Reading A-Z: The online reading program with downloadable books …

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Last Tuesday, I found myself digging through a rain-soaked book bin while my five-year-old whined for “the one with the dragon” and my second grader demanded a non-fiction book about volcanoes. I had exactly eleven minutes before preschool pickup. That’s when I remembered the paper books I’d printed from Reading A-Z two weeks earlier—exactly leveled, exactly what each kid needed, and already sitting in our reading cubby. I printed them on Monday night while making dinner, and a single subscription gave me over 3,000 titles spanning 29 levels from aa to Z2. Within minutes, both kids had a book they could actually read on their own. No guessing. No tears. Just a ten-year-old program that quietly revolutionized our homeschool reading routine, and it costs less than a family Netflix plan.

Why I Switched to Reading A-Z for Our Home Library

Before I found Reading A-Z, our weekly library haul ended in the same scene: my kindergartner picking books with words he couldn’t decode, and my third grader grabbing picture books three levels below his ability. I spent hours hunting for the right level sticker on spines, only to discover that “Level 1” meant something different at every publisher. Reading A-Z solved this by giving me a single, consistent leveling system with downloadable books that match exactly where each child is. The program uses Guided Reading Levels (A–Z) and a separate Lexile measure, so I can pair the printed book with the same assessment tools that classroom teachers use.

The first thing I did was print the placement test—a short, one-page running record that took under five minutes per kid. For my five-year-old, the test landed him at Level C. For my second grader, Level J. I then printed ten books for each level: five fiction, five nonfiction. The whole stack took fifteen minutes to print and staple. Budget-wise, a one-year classroom subscription runs about $110, but I split the cost with two other homeschooling families, bringing our share to $37. You can also start with a free two-week trial and print as many books as you want during that window—just be sure to stagger the trial with your co-op. We store our printed books in magazine files labeled by level, and I replenish the stack each Sunday evening.

• Weekly printing time: 10–15 minutes for 10 new books.
• Cost for a family of three: $37 if shared, or $110 solo—cheaper than a Scholastic book order per year.
• Alternative: Use the free “Read-Aloud” books from Reading A-Z’s public sample page, then pair with library finds at the same level.

How I Track Reading Progress in My Bullet Journal

I’ve tried app-based trackers and spreadsheets, but nothing sticks like a paper spread that lives on my kitchen command center. My Reading A-Z bullet journal spread includes three columns: Book Title, Level, and Comprehension Score (out of 5). I added a fourth column for “Fluency Notes” where I jot down whether my child read with expression or paused too long on sight words. Each week, I log the books we printed and the quick quiz results after each read. The spread looks like a clean grid with a muted green header and a simple dot grid background—no stickers, no washi tape, just data I can actually use.

My favorite part is the monthly “Levels Read” tracker: a small bar graph showing how many books each kid finished at each level. In February, my son burned through fourteen Level D books, so I knew it was time to move him to E. Without the graph, I would have guessed three. The whole spread takes me about five minutes to set up on the first of the month, and then three minutes every Sunday to update. If you want to try this, grab a standard A5 dotted notebook. You’ll need a fine-tip black pen for the grid and a single highlighter to mark completed books. For a paper-free alternative, I use the free printable reading log from Reading A-Z’s “Resources” section—just glue it into your journal with a glue stick.

1. Draw a table with six columns: Date, Title, Level, Quiz Score (1-5), Fluency, and Next Step.
2. Color-code levels: green for independent, yellow for instructional, red for hard.
3. Set a goal: 20 books per month at the child’s instructional level.

Matching Books to Your Child’s Reading Stage (Levels aa–Z2)

The Reading A-Z leveling system isn’t just a random label; each letter corresponds to specific text features like sentence length, vocabulary repetition, and picture support. Level aa books contain a single word per page with strong picture cues—perfect for a preschooler who isn’t yet reading. Level A introduces simple two- to three-word sentences, and Level D starts to use past-tense verbs and dialogue. By Level J, my second grader was reading full paragraphs with multisyllable words and minimal illustrations. Knowing these markers helps me choose books that challenge without frustrating.

