UK Reading Schemes
- 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.
Online Resources
For those interested in expanding their child’s reading options, Reading A-Z (Raz-Kids) offers a digital library with interactive features, perfect for supplementing traditional learning.