The Best Books to Read When Just Starting to Read: Starting to Learn to Read

Decodable Books Paired with Supplementary Activities

There are so many books out there. My preferred choices are decodable books paired with supplementary activities to reinforce learning and provide more practice. For beginners, I recommend starting with BOB books or custom-created decodable books (books or I created books here).

APPS

Additionally, Khan Academy Kids offers beginner-friendly reading materials, and programs like Reading Eggs and Reading Eggs Phonics are beneficial if your child can stay focused without playing other games on the app. Another valuable resource is Teach Your Monster to Read.

Books

Once they have completed the BOB/decodable books and additional practice material, they can progress to Usborne phonics books, Dr. Seuss, and chapter books with ample spacing, simple vocabulary, and illustrations on each page.

I personally do not love the “I Can Read!” books due to their mix of familiar easy words with challenging ones, causing unnecessary frustration.. Sometimes we would read them after finishing all the BOB books. Children sometimes likes to read them because they are fast and a quick read.

Sight Words or Red Words

Initially, I avoided introducing “Sight Words / Red Words” as I believed they should be sounded out. While I do believe it is important to sound out the word to try to figure out these “tricky words,” since they are shown so much and are tricky and don’t follow the basic rules, that practicing these words separately through games enhances confidence and fluency. This helps the child become more confident and able to read more fluidly. Rather than get stuck and frustrated on this tricky word “of” and not practice this word that shows up a lot, they are able to practice it (while using the sounding out method but remembering that this is a “tricky word”), mastering this word, and can say it quickly when they come across it. So while they are learning to read and just starting out, I also like to practice the sight words/red words on the side as additional practice to help with the fluidity of reading. By mastering these tricky words alongside regular reading practice, children can swiftly recognize and read them, ensuring a smoother reading experience as they progress.

Decodable Books With Sight Words and Games

The books that I created start at the beginning stages with sight words integrated throughout. I’ve also designed accompanying activities to supplement the reading process and reinforce the fundamental rules. Sometimes the kids like to mix up the type of reading they do and want to do a game. Occasionally, children enjoy incorporating games into their reading routines. In other instances, they require additional practice on a specific rule, which is why I’ve included various activities to enhance their learning experience.

Reading Technique:

One technique often used to teach reading is to sound out each letter, then combine them to form the word. Break down each sound like “m,” “a,” “t,” and then pronounce “mat.”

Another method involves slowly blending the sounds together while reading each letter. For instance, “mmmmm, then mmmmaaaaaaaa, then ma-tttttttt then mat.”

While they are learning to read, I also enjoy reading their favorite stories to them. This ensures a balanced approach, where they are not solely reading but also getting the opportunity to be read to.

Beginner Books: