10+ Best Phonics Books for 6-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Are you on the hunt for the perfect phonics books for 6-year-olds to help your little one boost their reading skills? You're in the right place! Phonics is a crucial step in learning to read, and finding the right books can make all the difference. Keep reading as we dive into various lists of phonics books specifically tailored for 6-year-olds, each designed to engage and educate while making reading fun!

Fun Phonics Books for 6-Year-Olds

• Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Rhyme
  • Synopsis: This book features a tricky fox in socks and Knox who struggle with tongue-twisting fun. The book pushes the boundaries of phonics and rhymes to create an engaging, playful challenge.
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces complex phonetic patterns through fun rhymes and tongue twisters, making it a great tool for developing reading skills.
  • Perfect for: Children who enjoy playful language and are learning how to read.

• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Rhyme
  • Synopsis: Sam-I-Am persistently follows his friend trying to convince him to try green eggs and ham. The repetitive and simple vocabulary helps reinforce phonics skills.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its repetitive pattern and simple words make it ideal for early readers to practice their phonics skills.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are just starting to read on their own and appreciate repetitive, rhythmic texts.

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Alphabet
  • Synopsis: In this vibrant alphabet rhyme, all the letters of the alphabet race each other up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? The lively rhythm tells the tale.
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines fun, rhythmic text with a bold, colorful alphabet adventure, making phonics fun and engaging.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners who are learning the alphabet and enjoy colorful, energetic stories.

• Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers by Bobby Lynn Maslen, illustrated by John R. Maslen
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: This set includes twelve books that are designed to gently guide children from basic letter recognition to reading complete sentences.
  • Why we recommend this book: The gradual progression and focused approach help build reading confidence in young learners.
  • Perfect for: Early readers who are just beginning to decode words and need a structured, step-by-step approach to reading.

• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Fantasy
  • Synopsis: The story follows the mischievous Cat in the Hat as he turns a dull, rainy afternoon into a magical and just-messy-enough adventure for two young siblings.
  • Why we recommend this book: Its imaginative narrative and rhythmic, repetitive phrases make phonics practice exciting and memorable.
  • Perfect for: Children who enjoy whimsical stories and need practice with reading fluency and phonics.

• Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Rhyme
  • Synopsis: Follow Pete the Cat as he explores his school in his favorite school shoes. Through his adventures, he sings about his experiences in various school settings.
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers a fun and musical way to engage with text, enhancing phonics skills through repetition and rhyme.
  • Perfect for: Young students who are starting school and enjoy sing-along stories.

Educational Phonics Books for 6-Year-Olds

• AlphaTales Box Set by Scholastic
  • Genre(s): Educational, Alphabet
  • Synopsis: This collection of 26 books features individual stories for each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. Each story is crafted to highlight a specific letter and its sound.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Alphabet recognition, phonemic awareness, vocabulary expansion
  • Why we recommend this book: The stories are engaging and specifically designed to reinforce each letter's unique sound, which is crucial for phonics development.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are beginning to learn the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes.

• My First BOB Books: Alphabet by Lynn Maslen Kertell, illustrated by John R. Maslen
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: This set helps children build their reading skills step by step, focusing on each letter of the alphabet and its sounds.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Letter recognition, phonics, early reading skills
  • Why we recommend this book: It uses a simple, repetitive, and progressive approach to reading that builds confidence in young readers.
  • Perfect for: Beginners who are just starting to recognize letters and learn their sounds.

• Phonics Power! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) by Jennifer Liberts, illustrated by Patrick Spaziante
  • Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Superheroes, Educational
  • Synopsis: This phonics box set includes 12 step-by-step books that feature the adventures of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, each focusing on different phonics lessons.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Phonics, reading fluency, early reading comprehension
  • Why we recommend this book: It combines the excitement of superhero stories with practical phonics lessons, making learning to read an adventurous experience.
  • Perfect for: Young fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and early readers who benefit from engaging, character-driven stories.

• Usborne Phonics Readers by Phil Roxbee Cox, illustrated by Stephen Cartwright
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: This series uses simple, rhyming text and engaging illustrations to help children develop their phonics skills.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Phonics, pronunciation, reading confidence
  • Why we recommend this book: The rhyming stories are not only fun to read but also reinforce phonics in a clear and enjoyable way.
  • Perfect for: Children who are starting to read independently and enjoy colorful, lively illustrations.

• Meet the Phonics - Blends by Kathy Oxley, illustrated by James Orndorff and Masako Sato
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: This book introduces children to consonant blends, helping them to recognize these combinations and learn how to pronounce them.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Phonics, blending sounds, early reading skills
  • Why we recommend this book: It focuses on an essential aspect of phonics—blends—which are crucial for developing reading fluacy.
  • Perfect for: Early readers who have mastered individual letter sounds and are ready to progress to more complex phonics concepts.

