page and children read the right. The child's pages are restricted to sounds they have already learned, allowing for a fun, space-themed story.

Worth knowingThis is a fifteen-book sequence that works best read in order. It is a phonics-based extra for home practice rather than a substitute for a school scheme.

Why it worksA Phase 5 decodable book matched to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme. The story features an author's touch to make learning the alternative spellings of common sounds much more engaging for children in Year 1.

Worth knowingOnly worth buying if your school uses Little Wandle. Note that the phase numbering and Collins' color bands are different systems.

Why it worksThis pack contains six decodable stories covering Phonics Sets 1 to 3, designed for ages 4-5. It includes a parent guide that explains the phonics sets and an activity book to help support learning at home.

Worth knowingCovers the first three sets only, which is a few weeks of Reception. You will likely need Packs 2 and 3 to continue the sequence.

Why it worksA collection of seven stages of phonics books for beginning readers. This bindup uses a very tight control of the alphabet code, ensuring that even at Stage 1, children can read every word they see.

Worth knowingThese are decoding tools, not stories. The illustrations are functional and there is little plot at the earlier stages, so they should be used alongside picture books.

Why it worksA collection of twelve small, fold-out books that use the sounds taught in the Jolly Phonics scheme. Each book features a flap that reveals the answer, giving children immediate satisfaction as they decode words using the specific letter sounds they've learned.

Worth knowingJolly Phonics teaches sounds in an order that may differ from the Letters and Sounds phase used in many English schools. Check with the school before using it as a primary scheme.

Why it worksA collection of stories from the popular Oxford Reading Tree scheme. It includes both decodable phonics books and "First Stories," allowing children to practice sounding out words before moving to fuller stories.

Worth knowingWith covers looking nearly identical, always check the spine for the level. Jumping to Level 4 before a child is ready for Level 1 can be really discouraging. Check your school's ORT stages to match these correctly.

Why it worksA 48-page primer designed to teach children how to say letter sounds correctly. It focuses on "pure" sounds rather than letter names, helping to prevent common pronunciation mistakes that can make later phonics harder.

Worth knowingA workbook with no story or pleasure reading; it is meant as preparation for decodable readers.

Why it worksA phonics workbook that uses Peppa Pig characters to engage children who might resist traditional workbooks. It covers single letter sounds, digraphs, and blending in the same sequence as standard phonics schemes.

Worth knowingThis is for practice, not reading; there are no stories to decode. Check that you are not buying near-identical Peppa titles.

Why it worksThis level 1 book moves beyond single letters to focus on vowel spellings like ai and ay. It uses a continuous story to help children practice these specific sounds until they become automatic.

Worth knowingAssumes single-letter sounds are already secure. It is recommended to start with the Launchers if there is any doubt.

Why it worksSeven write-in workbooks covering the full sequence of the Jolly Phonics scheme, from the first six sounds through to all forty-two sounds and digraphs. They provide a structured way to practice handwriting and letter-sound recognition in the order the scheme teaches them.

Worth knowingThese are workbooks, not stories. There is no re-read value once the pages are filled in, so they should be paired with actual decodable readers.

Why it worksA longer collection for older early readers where the magic key stories move into more significant plots. These books are designed for children who have moved past sounding out every single word.

Worth knowingThis book is much longer than it appears. Since new decoders lose stamina quickly, stick to one story per session rather than trying to finish it all at once.

Why it worksA large collection of thirty-six books covering stages 1 to 4. This set solves the problem of children quickly moving through levels by providing a large volume of books at the right stage.

Worth knowingBecause these are bundled rather than a single edition, packaging and contents can vary. Also, note that thirty-six thin books don't exactly sit well on a standard shelf.

Why it worksAdventure books written for older children who are still working on their decoding skills. These books offer a fantasy quest with real peril, providing a more mature narrative than typical early readers.

Worth knowingAimed at struggling and catch-up readers; fluent six-year-olds may find the sentences oddly clipped.