Daffodil Hill Press

From Allison, a K-6 literacy specialist who got her hands on Hot Topics early:

"Finding relevant, engaging nonfiction that actually holds students' attention can be tricky, but these are a total game-changer. The Hot Topics books are a perfect fit for my higher-level readers."

(Thanks, Allison!)

Big news: Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables are shipping now. Link in comments.

We're always scheming at Daffodil Hill Headquarters. We just loving making books.

What are we working on, you ask?

Well, Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables are shipping now. And we've got a few prototypes we're not allowed to talk about yet. (Wink, wink.)

At Daffodil Hill, we're a "little publisher that could" in a sea of big box curricula and decodables. Just a few teachers who decided to make books and try to break even. Follow us to stay in the loop. And if you know us, comment with what you like about our books and what you need more of in your classroom.

"Students will be able to engage with these texts independently, add to their background knowledge, and relish becoming experts on new topics."

—Amy M., Curriculum Specialist, Belmont, MA

Yes. We want students to enjoy reading while practicing—and learn, too. We're pretty excited about the way these decodables relate to kids' lives and offer new concepts too. Older cousin in a track meet? We've got At the Track for that. Think looking at nail art is cool? We've got Painting Nails. Did you just see a school play? Check out It's Show Time.

Link in bio to get more information about Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables.

"The warm-up word lists on the inside cover include both decodable and multisyllabic words students will encounter in the text. This makes small-group instruction much easier to run."

— Kylie, 2nd Grade Teacher, New York

We agree! And these don't just help for small group, they help when partners are reading, when kids are reading on their own, or even reading with an adult outside of school.

Link in bio to learn more about Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables.

"The level of detail is unlike anything I've seen in a classroom text before."

—Allison C., K–6 Literacy Specialist, South Huntington, NY

We're glad you noticed, Allison! That's what we were going for. Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables are built to actually teach kids something—not just give them practice text that looks like nonfiction, but doesn't feel like engaging reading.

Link in bio to learn more and look at a digital sample before the May launch!

One set of cards. Lots of books to engage with.

Classroom sets of Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables come with 6 task cards (on 3 table tents) covering decoding, vocabulary, fluency, summarizing, opinion, and Q&A.

The same cards work across every title in the collection—no reprinting, no copying. Scroll or swipe to see an example that supports vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.

(All of our Purposeful Practice Collections—like Mixed Genre Late K/Early 1 and Nonfiction Animal Decodables for Grades 1 and 2—come with these, too!)

Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables ship by end of May. Link in bio to request a quote.

Which decodable should I use, and when?

It's one of the most common questions we hear from teachers, and it doesn't have a one-size answer. The right text depends on where the reader is, what they need to practice, and what you're reading for.

On Wednesday, May 6 at 7pm ET, Katrina Davino and I are doing a free webinar with our California pals Lifelong Learning Inc.: The Right Text for the Right Purpose: Matching Decodable Texts to Where Your Readers Are.

We'll talk about how to think about readers beyond a level, when a decodable is the right tool (and when it isn't), and how to match text to purpose, instruction vs. practice.

Everyone who attends gets a printable sampler of decodable texts for instruction and practice.

Good fit for teachers newer to decodables, or anyone who wants to sharpen how they're using them. Forward to a colleague if it sounds more like their speed than yours.

Register: tinyurl.com/joinmay6

Teaching tip: warm up your readers' phonics before using it in context. It's like stretching before exercise.

Our Purposeful Practice books come with built-in blending lines drawn directly from words in that exact text. This helps students practice the decoding before they hit it in context.

And in our Hot Topics Nonfiction Decodables collection, there are single syllable words on the top and two-syllable decodable words on the bottom. The two syllable words are even supported with underlining that indicates how the reader might divide it and sound it out. So even kids who haven't received explicit two-syllable instruction can try on this work!

Just open and go. Swipe to see an example!

How much phonics is actually enough?

"More is not always better. What we need is just enough."

We wrote about this on the blog. Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Link in bio to read the full post.