Here’s how I match books to age groups: for PreK–K, I stick with levels aa through D, printing mostly fiction with repeated phrases like “I see a cat” or “The dog runs.” For grades 1–2, levels E through M work well, and I lean toward nonfiction topics because my first grader loves animals and weather. For grades 3–5, levels N through Z2 include chapter-book style texts and complex plots. I printed a Level Z2 book about the Titanic for my fifth-grade nephew, and he read it in one sitting. Budget tip: You can find free level correlation charts online that map Reading A-Z levels to Fountas & Pinnell and DRA, so you can bring library books home and match them yourself.

• aa–C: Emergent readers, predictable text, one line per page.
• D–J: Early fluent, longer sentences, some paragraphs.
• K–P: Fluent, chapter-like structure, character development.
• Q–Z2: Advanced, complex themes, content-area vocabulary.

Creating a Weekly Reading Lesson Plan with Printables

Every Sunday evening, I spend twenty minutes planning our reading week using the lesson plans that come with each Reading A-Z book. The program includes a full lesson card for every title: vocabulary words, comprehension questions, phonics focus, and a follow-up writing prompt. I don’t use all of it—that would be too much for a home setting—but I pick three components per day. Monday: read the book together and discuss the main idea. Tuesday: complete the comprehension skill sheet (usually a one-page printable). Wednesday: reread for fluency and do a quick oral retelling. Thursday: work on the phonics worksheet linked to the book’s pattern. Friday: take the online quiz or do an informal running record.

This routine takes thirty minutes total on weekdays, and the kids know the rhythm by heart. For my five-year-old, Friday means coloring the “I Can Read” tracker chart that I printed from the site and glued onto the wall. For my eight-year-old, Friday means writing a one-sentence summary in his reading notebook. The printables are PDFs that print cleanly on regular letter paper. I keep a three-ring binder with clear page protectors divided by level, and I slip each week’s sheets into the front pocket. If you don’t want to print lesson plans, the free version gives you the book and a basic quiz—you can write your own questions on a sticky note. That’s what I did for the first three months, and it worked fine.

Using Raz-Kids for Independent Reading Practice

Raz-Kids is the digital sibling of Reading A-Z, and it gives each child a personal online bookshelf with the same leveled books. My kids log in on a tablet while I’m making dinner, and they can listen to the book read aloud, record themselves reading it, and then take a comprehension quiz. The recording feature is a goldmine: my son heard himself skip every “the” last month, and now he self-corrects mid-sentence. The program automatically tracks which books they’ve read and quiz scores, which I export as a CSV and paste into my bullet journal numbers.

We use Raz-Kids three times a week for fifteen minutes per session. I set up a timer on my phone, and each child reads two books: one at their independent level and one at their instructional level. The digital experience costs an additional $95 per year if you buy it bundled with Reading A-Z, but you can also get a standalone Raz-Kids subscription for about $100. My budget workaround: I let my kids use the free “sample” books on Raz-Kids (around 30 titles) and save the paid subscription for the heavier printing months. Also, many public libraries now offer access to Raz-Kids through a limited license—check your library’s e-resources page before buying.

How to Use the Assessment Tools to Guide Instruction

Reading A-Z provides several formal assessments, but the one I actually use is the Benchmark Passage running record. It’s a one-page story at a given level, and I mark miscues as my child reads aloud. I do this once a month for each kid—ten minutes total. The calculation is simple: total words minus errors, divided by total words, gives an accuracy percentage. 95% or higher means independent level. 90–94% is instructional. Below 90% is frustrational. I record that percentage in a separate bullet journal spread called “Benchmark Levels,” which is just a single table with months as columns and accuracy rates as rows.

Last month, my daughter scored 94% on a Level N passage, so I knew to keep her at N but add more repetition. The assessment also flags specific errors: she kept saying “whent” instead of “went,” so I added a sight-word drill to our morning routine. The entire assessment library is downloadable, so I print only the passages I need. For a low-cost alternative, you can use the free running record calculator at Reading A-Z’s resource page (no subscription required) and pair it with any leveled book from the public library. You just need the word count, which you can count yourself in three minutes.

Budget-Friendly Ways to Build a Leveled Library at Home

A full Reading A-Z subscription is not cheap, but I have found three ways to stretch it. First, I print only the books I plan to use that week—never the whole level at once. One month’s printing, about forty books, costs me roughly $4 in ink and paper. Second, I share our subscription with two other families, and we rotate the login every two months so everyone gets fresh books. Third, I use the “Book List” feature to create custom PDFs of ten books per level, then upload them to a free cloud drive for offline printing later. When the subscription expires, I still have the files.

