Read October and Decodable Books

Read October was initiated in 2020 by the International Dyslexia Association Ontario (IDAO) to raise awareness about dyslexia within Ontario communities and promote the availability of dyslexia-friendly books in libraries.

Reading with Decodable Books

One resource that the IDAO promotes is decodable books. Decodable books are designed to support children as they learn to read by focusing on phonetic words and spelling patterns that align with their current knowledge of letter-sound relationships. 

Decodable books feature:

• high-interest stories and characters at an accessible level,
• simple, controlled vocabulary to help build confidence and fluency, and
• dyslexia-friendly fonts.

Decodable books are essential for children with dyslexia or any struggling reader, as they provide practice with reading skills using familiar letter sounds. By gradually introducing new sounds and skills, these books help readers gain confidence and become more proficient with word-level reading.

Decodable books aren't just for young children—they're for older kids too! These books maintain age-appropriate content while supporting the development of literacy skills. They also offer engaging stories that match the interests and maturity levels of older readers who may need extra practice with foundational reading concepts.

Explore our collection of decodable books through the online catalogue or by visiting one of our locations. Decodable books can be placed on hold with your membership and picked up at the location of your choice.

Our Read October Partners

Cambridge Public Library would like to thank the IDAO for supporting our decodable book collection.

Through Read October, the IDAO partners with public libraries to bring awareness to the early signs of dyslexia and provides resources to families to support and advocate for their children.