Bright illustrations, silly situations, and a sense of continuity and rigor in skill-building are the hallmarks of a successful decodable series. Whether you’re looking for large, sequenced sets, or stand-alone titles designed to practice specific skills, you’ll find plenty of options this season.

Elementary

Daffodil Hill. Ants.
––––. Big Cats.
––––. Birds.
––––. Buzz with Bees.
––––. Cows.
––––. Deer.
––––. Dogs at Work.
––––. Goats.
––––. Hens and Chicks.
––––. Horses.
––––. Let’s Hang with Bats.
––––. Let’s Swim with Whales!
––––. Moles.
––––. Moths.
––––. Owls.
––––. Pigs.
––––. Rats.
––––. Run, Fox!
––––. Sharks.
––––. Sheep.
––––. Sloths.
––––. Slugs.
––––. Snakes.
––––. Spot the Stick Bugs!
––––. Squid in the Sea.
––––. Swim, Fish, Swim.
––––. Swing, Chimp!
––––. Toads.
––––. Will You Pet a Skunk?
––––. Worms in the Dirt.
ea vol: 7p. (Purposeful Practice Nonfiction Animal Decodables for Grade 1 & Early Grade 2: Single Syllable Milestones). Daffodil Hill Pr. Aug. 2025. set: pap. $195. ISBN 9798889053460
K-Gr 3–Each book in this animal-themed set opens with a 16-square vocabulary grid. The set contains books on two levels. The titles aimed at newer readers focus on blends and digraphs, short vowels, and silent e words. Facts about each animal span seven pages, with two-to-three short sentences or exclamations (“Look!”) per page. As readers progress, the books’ sentences grow in length and complexity, focusing on decoding r-controlled vowels, long vowel patterns, and advanced vowel patterns. Focus skills are less apparent in these titles, which also include inset photo captions and vocabulary definitions. Illustrations in both levels are outstanding; remarkable stock photos, embellished or collaged digitally, are vivid and sometimes arresting. Expect some “Wow!” moments that motivate readers to dig into the text to find out what’s going on in the picture, whether it’s a toad caught in the act of sucking up an earthworm, or a fish with giant, sharp teeth. Another appealing aspect of the set is its inclusion of a handful of animals that aren’t on the standard list of nonfiction reading for this age group—skunks, slugs, moles, and squid, for example. VERDICT Photographic illustrations will hook readers into the informative decodable text, a design that holds appeal not just for the youngest readers but also for struggling students in late second and even third grade.

Daffodil Hill. Art in the Park.
––––. At the Zoo.
––––. The Big Goal.
––––. The Bird House.
––––. The Boat Ride.
––––. The Bounce House.
––––. The Bread Fest.
––––. The Claw Game.
––––. The Clay Shop.
––––. Clean Up Day.
––––. The Crab Boil.
––––. Fireflies.
––––. A Game of Cards.
––––. Glen and Gran Bake a Pie.
––––. Glen Cooks for Gran.
––––. Glen’s Baby Brother.
––––. The Herb Garden.
––––. Hope and Chase Take a Bow.
––––. Jade in the Dark.
––––. Kit Sneaks a Taste.
––––. Lunch at the Shore.
––––. May’s Big Race.
––––. Reed Draws.
––––. Spot the Birds!
––––. The Storm.
––––. The Stray Cat.
––––. Tortillas.
––––. The Worm.
––––. Yoon Picks a Toy.
––––. Yoon’s New Boots.
ea vol: 4p. (Bit By Bit Instructional Decodables Collection 3). Daffodil Hill Pr. Oct. 2025. set: pap. $120. ISBN 9798889051411.
K-Gr 2–The final Bit by Bit collection consists of three 10-book sets designed to hone the skills of decoding advanced vowel spellings, long vowel patterns, and r-controlled vowels. Though stories remain short at four pages each, the texts are longer and more complex than the previous two collections, with three-to five-lines on each page. Readers will appreciate the sense of silliness achieved within the limits of the vocabulary. Character illustrations include diversity in race and ability. VERDICT Teachers who have found success with “Bit by Bit” collections 1 and 2 should strongly consider adding this final collection to their toolkits.

