Fundations gives teachers a clear sequence for introducing phonics skills. The next challenge is finding books that let students apply each new relationship without asking them to guess from pictures or memorize unfamiliar words. Purposeful reading practice helps children connect instruction to accurate, increasingly confident word reading.
Shop Little Lions decodable books for Fundations-aligned practice.
Fundations decodable books should follow the skills students have been taught, so they can practice letter-sound relationships in connected text. Little Lions Literacy books are supplemental resources designed to support this kind of systematic phonics practice, not replace the core program. Decodable books provide the substantial application practice recommended alongside explicit phonics instruction (Reading Rockets).
For teachers planning this pairing, the starting point is understanding what Fundations teaches, how its sequence is organized, and where aligned reading practice fits into the lesson cycle.
Fundations is a structured literacy program from Wilson Language Training for students in Pre-K through third grade. It provides systematic, explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, handwriting, and vocabulary. Lessons follow a defined sequence, so students build new skills on previously taught concepts.
The program reflects the Science of Reading by giving students direct practice with the sound-symbol relationships that support accurate word reading. It also uses multisensory techniques, allowing students to see, hear, say, and write sounds and words as they learn. This repeated, connected practice can make phonics instruction more concrete and accessible.
Decodable text is an important part of applying those skills. Wilson Language Training describes its Fundations Readers as collections with at least 95% decodable text, aligned to the Fundations Scope and Sequence. That alignment helps teachers select reading practice that matches the patterns students have been taught.
Little Lions Literacy offers Fundations aligned resources as supplemental reading practice. These books support instruction already taking place in the classroom. They do not replace the Fundations curriculum.
Little Lions Literacy books are supplemental practice for students learning through Fundations. They do not replace the Fundations curriculum, its instruction, or its assessment system. Instead, they give students more opportunities to apply the phonics skills introduced in class.
The alignment begins with a systematic scope and sequence. Little Lions books are organized so teachers can select stories that match the letter-sound relationships and word patterns students are currently learning in Fundations units. This helps children read text that reflects their instruction, rather than relying on guessing from pictures or context. Little Lions Literacy identifies its decodable books as supplemental resources for established programs such as Fundations.
After introducing a new phonics concept, teachers can provide a carefully matched book for guided rereading. Students practice blending and apply the target pattern in connected text. Because the words reflect familiar sound-spelling relationships, the reading task stays focused on decoding instead of introducing unrelated patterns.
This practice also supports accuracy and confidence. Reading Rockets explains that decodable books give children substantial practice applying the letter-sound relationships they learn during phonics instruction. Matching the book to the current scope and sequence makes that practice more purposeful and accessible. See our Fundations aligned resources for help selecting materials by skill focus.
Little Lions books can support several classroom routines:
The goal is not to add another disconnected program. It is to extend Fundations instruction with readable, skill-matched practice. Teachers retain the core curriculum while giving students more time to build automaticity through successful reading experiences.
Fundations organizes phonics instruction through a clear progression of sound-spelling patterns. Little Lions Sets 1-4 can provide targeted reading practice as students move through comparable skill areas. Use the mapping below as a planning guide, then confirm each student’s current Fundations unit and reading needs before selecting a book.
| Fundations Skill Area | Little Lions Set | Example Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Short-vowel and basic consonant patterns | Set 1 | Short vowels, digraphs, FLOSS rule, and beginning and ending blends |
| Long-vowel and expanded word patterns | Set 2 | CVCe words, vowel teams, two-syllable words, and glued sounds |
| Vowel-pattern and syllable exceptions | Set 3 | igh, y, and ey patterns, r-controlled vowels, closed-syllable exceptions, and suffix -ed |
| Advanced vowel and spelling patterns | Set 4 | Diphthongs, advanced vowel teams, open syllables, and silent letters |
The goal is not to match a book to a grade label alone. Match it to the phonics concepts students have already been taught and are ready to apply. For example, a learner working with short vowels and digraphs may benefit from Set 1, while a reader practicing CVCe words and vowel teams may be ready for Set 2.
