FAQ's

Decodable books are books that are specifically designed to help children practice reading by using phonetic patterns they have already learned. These books gradually introduce new sounds and words in a way that reinforces previously taught skills. Unlike traditional storybooks, which may have many irregular words, decodable books rely on phonics rules, so children can sound out most of the words.

Yes! Every book contains a section dedicated to sight words and tricky words. Even if a book doesn’t contain these words, we include them for consistency so children can practice them in every text they read. This ensures that they build familiarity with these high-frequency words, which can often be irregular and need to be recognized by sight rather than sounding them out.

When using decodable books, it's important to follow some best practices to ensure the child gets the most benefit. Here's a general approach to consider:

• Show the child how to navigate the books, by color and number so that they can have autonomy when choosing the next book in the sequence. 

• Start with simple books: Begin with books that focus on simpler phonetic patterns, such as CVC words. This helps build confidence.

• Sound it out together: Encourage the child to decode words by sounding them out. Don't rush them—let them take their time.

• Use repetition: Re-read books often. Repetition helps reinforce phonics patterns and aids in fluency. This is something you or your assistant can take on.

• Focus on one skill at a time: When introducing a new book, make sure the phonics skill being practiced (such as blends or digraphs) is one your child is ready for.

• Provide encouragement and support: Celebrate the attempts and progress, whether they get the word right or need a little help. Positive reinforcement encourages their reading journey.

• Point out tricky words: When the child encounters a word that doesn't follow phonics rules, point it out and explain its irregularities. Over time, these words will become more familiar.

Yes! While many decodable books start with basic phonics patterns (such as CVC words), our collection includes books that cover more advanced skills, including r-controlled vowels, multisyllabic words, and complex phonics patterns like long vowels, digraphs, and blends. These advanced books help children continue building their skills once they’ve mastered the basics.

No, but a fair amount do. These books are written so they are based in reality, the Montessori child's reality. So, some of the storylines occur in the classroom. Other storylines are about real things that happen in real places. We center reality and the experience of the older Primary child/younger Elementary child, because those are the children who we expect to be utilizing these books. The early books have items like rug work and sound games come up, while in later books, we are covering ideas like moving up the next level, going on field trips, and the elementary classroom. There is also a fair amount of the sciences within these books. 

We offer 96 decodable books across 8 sets. These sets are organized by phonics skill levels, such as CVC words, digraphs, blends, long vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels, multisyllabic words, and advanced phonics patterns. The books in each set vary in length and difficulty. Some sets have as few as 5 books (like the r-controlled vowels set), while others, such as the blends set, have up to 30 books.

Children are typically ready for decodable books after they have mastered basic phonemic awareness, such as identifying and manipulating individual sounds, and can recognize letter sounds. Generally, this occurs around the time they can blend sounds to read simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. If the Phonetic Object Box has been introduced, they are likely ready. Decodable books are meant to build on this knowledge and gradually introduce more complex skills.

Research shows that using decodable texts significantly boosts early literacy by providing systematic and controlled exposure to phonics skills. According to the National Reading Panel (2000), explicit instruction in phonics, followed by practice with decodable texts, is critical for developing strong reading skills. Decodable books support the development of:

• Word recognition: Through repetitive exposure to phonetic patterns and sight words.

• Fluency: With practice, children become faster and more confident readers.

• Comprehension: As children master decoding, they can focus more on understanding what they read.

By using decodable books, you help children gain the skills they need to transition to reading more complex texts with greater ease and enjoyment.

As a child becomes more proficient with basic phonics skills, you can gradually introduce books that focus on more advanced patterns. Look for signs that your child can handle these challenges, such as:

• Successfully decoding simple words

• Showing confidence in recognizing and reading sight words

• Being able to blend sounds smoothly without much prompting

Start with books that focus on specific advanced phonics patterns and check their comfort level. If they are struggling, it might be a sign to revisit simpler texts or focus on reviewing specific skills.

Absolutely not. After working in primary and elementary classrooms for decades and realizing that while I could easily support some children with the materials that I learned in my albums, there were some children who needed more. I got Orton Gillingham trained. I hired and learned from literacy specialists. I bought every early literacy book I could get my hands on. I learned about the Science of Reading and that decodable books could really make an impact for children. I also learned that all decodable books are not the same. Recognizing that there were not many decodable text sets out there that didn't focus on fantasy tales and flat story lines, I decided to write a set of my own, and this is the outcome. 96 texts that are written for Montessori children, by a Montessorian.