Learn how to read with these decodable Phonic Books for older readers.

Dark Waters are older reader books that introduce children to how words are built using prefixes, suffixes and root words. This pack of 10 decodable books helps older children develop an understanding of morphology (the structure of words) through a series of engaging stories.

Dedicated books in each stage break down phonics practice while offering different stories for ages 9-12 (KS2). These action-packed stories are designed for reluctant readers, taking them through different suffixes, prefixes and root words.

For example:
Book 1: Suffixes (-s, -es, -ed, -ing)
Book 2: Suffixes (-ful, -less, -ness, -er, -est, -ly, -en, -ish, -y, -able, -ible)
Book 3: Prefixes (un-, in-, im-, ir-, il-, dis-, mis-)
Book 4: Prefixes (re-, pre-)
Book 5: Prefixes (uni-, tri-, quad-)
Book 6: Prefixes (super-)
Book 7: Prefixes (magna-, mini-, micro-)
Book 8: Root words (cap, man, spec, viv)
Book 9: Root words (mem)
Book 10: Root words (ject, tract, struct, labor, fact, form)

Accompanying activities are also available with Phonic Books Dark Waters Activities. Phonic Books Dark Waters shares the same phonic progression as Phonic Books Amber Guardians and can be used together to consolidate phonemic knowledge and reading skills.

This catch-up reader book series features:

• A pack of 10 decodable books, with carefully written stories designed to motivate older readers and build reading stamina.
• Each book has a higher ratio of text to illustration to bridge the gap between structured reading series and mainstream reading.
• Reading material aimed at older children who need support with their reading.
• Phonics progression of different suffixes, prefixes and root words.

Each 32-page book contains:

• Reading practice/vocabulary
• Contents page
• Story pages

What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children to read through understanding the sounds that individual letters make and blending them to make a word. Children can learn to read using this skill to decode new words. Phonic Books specialises in decodable, systematic books supporting this structured literacy instruction.