This approach keeps supplementary reading closely connected to classroom instruction. Fundations Readers are described by Wilson Language Training as at least 95% decodable and aligned with the Fundations Scope and Sequence, with collections available for Levels K, 1, and 2. Little Lions books serve a different role: they offer additional controlled practice that supports the core program rather than replacing it. Visit the Fundations Readers overview for the program’s official alignment information.
Teachers can also use the sets flexibly during small-group instruction, intervention, or independent rereading. If a student needs more support, stay with the set that reinforces the current skill instead of moving ahead because of age or grade. Consistent, decodable practice gives students more opportunities to apply sound-spelling knowledge accurately and build reading confidence.
Teachers need more than a single practice reading. They need enough appropriately sequenced text to help students apply each new phonics skill, build accuracy, and gain confidence. Little Lions Literacy gives Fundations educators a flexible supplemental library built for that daily practice.
Little Lions offers 137 decodable books across Levels 0 through 7. That range supports learners from early preschool skills through third-grade reading development, including students who need additional practice after a whole-group lesson. It also gives teachers room to continue supporting readers as their phonics knowledge expands, rather than replacing a collection after the earliest levels.
The books are designed to supplement, not replace, the Fundations curriculum. Teachers can select texts that reinforce the skills their students are currently learning, then use them during small groups, intervention, literacy centers, or take-home practice. For students who need more repetition, decodable books for struggling readers provide another practical option for targeted support.
Little Lions was founded by educator Karina Richland, M.A., and its books and teaching materials are rooted in the Science of Reading. The company is also Reading League approved, a distinction that helps educators identify resources consistent with evidence-based literacy instruction. This educator-led foundation keeps the focus on usable books, clear phonics progression, and meaningful reading practice rather than busywork.
Cost matters when teachers are building enough copies for guided reading or intervention groups. Little Lions Sets 1 through 4 are priced at $79.95 each. By comparison, Wilson’s Fundations Readers Level 1 is listed at $1,570 for a set containing six copies each of 24 books, while Whole Phonics lists its Fundations-aligned Level 1 set at $335. See the Wilson Level 1 listing at Wilson Language Training and the Whole Phonics comparison at Whole Phonics.
Schools that need a larger shared library can also choose classroom sets priced up to $629, with Teacher Guide Sets available. Families can use the same aligned approach at home with decodable books for homeschooling. The result is a practical way to extend Fundations practice across settings without treating supplemental books as a second core curriculum.
Browse Little Lions decodable books by phonics skill.
A useful supplemental routine follows the Fundations lesson rather than running alongside it as a separate program. Select the book after you identify the sound-spelling relationship students have learned and are ready to apply.
For readers who need more time with a concept, return to another book at the same skill level rather than moving to a harder pattern. This gives beginning readers the repetition they need, while allowing struggling readers to rebuild accuracy without being asked to guess.
Use this routine during a literacy center, intervention group, or take-home practice. The core Fundations lesson remains the anchor. Little Lions books simply create more successful opportunities to apply that lesson in connected text.
Official Fundations decodable readers are published resources, so teachers should use authorized editions rather than unverified PDF downloads. For additional reading practice, choose print decodable books that match the phonics skills students have already been taught. Little Lions books are supplemental resources, not a replacement for the Fundations curriculum.
Level 1 readers support early phonics practice after students have learned foundational letter-sound relationships. The exact skill sequence depends on the edition and the point in the Fundations scope and sequence. Before assigning a book, check that its word patterns match the current unit and that students can decode most of the text independently.
Levels progress from simpler sound-spelling patterns to more complex patterns as students build phonics knowledge. A well-matched progression may move from short vowels and basic consonants to digraphs, blends, long vowels, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, and advanced vowel teams. Use the scope and sequence to select practice that reinforces current instruction.
Yes. Pair a book with the Fundations skill students are learning, then use it for teacher-led practice, partner reading, or rereading. Little Lions books supplement the core program by giving students additional opportunities to apply letter-sound relationships in connected text. Decodable books provide this application practice as part of systematic phonics instruction (Reading Rockets).
Build a reading routine that gives students more time with the phonics patterns they are learning. Browse Little Lions decodable books to find engaging, skill-focused practice for classroom groups, intervention, and home reading.
