Grab your coffee, friend—let’s chat about decodable books for kindergarten. ☕📚
If you’re teaching a beginning reader, you’ve probably heard about decodable books. Maybe you’ve tried a few already. Maybe you’re wondering if you really need them—or if they’re just another thing to add to your already full homeschool plate.
Honestly, some decodable texts can feel boring or awkward ( “Fun Fran flips, flaps, flops”—is that sentence even?!). Others were so wonky that my daughter stopped mid-sentence to ask, “Mom… what does this mean?”
So let’s take a look at a few different popular homeschool options that make sense and don’t break the bank.
Decodable books are short, phonics-based books written using decodable words—words your child can sound out using the letter-sound knowledge and specific phonics skills they’ve already learned. These early readers are designed to help children apply their new skills in real reading situations.
Rather than guessing or relying on pictures, children are encouraged to decode words using their phonics knowledge. For example, if your child has learned the short vowel sounds (a, i, o) and consonant sounds like m, s, t, p, they might read a sentence like: “Sam sat on a mat.”
These books build confidence and fluency because they:
They’re especially helpful for young learners who need repetition and encouragement to read independently without relying on memorization or guessing.
One of the biggest benefits of decodable text is that it gives your child repeated opportunities to sound out words in context. This is key in early literacy.
Students build stronger reading habits when they:
Think of them as training wheels for reading.
They help young learners connect letter sounds to printed words—one of the most important early literacy skills your child will develop.
Let’s be honest. Some decodable readers make very little sense.
You know the ones:
“The pup did run at Kit.”
“Put it in the vat.”
Have your kids ever used the word vat in real life? Mine hasn’t either.
Relatable stories matter, even for early readers. If the language feels forced or outdated, it’s hard for children to engage with the text—and even harder for us to ask meaningful comprehension questions afterward.
But here’s why I came back around to decodable books: they work—when they’re well-written and used at the right time in your child’s reading journey.
Unlike predictable books (you know, the kind with repeated phrases like “I see the cat,” “I see the dog”), decodable books help children practice the right strategy—sounding out unfamiliar words using their phonics knowledge.
Predictable or leveled texts often rely on memorization, picture clues, or sentence structure. While that might seem helpful early on, it creates habits that can actually get in the way when the pattern disappears.
I saw this firsthand during my time as a reading specialist. We used simple, repetitive text and predictable books for our intervention small groups. My students quickly picked up on the patterns and used the pictures to guess what came next. It looked like they were reading.
But later—when the pattern disappeared and the pictures weren’t as helpful—they hit a wall.
I’d say, “Let’s sound it out,” and they’d stare at me blankly. There was no basic phonics lesson included each day. We hadn’t been practicing phonics-based strategies. We were practicing guessing.
That’s because their brains had built habits around guessing—not decoding.
Research backs this up. As noted in Education Week, experts like Wiley Blevins emphasize that applying phonics skills in connected text helps solidify learning, stating, “When you are teaching phonics, the way to get that learning to stick is to apply it in connected text.”
In a 1985 study, Connie Juel and Diane Roper-Schneider found that the type of text kids read in the early stages of reading instruction shaped the strategies they used later. Students who read decodable text learned to rely on letter-sound knowledge, while those who read leveled or predictable texts relied more on pictures and memory.
Even more compelling? A 2015 Stanford brain imaging study showed that students who learned to decode words activated the same brain regions as skilled adult readers. Students taught to memorize sight words or guess behaved more like non-readers neurologically.
So yes—decodable books for kindergarten might not seem exciting at first, but they’re an essential tool in early literacy. They give our children a strong foundation for decoding unfamiliar words and building long-term reading confidence.
And the best part? Once your child can sound out a whole story on their own, without relying on pictures or patterns—they’ll know they’re really reading. And so will you. 💛
When choosing the best decodable books for kindergarten students, I always look for a few key features. Just because a book is labeled “decodable” doesn’t mean it’s automatically a good fit. Here’s what I’ve learned to watch for:
Key Features of a Great Decodable Reader:
✔️ It Makes Sense
The story should be understandable and use vocabulary kids actually hear in conversation. If the sentence is so odd that even I raise my eyebrows, it’s not going to help my child comprehend or connect.
✔️ It’s Mostly Decodable
There’s no magic percentage, but the majority of words should align with your child’s phonics instruction. A few high-frequency words are fine, but most of the text should be readable based on letter sounds and specific phonics skills.
✔️ It’s Interesting!
Yes, even a decodable story can be fun. It helps if your child sees themselves in the text—maybe a character they relate to, an animal they love, or a little adventure. Especially since we often read these stories multiple times for fluency!
If your child can’t relate to the story, they’ll lose interest quickly. And while it’s important to practice decoding, sprinkling in some familiar high-frequency words can help maintain the natural rhythm of reading. A good decodable book balances both—so kids feel like real readers, not just phonics robots.
One of the best ways to build fluency is through repeated reading. When a child reads the same decodable passage multiple times:
That’s why it’s so important the stories make sense and feel engaging. We want kids to want to read them again—not dread them. A strong decodable book builds early literacy and fosters joy in the process.
