If your child is learning to read with The PRIDE Reading Program or any other structured literacy program, then your child is learning skills through controlled stories. Controlled text is actually the best way to learn reading and I highly encourage it, but as my students become more confident I like to implement leveled readers for even more practice and exposure. The more practice the better! On today’s post, I am going to give you some book suggestions by reading level.

Level 1

Level 1 – The Yellow Book includes learning beginning consonants, blends, short vowels, and beginning sight words.  If your child is at this reading level, you will want to start with the simplest books, and as your child learns more letters, sounds and more sight words, you can gradually work your way up to longer and more interesting books. Here are some of my favorite simple books to begin with:  

1. Bob Books – (Set A) 

2. Step Into Reading Books – (Step 1) 

3. I Can Read Books – (Level 1)

 Levels 2 and 3

Level 2 – The Orange Book  and Level 3 – The Red Book include long vowels, dipthongs (ea, oa, oe, etc.) more sight words and beginning compound and multisyllabic words. The options of outside reading books finally opens up to so much more! Whew!!! Here are some of my favorites: 

1. The Berenstain Bears Series

2. Fred and Ted Series

3. The Cat in the Hat Series

4. Amelia Bedelia Series

5. Mr. Putter and Tabby Series

6. Henry and Mudge Series

7. Poppleton Series

8. Nate the Great Series

9. Morris and Boris Series

Levels 4 and 5

Children that are reading in Level 4 – The Purple Book and Level 5 – The Blue Book, can begin reading easy transitional chapter books.  Here are some of my favorites: 

1. Magic Tree House Series 

2. Hank Zipzer Series  

3. A-Z Mysteries 

4. Flat Stanley Series

5. Ivy and Bean Series

6. Geronimo Stilton Series

7. Bad Kitty Series

8. Cam Jansen Series

9. Horrible Harry Series

10. Junie B. Jones

How do you find your Child’s Reading Level?

You use a little trick that it so simple and easy called the 5 Finger Rule. You can watch how it is done on this video link HERE!  It is a short and helpful 3 minute video that I put together for you.

Click here: 

In Summary

I hope this post gives you a nice selection of book suggestions by reading level that your children can enjoy some independent reading while working through a structured, systematic and cumulative reading program, like the PRIDE Reading Program.  

Thank you for reading my post today!