Decodables for Tweens/Teens

Decodable books are usually built for early elementary readers, but older striving readers need the same phonics scaffolding in content that doesn't read as babyish. This page gathers every decodable resource Saddleback offers for grades 4 to 12, phonics-leveled book series, ready-to-order bundles, and teaching cards, all written with tween- and teen-centric storylines instead of picture-book subject matter. Browse the specific series below to find the right fit for your students' grade level and reading needs.

Decodable Phonics Bundles (Tween & Teen)

The Tween Decodable Phonics Bundle (grades 4-8) and Teen Decodable Phonics Bundle (grades 9-12) each pair the three-box Emergent Reader Libraries® Phonics set with all six Phonics Decodable Reader sets, prefixes, suffixes, homophones, challenging spelling patterns, and two combined-pattern sets, in one easy-to-order package, giving striving readers and newcomers a complete decoding progression from CVC words through multisyllabic patterns.

Tween and Teen Emergent Reader Libraries® Phonics

TwERL Phonics (Tween Emergent Reader Libraries® Phonics, grades 4-8) and TERL Phonics (Teen Emergent Reader Libraries® Phonics, grades 9-12) each come as three boxed sets, branded GO! Decode, GO! Develop, and GO! Discover for tweens and Decode, Develop, and Discover for teens, moving emergent and beginning readers through phonics skills from CVC words to multisyllabic words. Every box includes a teacher's guide, and the storylines work well for newcomers building English decoding skills.

		TwERL Phonics: GO! Decode [1] Grades: 4 to 8 Reading Level: 0.5 to 0.9 Lexile: BR90L to HL110L			TERL Phonics: Decode [1] Grades: 9 to 12 Reading Level: 0 to 0.9 Lexile: BR to HL100L
		TwERL Phonics: GO! Develop [2] Grades: 4 to 8 Reading Level: 0.9 to 1.3 Lexile: BR to HL180L			TERL Phonics: Develop [2] Grades: 9 to 12 Reading Level: 0.9 to 1.3 Lexile: BR to HL140L
		TwERL Phonics: GO! Discover [3] Grades: 4 to 8 Reading Level: 1.2 to 1.6 Lexile: HL20L to HL200L			TERL Phonics: Discover [3] Grades: 9 to 12 Reading Level: 1.2 to 1.6 Lexile: HL10L to HL150L

Decode Phonics Teaching Cards

Decode Phonics Teaching Cards deliver targeted phonics instruction for secondary students who need foundational skill-building without materials that feel beneath them. The 12 card sets cover letter-sound correspondences and spelling patterns from basic consonants through multisyllabic words, each with a Quick Start Guide and ready-to-use activities for group, partner, or individual practice. Designed for striving readers, students in special education, and English language learners in grades 4 to 12, the cards complement TwERL and TERL Phonics and Phonics Decodable Readers, or work as a standalone resource.

Decode | Phonics Teaching Cards Grades: 4 to 12

Saddleback Decodables (Phonics Decodable Readers)

Phonics Decodable Readers support striving readers with low-level, age-respectful books built around specific phonics patterns. Six sets of ten books each cover prefixes, suffixes, homophones, challenging spelling patterns, and two combined-pattern sets, with most sets pairing seven fiction titles with three nonfiction titles that add technical vocabulary and definitions. Every book includes a glossary.

		Prefixes Set Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL40L to HL170L			Suffixes Set Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL70L to HL240L			Homophones Set Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL110L to HL250L
		Challenging Spelling Patterns Set Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL120L to HL210L			Combined Patterns Set 1 Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL90L to HL130L			Combined Patterns Set 2 [NF Only] Grades: 6 to 12 Reading Level: 1.0 to 2.0 Lexile: HL70L to HL180L

Can Decodable Books Work for High School Students?

Yes. Decodable books are usually built for early elementary readers, but older striving readers need the same phonics scaffolding in content that doesn't read as babyish. That's what TERL Phonics is built for: decodable text for grades 9 to 12, with tween and teen storylines across a range of genres instead of picture-book subject matter. Read more about how decodables work for older readers.

Choosing Decodable Books for Striving Readers in Middle and High School

TwERL Phonics (grades 4-8) and TERL Phonics (grades 9-12) are built specifically for tweens and teens who are still developing decoding skills, including newcomers with no prior English instruction. Saddleback Decodables group ten books per set around one or more phonetic patterns, so you can target a specific skill gap directly.

Have more questions? Visit our Phonics FAQ's.