Decodable books and resources for use with a structured literacy programme
The Sunshine Phonics Decodable Series is an evidence-based, synthetic phonics programme which teaches students to read in a structured, systematic way. Through explicit teaching, students are taught the foundational alphabet code-breaking skills that are essential for success in reading, spelling and writing. From 2025, the New Zealand Ministry of Education has mandated that state schools teach literacy using a structured literacy approach.
Key Features of the Sunshine Phonics Decodable Series
- 180 fully decodable books including fiction and non-fiction for Years 0-3
- Follows a systematic progression for learning the phonemes and the graphemes that represent them
- Clear, simple font that is appropriately sized and easy to read
- Full colour illustrations and quality photographs
- Well-spaced text and the right balance of text and images on each page
- Teachers’ Books with explicit teaching plans – download a sample here
- Systematic, detailed Scope and Sequence detailing teaching points for every book – download here
- Phonics Overviews for each Series detailing the order in which phonemes and graphemes are taught – download here
- Student activity sheets for all books – download here
- Digital versions of texts available in the Sunshine Online Decodable Library – click here
- Comprehensive Assessment Kit – free download here
- Many supporting resources – free downloads here
- 86 books available for upper primary school students and above in our Reading Road and Next Steps Decodables series
2024 Catalogue
Scope and Sequence
Series 1 – Phonics Overview
(Sets 1-7)
Series 2 – Phonics Overview
( Sets 1-11)
Learn more about the structure of the programme
The print programme is arranged over two Series – Series 1 and Series 2. Both Series follow a virtually identical teaching sequence, with the difference being that Series 1 contains 70 reading books with 2 Teachers Books, and Series 2 takes a slightly slower approach and comprises 110 reading books and 3 Teachers’ Books. The two series can be taught independently of each other, or together to provide more books for reading practice.
Years 0-1 – Simple Code: Series 1 Sets 1-3, Series 2 Sets 1-3
- Introduce all consonants and short vowels
- Cover 23 phonemes of English
- Focus on predominantly VC and CVC words with a few tricky (non decodable) words
- 10 reading books per Set per Series, total 60 books
- Books are 16 pages
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 1, Sets 1-3
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 2, Sets 1-3
Year 2 – Complex Code: Series 1 Sets 4-5, Series 2 Sets 4-5
- Introduce 20 new phonemes of English
- Introduce consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs and trigraphs
- 10 reading books per Set per Series (total 40 books)
- Books are 20 pages
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 1 Sets 4-7
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 2 Sets 4-7
Year 2 – Consolidation: Series 2 Sets 6-7
- Provide practice and consolidation in blending adjacent consonants with short and long vowels
- 10 reading books per set (total 20 books)
- Books are 20 pages
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 2 Sets 4-7
Year 3 – Extended Code: Series 1 Sets 6-7, Series 2 Sets 8-11
- Introduce many new graphemes (spellings) for known phonemes
- Cover all 44 phonemes of English
- 10 reading books per set (total 60 books)
- Books are 20 pages
- 1 x Teachers’ Book covering Series 1 Sets 4-7
- 1 x Teachers’ Books covering Series 2 Sets 8-11
Year 3+
Students who have completed the phonics programme can move onto reading longer decodable texts. We have two series for older readers: Reading Road (for those who would benefit from further practice and consolidation), and Next Steps Decodables for confident readers. As well as the print programmes, all 180 titles have been consolidated into one digital library, the Sunshine Online Decodable Library.
Quick Links:
Shop by Series | Shop by Stage | Reading Road | Next Steps Decodables | Sunshine Online Decodable Library
View samples of decodable books from Series 1
View samples of decodable books from Series 2