Best for: Absolute beginners who need simple, short, and phonetically consistent stories
Bob Books are kind of the OG when it comes to decodable readers. You’ll find them at libraries, bookstores, and homeschool shelves everywhere. We started with Set 1: Beginning Readers, which focuses on CVC words and short vowels. The sets build slowly, adding in blends, word families, and eventually long vowels and compound words.
What we liked:
What didn’t work for us:
Bottom line: Great starter books if you’re looking for something free of distractions, especially for very early readers who are just beginning to blend CVC words. But you may want to supplement with more engaging books for repeated reading.
Best for: Homeschool families looking for structured practice with beautiful illustrations and engaging themes
We used the Kindergarten Reading Booster A Books because they were part of our co-op’s curriculum. And honestly? I was impressed. The stories were colorful, sweet, and much more interesting to my daughter.
Each boxed set is aligned with the phonics instruction in their program and builds slowly, just like the Bob Books—but with more charm and variety. And if you’re on a budget, you can download all the Booster A books for free from their website!
What we liked:
What didn’t work for us:
Bottom line: These are probably our favorite decodable readers to date. If you want your child to enjoy repeated readings, this is a great set to try.
Best for: Building confidence and fluency in children who are starting to read short passages more independently
All About Reading is a well-loved program that teaches systematic phonics, and their Level 1 readers are included in that package. Even though we didn’t stick with the full AAR curriculum (those fluency sheets were a bit much for us), I’m so glad we circled back to the decodable readers later.
Titles like Run, Bug, Run!, The Runt Pig, and Cobweb the Cat are packed with decodable words, tied closely to new phonics elements, and beautifully illustrated in a way that feels gentle and inviting—not overwhelming for young learners.
These books became a favorite for independent reading in our home. Each night before bed, my daughter would choose a story and read it aloud to me. She was able to read without help—and that sense of accomplishment was a huge confidence boost.
What we liked:
What didn’t work for us:
Bottom line: These are a solid pick for homeschoolers who want decodable passages that stick closely to a clear phonics sequence. Even if you’re not using All About Reading as your main curriculum, the readers are worth adding to your shelf.
Best for: Visual learners and kids who benefit from real-world connections and conversation-style text
These are new on the scene, and I’m just starting to use them with tutoring students—but I already love the real photos and conversational style. The stories feel more like a shared reading experience than a phonics drill. One example from the book Jog has the parent read, “What’s a good way to get exercise?” and the child decodes the answer: jog.
Simple text, yes—but great for giving your child confidence early on.
What we liked:
What to consider:
Bottom line: A strong choice if your child is motivated by visual learning or needs more natural-sounding stories. I’m excited to use them more this summer with my tutoring students.
When you’re homeschooling a beginning reader, having a plan—and keeping things simple—can make a huge difference. Decodable readers are powerful, but how you use them matters just as much as which books you choose. Here are a few of my favorite best practices:
You don’t need to spend a fortune to build a strong decodable library for your homeschool. In fact, there are some wonderful free resorand printable resources available online.
Here are a few of my favorites to get you started:
📚 The Good and the Beautiful You can download their entire Reading Booster A Books set for free. These are beautifully illustrated, phonics-aligned, and ideal for beginning readers.
📄 Flyleaf Publishing Flyleaf offers free sample decodable books online. These are great for early readers and include comprehension questions for discussion.
📘 UFLI Foundations Created by the University of Florida Literacy Institute, these printable decodable passages and phonics practice sheets are a fantastic supplement to any curriculum.
🌐 Laura Leigh Vance (that’s me!)I’m working on a free reading guide to help you choose the right decodable readers for your child’s level. Stay tuned—I’ll be sharing that soon!
Decodable books for kindergarten may not always be flashy, but they are one of the most essential tools we have as homeschool parents. When we give our kids consistent, meaningful practice with phonics-based texts, we’re setting them up for real reading success—not just for now, but for later grades, too.
They’re especially helpful for beginning readers who are still solidifying their phonics knowledge and building confidence with letter sounds and unfamiliar words. When kids practice decoding in controlled, purposeful ways, their fluency grows—and so does their joy in reading.
Every time you sit beside your child and sound out a word together, you’re not just teaching them to read—you’re building a lifelong skill. The beauty of decodable books is that they meet kids where they are, reinforce what they’ve already learned, and help them take the next step.
That’s why so many of us return to them again and again in our homeschool journey.
No matter which books you choose—Bob Books, All About Reading, The Good and the Beautiful, or free printable passages—what matters most is that your child is learning in a way that’s supportive and at their pace.
So grab that cup of coffee, curl up on the couch, and cheer your child on as they sound out their next story.💛
Decodable books are written using phonics patterns children have already learned. They allow beginning readers to sound out most words using letter-sound knowledge, supporting phonemic awareness and early literacy development.
Decodable readers encourage children to use phonics skills to decode words. Leveled texts rely on memorization, picture clues, and patterns, which can lead to guessing rather than true reading.
Free decodable books for kindergarten include The Good and the Beautiful’s Reading Booster A books, Flyleaf Publishing’s sample readers, and UFLI Foundations’ printable phonics passages.
Yes. Research shows that using decodable text alongside explicit phonics instruction helps build strong decoding skills. It’s one of the most effective ways to support beginning readers
Use them as long as your child is still mastering phonics patterns and learning to decode. Once they’re reading fluently and independently, you can begin to introduce more complex and varied texts.