Beyond the subscription, I raid my library’s guided reading section. Many libraries keep boxes of leveled books that are never checked out. I found a complete set of Level H books at my branch—thirty titles, all in pristine condition—and borrowed them for three months. The librarian told me they were from a teacher’s donation. I also swap books with neighbors; we have a cardboard box on my porch labeled “Book Exchange” and everyone drops off and picks up leveled readers. A friend gave me an entire set of Level A books she’d printed from Reading A-Z two years ago, and they were still usable. If you want to start for under $20, order the free trial, print twenty books at your child’s level, and then use the library for daily reading until you can budget for a full year.

The Hidden Gem: Science and Social Studies Content

While most people think of Reading A-Z as a literacy program, the nonfiction series cover science standards like weather, life cycles, and simple machines, plus social studies topics including communities, maps, and historical figures. I printed a Level L book called “How a Seed Grows” to go with our spring planting unit, and my daughter read it aloud while we planted beans. The vocabulary sheet at the end taught her words like germinate and seedling, which she then used in her science journal. The integration made our reading feel like part of a bigger adventure, not just another worksheet.

I track these thematic reads in a separate “Unit Study” bullet journal spread. I list the unit title, the books we used (level included), and a one-sentence summary of what we learned. For example, under “Solar System,” I wrote: “Our Solar System (Level I) – read about the order of planets, then built a mobile.” The science books also include a quick experiment suggestion in the teacher guide—like making a shadow chart after reading “Day and Night” (Level E). Those extras are free with the subscription and require only household items. If you don’t have a subscription, you can find similar nonfiction titles at the library under the same topics and use the Reading A-Z leveling chart to estimate the reading level.

Each nonfiction book also contains a graphic organizer printable: a Venn diagram, a KWL chart, or a cause-and-effect map. I keep a stack of these printed and ready to go, and my kids choose which one to fill out after reading. The whole science and social studies collection spans levels aa through Z2, so you can differentiate for multiple ages at once. My five-year-old read “The Sun” at Level C while my eight-year-old read the same topic at Level O.

Conclusion

After two years with Reading A-Z, I have landed on three non-negotiable practices that make the subscription worth every penny. First, take the placement test seriously—it takes five minutes and it will save you from printing books your child can’t read. Second, build a simple bullet journal tracker that includes level, quiz score, and a fluency note; without tracking, you will guess at progress and stall your child’s growth. Third, print only what you need for the week and share the subscription with another family to cut costs by two-thirds. If you want a specific starting point, grab the two-week trial and print exactly ten books at your child’s placement level. That single stack will show you within a week whether this program fits your family. It fit mine, and now our reading cubby is stocked with books that actually work, no rain-soaked bins required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Reading A-Z subscription cost, and can I get it cheaper?

A one-year classroom subscription to Reading A-Z costs $110 as of 2025. That gives you access to all leveled books, lesson plans, worksheets, and assessments. If you also want the Raz-Kids digital component, the bundle is about $200 per year. To save money, split the cost with two or three other families—our co-op pays $37 per family per year. You can also use the free two-week trial to print a batch of books and then let the subscription lapse until you’re ready for more. Many school districts also allow parents to purchase a discounted subscription through a school partnership; ask your child’s teacher if that’s an option.

What levels does Reading A-Z cover, and how do I know which level my child is on?

Reading A-Z offers books from Level aa (pre-reader) through Level Z2 (advanced grade 5). The levels correspond to the Guided Reading framework used in most U.S. schools. To find your child’s level, use the free benchmark passage assessment available on the Reading A-Z website. You print a one-page story, have your child read it aloud, and count errors. If they read with 95% accuracy or higher, that level is independent. I do this every few months, and it takes less than ten minutes. The leveling is consistent across all books, so once you know the number, you can print with confidence.

Do I need to print every book, or can my child read them digitally?

You can do either. Reading A-Z provides printable PDFs for every title, which I prefer because my kids like holding paper books and coloring the pictures. But the same books are also available online through the Raz-Kids app, where children can read on a tablet or computer, listen to audio, and record themselves. The digital version includes comprehension quizzes with immediate feedback. I use both: printed books for our daily lesson time and Raz-Kids for independent practice while I’m cooking. If you don’t want to print at all, you can skip the printed books entirely and just use the digital library—but you’ll need the Raz-Kids subscription for full digital access.