Challenging Phonics Books for 6-Year-Olds

• Explode the Code, Book 1 by Nancy Hall
  • Genre(s): Educational, Phonics
  • Synopsis: This workbook provides a systematic approach to phonics, focusing on beginning sounds, short vowels, and consonant blends.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces more complex phonetic patterns and blends, which require a higher level of phonemic awareness.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's structured to solidify foundational reading skills through practice and repetition, enhancing a young reader's confidence and ability.
  • Perfect for: Children who have mastered the basics and are ready for more challenging phonics work.

• Jolly Phonics Workbooks 1-7 by Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham, illustrated by Lib Stephen
  • Genre(s): Educational, Phonics
  • Synopsis: This series of workbooks covers all the 42 letter sounds, providing exercises on blending and segmenting sounds for reading and spelling.
  • Why this book is challenging: It covers a wide range of phonics concepts, from simple sounds to complex blends and digraphs.
  • Why we recommend this book: These workbooks are interactive and comprehensive, making learning phonics an engaging and effective experience.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who are eager to tackle a broad spectrum of phonics rules and applications.

• Primary Phonics Set 1 by Barbara W. Makar
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: Consisting of ten short books, this set focuses on short-vowel sounds and simple consonant sounds to build early reading skills.
  • Why this book is challenging: It encourages readers to blend sounds into words, a skill that is foundational yet challenging for many young readers.
  • Why we recommend this book: The books are carefully crafted to ensure each new skill builds on the last, promoting a deep understanding and mastery of basic phonics.
  • Perfect for: Beginners who are ready to start blending sounds to form words.

• Flyleaf Publishing - Emergent Reader Series by Flyleaf Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Early Readers
  • Synopsis: This series is designed to foster independent reading through scientifically researched phonics methods and beautifully illustrated stories.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces gradually increasing phonetic complexity and a wide vocabulary.
  • Why we recommend this book: The stories are engaging and thoughtfully written to reinforce phonics skills without feeling educational.
  • Perfect for: Young readers who benefit from a narrative context to apply their phonics skills.

• The Complete Book of Phonics by American Education Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Phonics
  • Synopsis: This comprehensive resource covers all aspects of phonics, from sound recognition and blending to more advanced rules like silent letters and diphthongs.
  • Why this book is challenging: It delves into detailed phonics rules and variations, providing a depth of knowledge not typically introduced at this age.
  • Why we recommend this book: It serves as both a learning tool and a reference for parents and educators to support a child's reading journey.
  • Perfect for: Advanced young readers looking to deepen and refine their phonics and reading skills.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Sure, let’s dive into some engaging exercises that can be incorporated into your routine with your 6-year-old to boost their phonics skills using phonics books. These activities are designed to be fun and educational, helping to foster a love for reading early on.

• Sound Matching Game
  • What it is: A game where children match words or pictures with the same beginning or ending sounds.
  • How it helps: Enhances phonemic awareness by identifying sounds in different words.
  • Tips: Use cards from phonics books or homemade cards with images and words.

• Phonics Fishing
  • What it is: Create a fishing game with magnetic letters and a small fishing rod.
  • How it helps: Encourages recognition of phonetic sounds and letters in a playful setting.
  • Tips: Focus on letters or sounds your child finds challenging, and celebrate when they 'catch' the right ones.

• Alphabet Book Creation
  • What it is: Kids create their own book by drawing objects and writing corresponding words that start with each letter of the alphabet.
  • How it helps: Reinforces the connection between letters and sounds through creative expression.
  • Tips: Let them illustrate the book themselves to make the learning process more engaging and memorable.

• Interactive Phonics Apps
  • What it is: Use educational apps designed for phonics learning.
  • How it helps: Provides interactive and immediate feedback, which is essential for learning phonics.
  • Tips: Choose apps that are age-appropriate and have positive reviews from educators and parents.

• Word Building Blocks
  • What it is: Utilize blocks or letters to form words from phonics books.
  • How it helps: Helps in understanding how different sounds combine to form words.
  • Tips: Start with simple words and gradually increase difficulty as your child's skills improve.

• Read and Sing Phonics Songs
  • What it is: Sing along to phonics songs that focus on different sounds and phonemes.
  • How it helps: Music and rhythm help memorize phonetic sounds in a fun and engaging way.
  • Tips: Incorporate hand movements or dances to make the learning process even more enjoyable.

Integrating these exercises into your daily or weekly reading sessions will not only enhance your child’s phonics skills but also make the learning process a delightful experience. Remember, the key is consistency and making sure the activities remain fun and engaging. Keep exploring new phonics books and resources to maintain their interest and curiosity. Happy reading!