Daffodil Hill. At Camp.
––––. At the Vet.
––––. Blocks.
––––. The Box.
––––. The Bug.
––––. Can You See It?
––––. Cat.
––––. Cat’s Bath.
––––. Cats and Dogs.
––––. Check the List.
––––. Crabs.
––––. The Ducks.
––––. Frogs.
––––. Go Fish.
––––. The Gum.
––––. Hop! Buzz! Run!
––––. In a Rush.
––––. Jax and Jon.
––––. Let’s Dress Up!
––––. Let’s Go.
––––. Liz in Bed.
––––. Mud.
––––. On a Jet.
––––. Pugs.
––––. Rocks.
––––. The Sand.
––––. Ted and His Pig Pen.
––––. Which Bug?
––––. Which Dog?
––––. Yuck! Yum!
ea vol: 8p. (Purposeful Practice Mixed Genre Decodables for Kindergarten and Early Grade 1: CVC, Blends, and Digraphs). Daffodil Hill Pr. Mar. 2025. set: pap. $250. ISBN 9798889052555.
PreS-Gr 1–In this series that combines fiction and nonfiction titles, each book has seven pages of decodable content and begins with a grid of 16 practice words from the text. Focus skills for the set are blends, digraphs, and CVC words. The fiction volumes include a diverse representation of race and ability among human characters. Some stories have the same characters, allowing readers to use the illustrations and their knowledge from previous books in the set to help them decode names. (A few characters are also familiar from the publisher’s “Bit by Bit” decodable collections.) Where the set really shines is in the nonfiction titles. The strongest books are interactive with bright, appealing illustrations. Which Bug? shows readers a group of insects and invites them to “tap” ones with specific qualities. Check the List takes kids grocery shopping and lets them “spot” items on shelves and “get” the ones that appear on the grocery list. A subset of nonfiction titles boasts energetic blends of digital graphics and photographs, leveling up the visual interest. VERDICT If you’re looking for more early nonfiction decodables with well-designed illustrations, start here.

Daffodil Hill. At the Bake Shop.
––––. At the Rink.
––––. The Ball.
––––. The Bee Sting.
––––. The Big Game.
––––. Block Time.
––––. The Brides.
––––. A Day at the Playground.
––––. Do Not Bug Me!
––––. The Flat Tire.
––––. A Game of Chess.
––––. A Gift from Gran.
––––. A Glass of Milk.
––––. Glen’s Big Day.
––––. The Good Hike.
––––. Ice Pops.
––––. Jade Gets Her Cake.
––––. The Jump Rope.
––––. Kim at Camp.
––––. The Last Page.
––––. The Little Bird.
––––. Liz and Rex Have Lunch.
––––. The Long Ride.
––––. The Pond.
––––. The Race.
––––. The Skunk at Camp.
––––. The Sled.
––––. The Splash Pad.
––––. A Spot to Hide.
––––. A Trip to the Beach.
ea vol: 4p. (Bit by Bit Instructional Decodables Collection 2). Daffodil Hill Pr. Dec. 2025. set: pap. $120. ISBN 9798889051404.
K-Gr 2–Collection 2 continues the progressive model of the first “Bit by Bit” collection, adding two-syllable words and dialogue in longer sentences. Phonics skills include advanced blends and digraphs and the vowel-consonant-e pattern. Characters from the first collection reappear here in similarly structured sets of four-page stories, lending a sense of continuity and familiarity to readers’ experience. VERDICT Use in conjunction with the entire “Bit by Bit” set for a smooth sequence of decoding skills practice.

Daffodil Hill. Buzz!
––––. A Can of Pop.
––––. Can Rat Get It?
––––. Cat in the Box.
––––. Cat Naps.
––––. The Cups.
––––. Dip That Chip!
––––. The Dog Run.
––––. In the Bath.
––––. In the Cab.
––––. It Is Hot.
––––. Jax In My Bed.
––––. Jon and Kit Play Tag.
––––. Jon and Sis.
––––. Kim Plays Ball.
––––. Lin and Baby Sis.
––––. Liz and Rex Go Fish.
––––. Liz and the Box.
––––. Liz is Sick.
––––. Max and Cat.
––––. The Moth.
––––. My Pal Jax.
––––. Off to the Shop.
––––. Pug and the Mud.
––––. Pug in the Shop.
––––. Rat Ran.
––––. Rat’s Big Mess.
––––. Tacos.
––––. Too Big.
––––. The Wish.
ea vol: 4p. (Bit by Bit Instructional Decodables Collection 1). Daffodil Hill Pr. Mar. 2025. set: pap. $120. ISBN 9798889051398.
PreS-Gr 1–In this no-frills sequence-opening collection, 10 sets of three books contain one four-page story in each title. Each set loosely focuses practice on a short vowel, suffix, or digraph. Sets incorporate skills from previous volumes in a progressive model, concluding with a final trio of stories consolidating all skills. Recurring characters keep readers engaged as they move through the sequence of stories, which are told almost entirely in one-syllable words. Color illustrations are reminiscent of those found in the BOB Books sets. VERDICT Teachers will find these useful as continuing practice for earliest readers.

Minden, Cecilia. At Recess. illus. by Sharon Sordo. ISBN 9781668961865.
––––. Bud. illus. by Lucy Neale. ISBN 9781668961872.
––––. Climb Up. illus. by Rachael McLean. ISBN 9781668961889.
––––. Dad and Cam. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668961896.
––––. Dot the Pig. illus. by Lucy Neale. ISBN 9781668961902.
––––. In the Library. illus. by Tina Finn. ISBN 9781668961919.
––––. Let’s Play Tag. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668961926.
––––. The Lost Pen. illus. by Tina Finn. ISBN 9781668961957.
––––. Our Van. illus. by Sharon Sordo. ISBN 9781668961933.
––––. Red the Hen. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668961940.
ea vol: 16p. (Budding Blossom Stories). Cherry Blossom Pr. Aug. 2025. pap. $11.36.
PreS-Gr 1–This series is the starting point for the publisher’s extensive decodables sequence, authored by a former director of Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Language and Literacy program. Each title is a 13-page story consisting of 40-55 words total, mostly in the CVC pattern. Inside the back of each book, teachers and parents will find a list of the initial consonant sounds and high frequency words being practiced in that volume, along with the entire text of the story on one page for reference. Cheerful, brightly toned illustrations accompany heavily repeated phrases. VERDICT A solid addition to classrooms, schools, or public libraries serving very beginning readers.

