Walk into any library and you'll find shelves of "easy readers" for beginning readers. They look similar: big print, short sentences, a picture on every page. But there are two very different kinds, and knowing the difference can make a big difference for a child who's learning to read, especially one who's struggling.
Leveled readers: guess from the picture
Leveled readers (often labeled with letters like A, B, C or numbers) are written so the pictures and repeated sentence patterns help kids figure out the words. A page might say "The cat is on the bed," with a picture of a cat on a bed. The next page: "The cat is on the chair."
The trouble is that a child can "read" these books without really reading the words. They look at the picture, remember the pattern, and guess. It can look like reading, and it can feel like success, but it builds a habit that falls apart later, when books get longer and the pictures go away.
Decodable books: sound it out
Decodable books are written mostly with words that use the phonics patterns a child has already been taught. If your child has learned short vowels and a handful of consonants, a decodable book might say "Sam has a red hat. The hat is on the mat." Every word (except a few tricky ones they've practiced) can be sounded out.
That means your child practices exactly what we want them to practice: looking at every letter and blending the sounds into a word. When they finish the book, they really did read it.
Why it matters most for struggling readers
Strong readers often figure out phonics no matter what books they're given. Kids who struggle, including kids with dyslexia, need practice that matches what they've been taught, step by step. Decodable books give them that. Leveled readers can actually reinforce the guessing habit we're trying to break.
This is one of the core ideas behind structured literacy and the science of reading. (More here: the science of reading for parents.)
So should we throw out the leveled readers?
No need. Any book your child enjoys is worth having around. Use leveled readers, picture books, and chapter books for reading together: you read, they listen and talk about it. Use decodable books for the part where they practice reading on their own.
How to use decodable books at home
- Match the book to the skill. Most decodable series list the phonics patterns on the cover or inside. Pick one that fits what your child is learning now.
- Read it more than once. First read for accuracy, second for smoothness, third with expression. Re-reading builds fluency.
- Cover the picture at first. Have your child read the words, then look at the picture together as a reward.
- Celebrate the sounding out. "You sounded out every word on that page!" tells them the strategy is what matters.
Want a simple place to start?
If reading has become a battle at your house, my free 5-Day Reading Discovery Challenge is a playful way to reset, with no worksheets and no reading logs.
And for reading games and printables organized by skill, you can create a free Discovery Reading Club account.
Talk soon,
Candace
