Ladybird: Read It Yourself – A well-structured series designed to promote independent reading.
Oxford Reading Tree (Biff, Chip, and Kipper) – A popular scheme used in schools, featuring humorous, relatable stories and phonics options.
Oxford Reading Tree: Practise Your Phonics with Traditional Tales – This series combines phonics practice with timeless traditional tales. Each book is carefully structured to support phonics development, progressing through levels to build confidence and fluency.
Songbirds Phonics (by Julia Donaldson) – Engaging stories with a phonics-based approach and vibrant illustrations.
Collins Big Cat – Offers a diverse range of genres with appealing illustrations, making it a strong choice for young readers.
Usborne Very First Reading – A shared reading format that’s ideal for early phonics practice and building confidence.
Usborne Phonics Readers – Fun, engaging books that cater well to some learning styles, though they may not suit every child.
Rigby Star / Rigby PM – Widely used in schools for guided reading, though less captivating for home use.
Reading Champions (by Franklin Watts) – Great for independent readers, but less essential for beginners.
Pearson Bug Club – Combines interactive elements with traditional books, appealing to families interested in online learning components.
US Reading Schemes
Hooked on Phonics – A step-by-step phonics program using a mix of books, workbooks, and digital tools, ideal for home use.
Scholastic’s Guided Reading Program – Leveled readers featuring fiction and non-fiction books that gradually increase in difficulty.
Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) – A structured system for struggling readers, with guided reading books, phonics activities, and comprehension strategies.
Bob Books – Simple, phonics-based books with minimal text to help build early reading confidence.
Reading A-Z (Raz-Kids) – An online platform with leveled books and interactive activities, suitable for use at home or in schools.
