BOB Books


The BOB books are sequenced to start for the very earliest students to practice prereading skills, then letter sounds, and then move into blending sounds together to create words, adding additional phonics skills with each step. If your student already knows their letter sounds and is able to read a few basic words, then they can probably skip the prereading skills and alphabet books and move into the Stage 1 books. The books in this list are listed in the order the author recommends working through them.

Decodable books encourage children learning to read to sound out words using reading strategies rather than guessing from pictures or predicting from other clues. Text is carefully sequenced to only include phonics skills that students have already been learning so students are practicing at the right level and build confidence in reading before they move on to the next skill. Text is limited to one or two sentences to a page until readers are able to handle more complex stories with more text.


How to Use the Bob Books: Visit the Bob books website for short videos from the author on how to use the Bob books to support your child in reading

Free Printable Activities to go along with each Bob book can be found here


Updated June 27, 2023
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
My first Bob books. Reading readiness, Pre-reading skills : basic literacy concepts in engaging read-aloud stories
Kertell, Lynn Maslen.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! The fun read-aloud stories in My First Bob Books: Pre-Reading Skills introduce literacy skills to the youngest children. My First Bob Books: Pre-Reading Skills offers children...

Format: Physical Books

My first Bob books : alphabet
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

My First Bob Books: Alphabet
Maslen Kertell, Lynn
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! My First Bob Books: Alphabet introduces each letter of the alphabet to pre-readers with silly read-aloud stories. My First Bob Books: Alphabet combines early learning with fun...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Set 1, Beginning readers
Maslen, Bobby Lynn
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

Bob Books Set 1 Beginning Readers
Maslen, Bobby Lynn.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years. This iconic phonics-based learn-to-read set has sold millions of copies, allowing children around the world to say with pride, "I read the whole book!"® With playful stories, silly...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Stage 1: Starting to read, More beginning readers
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based set is perfect for kids who need practice at a very beginning reading level. Now in a sturdy hardcover bind-up! Bob Books More Beginning Readers gives early readers...

Format: Physical Books

Bob books. Stage 1: Starting to read, First stories
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This charming box set from the bestselling phonics program features simple, decodable stories that get progressively more challenging. With playful, decodable stories, silly illustrations,...

Format: Physical Books

Bob books. Rhyming words
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

Bob books. Rhyming words
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This fun set of easy-to-read stories focuses on rhyming words--perfect for beginning readers. Rhyming makes reading more fun! Each book in this phonics-based box set explores a different...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Set 2, Advancing beginners
Maslen, Bobby Lynn
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

Bob Books Set 2 Advancing Beginners
Maslen, Bobby Lynn.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based learn-to-read box set is perfect for young readers who are still building their skills. With playful stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics approach based on...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Sight words, kindergarten
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

Bob Books Sight Words Kindergarten
Kertell, Lynn Maslen.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! Introduce young readers to key sight words with this fun, phonics-based box set of easy-to-read stories. With playful stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics approach based on...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Stage 2: Emerging reader, Animal stories
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This set of phonics-based, easy-to-read stories features silly animal characters -- perfect for kids in kindergarten and first grade. Bob Books Animal Stories are filled with...

Format: Physical Books

Bob books. Sight words, first grade
Kertell, Lynn Maslen
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! Introduce developing readers to key sight words with this fun, phonics-based set of decodable easy-to-read stories. With playful, decodable stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics...

Format: Physical Books

Bob books. Set 3, Word families
Maslen, Bobby Lynn
Paper Book

Format: Physical Books

Bob Books Set 3 Word Families
Maslen, Bobby Lynn.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based box set helps developing readers gently take the next step toward more complex stories. Bob Books Word Families helps children progress gently beyond the very...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Set 4, Complex words
Maslen, Bobby Lynn
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based set gives young readers the practice they need to advance to more complex words and sentences. With playful stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics approach based on...

Format: Physical Books

Bob Books Set 4 Complex Words
Maslen, Bobby Lynn.
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based set gives young readers the practice they need to advance to more complex words and sentences. With playful stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics approach based on...

Format: eBook

Bob books. Set 5, Long vowels
Maslen, Bobby Lynn
Paper Book
Created by a teacher, Bob Books have been helping children learn to read for more than forty years! This phonics-based set introduces long vowels and helps developing readers gently take the final step toward reading chapter books. With playful stories, silly illustrations, and a phonics...

Format: Physical Books


Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.