Decodable Book Series
96 books. 8 sets. Built for the way Montessori teaches reading.
Beautiful. Rigorous. Justice-aligned. These are stories designed to build voice, confidence, and agency — not just decoding skills.
8 sets · 96 books · complete phonics progression
The Standard
What makes a book truly decodable?
A decodable book is not just “simple text.” It is intentionally designed to align with a child’s developing phonics knowledge.
Phonics Alignment
- —Follows a clear, systematic scope and sequence (e.g., CVC → digraphs → blends)
- —Matches the child's current phonetic knowledge — no skipping ahead
- —Prioritizes high-frequency sound-spellings before introducing complex patterns
Limited Irregular Words
- —Early texts include very few irregular ("heart") words
- —Words like the or said are introduced intentionally — not randomly
Cumulative Progression
- —Each new skill builds on what has already been mastered
- —Previously learned patterns are repeated to build automaticity
Montessori-Aligned Design
- —Clean, uncluttered pages
- —Realistic, meaningful content
- —Topics grounded in the child's world — nature, practical life, community
What to Avoid
- ×Predictable or repetitive guessing patterns ("I see a ___")
- ×Mixed or inconsistent phonics patterns
- ×Texts that encourage guessing instead of decoding
The Science of Reading
Why decodability matters — especially in Montessori.
When children know they can read the words before them, they stop guessing and start believing they can. That's the power of decodability — it turns decoding into confidence.
The science of reading is clear: children learn to read most reliably through systematic phonics instruction paired with decodable text. Montessori has always taught phonics systematically. What was missing were books worthy of that rigor — books that were also beautiful, culturally honest, and built for children whose lives extend far beyond the white suburban classroom.
We're not the lowest cost per book — and that's intentional. Montessori Makers Learning isn't just about phonics; it's about literacy as liberation.
What makes this series different
The Series
Eight sets. A complete phonics progression.
A complete, phonics-aligned progression across 96 decodable books — from first sounds to advanced patterns.
Set 1 — CVC Words
$79
The foundation. Children meet short-vowel CVC words in stories grounded in everyday community life. Every word is fully decodable from the first page.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 2 — Digraphs
$99
ch, sh, th, wh, and ph in context. Characters navigate friendship, school, and community — language that mirrors real children's lives.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 3 — Blends
$259
Initial and final blends introduced gradually. Stories expand into neighborhood and family contexts, keeping meaning at the center.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 4 — Endings
$49
Word endings and suffixes in context. Stories build on familiar characters and settings, adding grammatical complexity and depth.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 5 — Long Vowel Patterns
$55
Silent-e and vowel teams. Sentences grow longer; stories grow richer. Children experience the satisfaction of reading more complex text they can still fully decode.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 6 — R-Controlled Vowels
$49
ar, er, ir, or, ur patterns. Stories move into wider community contexts — libraries, markets, parks — with characters doing meaningful work.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 7 — Multisyllabic Words
$135
Longer narratives, multi-part stories, and characters whose agency and voice carry the arc. Children build the stamina for sustained reading.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Set 8 — Advanced Phonics Patterns
$135
All patterns in integrated, fluent prose. Children experience reading as a full act of comprehension, agency, and connection — not decoding practice.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Complete Series
Full Series — 96 books — $899
Best value for full classroom or school implementation.
Physical books. Ships within 5–7 business days.
Justice Alignment
“Beautiful. Rigorous. Justice-aligned. These are stories designed to build voice, confidence, and agency — not just decoding skills.”
Literacy is not neutral. Who children see in books — and whether they are portrayed with dignity — shapes what they believe is possible.
Stories about real community experiences.
Across all 96 books, children encounter characters that reflect the full range of human community: families from varied cultural backgrounds, neighborhoods that look like real cities and towns, and stories where children exercise agency and voice.
Each set was reviewed not only for phonics accuracy, but for cultural accuracy, representational dignity, and the quality of the stories themselves.
From the Field
“In forty years of Montessori practice, I've never had a decodable series that honored both the science and the child. These books do both. My guides pick them up and immediately understand what sequence to follow. Children pick them up and want to keep reading. That is extraordinarily rare.”
Sandra Worcester
40+ Year Montessori Professional
Pricing
Priced by set. Full series and bulk ordering available.
Sets are available individually or as a complete series. Physical and digital editions are sold separately. School and multi-classroom bulk pricing is available upon request.
Set 1 — CVC Words
10 titles
Set 2 — Digraphs
10 titles
Set 3 — Blends
30 titles
Set 4 — Endings
5 titles
Set 5 — Long Vowel Patterns
6 titles
Set 6 — R-Controlled Vowels
5 titles
Set 7 — Multisyllabic Words
15 titles
Set 8 — Advanced Phonics Patterns
15 titles
Full Series — 96 books
Best value for full classroom or school implementation
Bulk / School Orders
Volume pricing available for multi-classroom orders
Classroom Checklist
Classroom Alignment Checklist for Phonics + Decodable Text
Use this to evaluate whether your classroom library truly supports decoding development.
Do my classroom libraries include books that match the phonics skills already taught?
Are most texts between 85–95% decodable?
Have I identified which books are not decodable and clarified their purpose?
Do families understand what "decodable" actually means?
Do I have enough decodable texts for small groups and independent reading?
Are tricky words (e.g., the, said, was) introduced intentionally?
Am I observing whether children are decoding… or guessing?
Why This Matters
Children need practice with exactly what they've been taught
Confidence grows when success is built into the text
Families stay aligned instead of confused by mixed reading approaches
Access matters — repetition builds fluency
Our decodable book series is designed to meet every one of these conditions.
In the Classroom
How to use these books in your classroom.
Before Reading
- —Ensure the child has been introduced to the phonics patterns in the text
- —Preview any sight or tricky words intentionally
- —Set the expectation: we are decoding, not guessing
During Reading
- —Encourage children to sound out unfamiliar words
- —Support — but don't rescue — productive struggle
- —Avoid prompting based on pictures or context clues
After Reading
- —Discuss meaning to support comprehension
- —Revisit tricky words through writing or follow-up work
- —Re-read texts to build fluency and confidence
Why It Works
The importance of re-reading.
Re-reading is not repetition for its own sake — it is how fluency is built. Repeated exposure allows children to strengthen phonics patterns, increase automatic word recognition, and transition from decoding to fluent reading.
As children experience success with familiar texts, they build both confidence and independence. That confidence is what carries them into harder texts.
Tips for Success
Consistency matters
Short, regular reading sessions are more effective than long, infrequent ones.
Celebrate progress
Confidence drives engagement. Name what children can do, not just what's next.
Integrate across modes
Connect reading, writing, and speaking for deeper learning and retention.
FAQ
Common questions.
What sets are included?
The series contains 8 sets totaling 96 books. Each set targets a specific phonics pattern or skill cluster and is aligned to the Montessori reading materials sequence. Sets range from 5 to 30 books depending on the breadth of patterns covered.
Are these physical books?
Yes — and digital. Physical books are printed on quality stock with full-color illustration. Digital editions are available as high-resolution PDFs, ideal for schools using tablets or projecting in small groups. Both formats are available through the store.
How do they align to the Montessori materials?
Each set maps to the same sequence a child would progress through with the Montessori reading materials — from the pink series through the blue, green, and beyond. Guides don't need to cross-reference a scope and sequence; the series is the sequence.
Can we order single sets or do we need all 96 books?
Sets are available individually. Schools often begin with Sets 1–3 and add as children advance. Bulk pricing is available for full-series orders. Contact us for school and multi-classroom orders.
Ready to bring the series into your classroom or school?