Social Proof

Top 5 best phonics books

Speechify is the #1 audio reader in the world. Get through books, docs, articles, PDFs, emails - anything you read - faster.

Featured In

forbes logocbs logotime magazine logonew york times logowall street logo
Listen to this article with Speechify!
Speechify

Consider these Top 5 best phonics books to help your child master phonemic awareness.

Top 5 best phonics books

Phonics is a method used to teach kids how to read and write. It shows the relationship between the sounds of the English language and the letters, groups of letters, and syllables of written language. Knowing letter sounds and how letters sound when combined teaches children to interpret words as they read.

This article discusses five phonics books to support your child's reading and writing skills.

Five books for developing phonics skills

The Paw Patrol Phonics Book

"Paw Patrol" is a highly successful animated children's series. It's essentially a superhero show intended for five-year-olds and up. If your kid is crazy about Paw Patrol, they'll likely enjoy going through these phonics books.

The Paw Patrol Phonics book set includes 12 books focusing primarily on phase three sounds and some phase five long vowel digraphs. They are beautifully illustrated for positive engagement and are ideal for learning, as picture books generally hold your child's attention span longer. Your child can develop their phonetic skills while admiring their favorite Paw Patrol characters.

The Moon Dogs Series

The Moon Dogs Series is based on the adventures of teenage friends in a band. It includes short and funny stories about the characters' lives. The modern illustrations and engaging storylines are intended to entertain children across the board.

These storybooks are designed for beginner readers and struggling readers. Set one is a gradual introduction of sounds at the CVC level using one line of text per page. Set two presents adjacent consonants and consonant digraphs, and set three introduces two spellings for vowel sounds.

The Little Book of Phonics

"The Little Book of Phonics" is based on children learning better through doing, singing, making, and exploring. It is bursting with various activities to explore phonics, including a separate collection for each letter of the alphabet. It offers suggestions for activities to stimulate all the senses with songs, games, stories, and activities. It's perfect for a fun homeschooling session.

The Bob Books Series

Bob Books is a traditional and successful brand and has inspired emergent readers for over 40 years. The series features short words and a straightforward layout suitable for early reading success at home. It’s designed to help children develop basic reading skills and sight words in a fun way.

Box set one is suitable for teaching letter sounds to children aged four and up. The first story has four letters, allowing your child to read the entire book. New sounds are added gradually until your child has read books with every alphabet letter apart from "Q."

Workbook 3: I’m Ready for Phonics

I'm Ready for Phonics is another effective way for children to learn and practice. The series features phonics readers with supplementary activity books strategically written for gradual and organized practice. It closely shadows the phonics reading program in school, from starting letter sounds to the prominent phonemes and beyond. It's designed to develop reading confidence and boosts school learning in an entertaining way.

Workbook 3 includes many fun activities and stickers for letters and sound practice. It will help your child prepare for the phonics screening check at the end of year one.

Practicing phonics with kids at home

As a parent, we're constantly looking for the best ways to teach our children new words. In addition to vocabulary and comprehension, repetition is vital in phonics-based learning.

Children who start early and have consistent exposure to phonics have a unique learning advantage in reading comprehension. To support your child in learning phonics from grades K to first grade, here are a few pointers to reinforce phonemic awareness at home.

  • Listen to your child read decodable books every day. If your child struggles with a word, encourage them to sound it out. If they are unsuccessful, let them know the word, so they aren't discouraged.
  • Practice long and short vowels. Consider using flashcards or worksheets to teach and reinforce long vowel sounds. For example, write two or more different spellings for a word with a long vowel sound, for example, "rane," "rayn," or "rain," and ask your child to identify the correct spelling.
  • Revisit great books. It's okay if your child wants to reread a familiar book, as rereading text is highly beneficial for learners at all reading levels. Encourage your child to expand their book collection by developing a book list.
  • Boost comprehension. As part of your word study or phonics lessons, ask your child questions to deepen their understanding. Questions like, "What did she mean by that?" or "What do you think will happen next?" will encourage learning. This technique is highly effective for beginning readers.
  • Consider books for kids that include rhyming text for phonemic awareness. Before you start reading, ask your child to listen for any words that rhyme and to let you know when they recognize one.

Speechify – Use text to speech to develop phonemic awareness

Tools are available to help your child develop their awareness of word structure. The Speechify app can turn printed text and images into audio. Speechify allows you to adjust the reading speed and choose from many natural-sounding voices. These features allow your child to become familiar with how phonemes sound for different words when slowed down. A friendly reading voice will also create a more enjoyable learning experience.

Teaching phonemic awareness skills to young children gives them a head start and a solid foundation as they learn to read. Try Speechify for free and allow your child to listen to reading instructions and practice at home. Start today by installing the Chrome extension or mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

FAQ

What are the best phonics readers?

Some of the best phonics books include:

  • The Paw Patrol Phonics Book
  • Ladybird, I'm Ready for Phonics
  • The Bob Books Series
  • Learn with Peppa Phonics Series

What are the best phonics books for 5-year-olds?

The Moon Dogs Series is one of the best phonics books for children aged five and up.

How can I improve my child’s phonics skills?

Getting involved in a positive way with your child’s learning will help them develop skills and strategies for success. Read with them and reward them. Set them up for success by giving them the tools they need, such as a quiet study area free from distractions.

What is the best phonics book for children with learning disabilities?

Books from the I am Full of Possibilities series can help children with learning disabilities learn phonics.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.