Minden, Cecilia. Bridge and Dutch. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668962671.
––––. Grace at the Race. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668962688.
––––. Gwen’s Song. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668962695.
––––. Knox Ties Knots. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668962701.
––––. Page on Stage. illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668962718.
––––. Sky’s Lost Kite. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668962725.
––––. Where Is Phil’s Phone? illus. by Nadia Gunawan. ISBN 9781668962732.
––––. Who Can Find the Most? illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668962749.
ea vol: 16p. (Little Blossom Stories). Cherry Blossom Pr. Aug. 2025. pap. $11.36.
K-Gr 2–Building on the “Budding Blossom” set from the same publisher, this set focuses practice on consonant trigraphs and digraphs. Interesting, realistic tales of about 60–110 words end with a reference list of specific sight words and digraphs/trigraphs in the book and a page with the full text of the story at a glance. Relationships between kids and their adult family members really shine in this collection: an uncle teaches his nephew how to tie knots; a grandmother shares songs from her past with her singing-obsessed granddaughter; and a little girl flies a kite with her dad. Illustrations are soft, friendly, and easy to interpret, providing visual clues for decoding words. VERDICT With this set, the publisher cements its early literacy sequence as a strong entry into the decodable books category.

Scully, Elizabeth. Baylee Likes to Cheer. ISBN 9781668964170.
––––. Fishing For a Prize. ISBN 9781668964156.
––––. On a Flight. ISBN 9781668964187.
––––. Rose and Her Goat. ISBN 9781668964194.
––––. The School Trip. ISBN 9781668964200.
––––. The Stray Cat. ISBN 9781668964163.
ea vol: illus. by Laura Gomez. 24p. (In Bloom). Cherry Blossom Pr. Aug. 2025. Tr $32.07.
K-Gr 2–Building on the “Budding Blossom” and “Little Blossom” collections, this third set of decodable books adds a focus on more complex vowel skills, including vowel teams and words with a silent e. As with books in the previous sets, each of these titles ends with a single-page view of the entire text of the story and a list of the sight words and vowel patterns being rehearsed. The realistic, mostly relatable stories are 21 pages long and have three chapters each, amounting to about 150-190 words in OpenDyslexic font. Despite engaging, colorful illustrations, this final set is not quite as strong as the previous two sets. VERDICT Recommended for those trying to fill out a broad collection of phonics decodables, or where more simple, decodable chapter books are in demand.

Wilson, Clair. Phonic Books Sun Cats Graphic Novel: Sounds of the Alphabet. illus. by Cynthia Paul. 64p. (Phonic Books Catch-Up Decodable Readers). DK. Oct. 2025. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9798217125913.
K-Gr 3–This graphic novel contains eight seven-page chapters, all about a set of skateboarding friends and a skate park cat. Each chapter opens with a two-line set-up designed to be read aloud by a teacher or parent to help prime the student reader for decoding the upcoming text. The book includes a “how to read this book” section at the front, useful for parents who feel a little at sea about assisting in their child’s literacy efforts. Also at the beginning is a visual character chart, a list of decoding skills readers will encounter in each chapter, and a list of high-frequency words in the text. Back matter includes a discussion question for each chapter and three more general questions about the book. The magic of a great decodable happens when an author manages to use an extremely limited vocabulary—in this case, one-syllable CVC words—to tell a high-interest story. This volume achieves just that, offering brief-but-continuous narrative episodes that will appeal to brand new readers as well as slightly older students with reading difficulties. VERDICT Highly recommended for not-quite-beginning readers whose skill level can be tricky to match with engaging content appealing to their age group.

Upper Elementary to Middle School

Cardell, Eleanor. Pompeii. ISBN 9780593962701.
Smoka-Richardson, Rachel. Crashed. ISBN 9780593962725.
ea vol: illus. by Robert Ball. 144p. (Against the Odds). DK. Jul. 2025. Tr $14.99.
Gr 4-6–These books focus on morphology: root/base words and prefixes/suffixes. Each title opens with an explanation of word structures, intended to be read by an adult to a child reader, as well as a vocabulary list. They close with discussion questions and a brief overview of the true events behind the stories. These historical fiction titles read like authentic texts; readers won’t suspect the practice they’re getting in decoding words. In Pompeii, spirited, athletic Fabia and her twin brother, who uses a crutch, must escape the city on foot when Mt. Vesuvius erupts. Crashed offers three fictional accounts of real-life aviation disasters. Rich storytelling and character development make these a pleasure. Subject matter and length will appeal to fans of “I Survived.” VERDICT An excellent choice for older elementary students who face academic struggles with reading.