Bob Books

Bob Books Set 2 (Emerging Reader)

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When families start looking for that magical step between beginner phonics and fluent reading, they often feel stuck. We reviewed countless early readers and found Bob Books Set 2 stands out for its clean layout, limited vocabulary, and confidence-building stories. Developed by teacher and reading specialist Bobby Lynn Maslen, this set was created to help young readers feel successful without guessing or memorizing. Each book introduces just a few new sounds, gently reinforcing CVC patterns and simple sight words. We love how short and approachable the stories are—kids feel like real readers almost right away. It’s a great fit for kids who’ve mastered short vowels and are ready for basic sentence reading. Not ideal for kids who need colorful illustrations or complex storylines. Pro tip: Keep the books in a basket by the couch for short daily reading sessions that feel cozy, not forced.

Recommended Ages

Typically Kindergarten

Style
Screen-FreeBooksCaregiver-LedMastery-Based

Bob Books is a leveled series of small paperback books and companion workbooks structured into stages from pre-reading through emerging and developing readers. Families begin with the set that matches the child’s abilities—Stage 1 uses only short vowels and decodable text—and read one book at a time. Daily practice involves parent-guided reading aloud, encouragement of decoding skills, and reinforcement with the optional wipe-clean or workbook activities. The progression is gradual and systematic, making it easy to integrate into homeschool routines with minimal prep or planning

Self-Direction
E means highly structured. A is basically unschooled, completely self-guided.
How much do students guide their own learning in this course?
A
B
C
D
E
Regular price $79.95 USD
Bob Books Set 2 (Emerging Reader)
$79.95 USD

Skills

What kids will learn

Our mission

Bob Books aims to make the earliest reading experiences joyful and accessible by breaking literacy down into tiny, manageable steps. The goal is to empower emergent readers to say “I read the whole book!” through carefully leveled, phonics-based text that builds confidence. What sets it apart is its intentional simplicity and its grounding in the science of reading, focusing on small increments of letter-sound mastery

Our story

Bob Books was created in Portland, Oregon by preschool teacher Bobby Lynn Maslen in the late 1960s when she couldn’t find simple, engaging first readers for her class. Drawing on 13 years of teaching experience, Bobby hand-crafted small books featuring characters like Mat and Sam to help emergent readers gain confidence. What started as classroom materials grew into a bestselling series; over 10 million copies have been sold, and the books have been featured in The Washington Post and USA Today

Bob Books Demo

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FAQ: Additional Details about Bob Books Set 2 (Emerging Reader)

You begin with a simple decodable reader—opening one of the short books—read it together aloud (child reads word by word), discuss any tricky sounds, and maybe follow up with a quick tracing or workbook page for reinforcement.

Bob Books is ideal for preschool to early elementary aged children who are beginning to decode and need small successes to build reading confidence. It works best for learners who benefit from clear structure, phonics-based progression, and repetition in simple, low-anxiety text.

This series may not suit older children beyond the emerging reader stage or those seeking rich, narrative-driven texts. It also may not meet the needs of families seeking a full-year literacy curriculum, as the books are designed as decodable starters rather than comprehensive language arts instruction.

Parents of children with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences often praise Bob Books for its clear, step-by-step phonics approach and predictable text, which supports focus and reading confidence

While helpful for early reading, gifted learners often move through the simple text quickly. Families find it most effective when paired with more challenging books or used as a confidence boost in the earliest stages of literacy

With playful new stories and lots of repetition, Stage 2 books reinforce the skills learned in Stage 1. They also introduce key sight words and additional phonics skills such as consonant blends. Sight Words sets come with flashcards to build reading automaticity and make learning fun!

GRADE LEVEL: Usually Kindergarten

Guided Reading Levels: B, C, D, E, F

Policies vary depending on where you purchase; direct orders may allow returns on new, unopened books, while third-party retailers follow their own terms.

Many families suggest starting with just a few books at a time and celebrating each completed read to reinforce success. Keeping the books visible and special—sometimes using a dedicated “reading basket”—helps children feel ownership. Others pair each story with follow-up activities using the workbooks or notebooks to reinforce phonics lessons and track progress.

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Meet Bobby

Bobby Lynn Maslen was a preschool teacher at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, teaching from 1968 to 1980. When classroom materials were insufficient, she hand-drew the first Bob Books for her students, finding immediate success. Partnering with her husband John (who illustrated) and later with Scholastic, she built the company into a multi-stage, multimillion-copy literacy tool loved by families and educators

Modulo's thoughts

Our learning specialists give their honest evaluation
ManishaCEO and Founder

Bob Books is a phenomenal, mastery-based literacy program for kids who prefer learning through workbooks and families who want to minimize screen time. Families interested in digital learning will definitely want to check out their great app!

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