They won't read. Until the story is about Minecraft.
Personalised phonics stories, matching practice sheets and comprehension questions, written with the sounds your class knows. Tell Baker what a child loves and where your class is up to. The print-ready PDF comes back in the chat.
He can blend. He just won't.
The book goes back in the tray
He knows his sounds. He can blend. But the reading book is about a cat on a mat, and he shuts it before page two. Nothing in the box is about anything he cares about.
The search for a book that fits
You need a story with this week's sounds, about dinosaurs, for one child. You find one or the other. Never both, and never before the bell.
The chat box that skips ahead
You try a chat box. The story is lovely, and full of sounds your class hasn't met yet. You fix it word by word, then lay it out yourself.
Baker puts the two things that matter in one place: what the child loves, and the sounds they already know.
A story about their thing, in sounds they can read.
A child who shuts the book will often read a page about the thing they love most. Baker writes that page, at the level your phonics teaching has reached.
Stories about what they love
Minecraft, dinosaurs, football, their dog Biscuit. Tell Baker the interest and it writes a short story around it, with a colour picture on every page.
can you do one about her dog Biscuit? she won't read anything elseWritten with the sounds you tell it
Tell Baker your scheme and where your class is up to. It writes with those sounds and keeps the other words simple. It remembers your place and moves on when you tell it you've moved on.
Saved: Read Write Inc., Set 2, up to ay, ee and igh. I'll write to that until you tell me otherwise.A matching sheet and questions
Ask for a practice sheet on the same story: the same words, sorted by sound, with lines to write on. Add comprehension questions and the answers go on the last page.
Same words as the story, three questions at the end, answers on the last page.The same story for every group
One group needs it shorter. Another needs a word bank and a picture clue next to each word. Ask in plain words and you get a new version of the same story, so nobody reads something different.
same story but easier for the blue group, with a word bankWhy a blank chat box gets phonics wrong.
It isn't trying to break your phonics. It just doesn't know where your class is.
It reaches for words that read easily to you
Ask for a short 'a' story and 'rain', 'boat' and 'night' turn up by line two. Easy for an adult, sounds your class hasn't met yet.
It forgets where your class is up to
Every new chat starts from nothing. Baker keeps your scheme, your sounds and who needs what, and uses them next time without being asked.
It gives you text, not a lesson
A wall of words to copy, paste and lay out. Baker sends the story, the sheet and the questions as print-ready PDFs, straight into the chat.
The honest part: Baker writes with the sounds you tell it. It doesn't run a check on every word, so read it before it goes out, like any resource. Spot a word that's too hard? Text it back and you get a new version.
Text it like you'd ask the teacher next door.
No forms, no settings. These are the kinds of messages Baker turns into a PDF.
The story, the sounds and the sheet. All three.
A real phonics book Baker made, start to finish.
Not a mock-up. We texted Baker as a test teacher, and this is exactly what came back, pictures and all. Open the PDF and print it.
Can you make a phonics picture book for Leo? He loves dinosaurs. Use our sounds please
Here you go. Dino book for Leo, every word built from ai, ee, igh and oa so he can read the lot himself.
Got the questions at the back too, for after.
PDFLeo and the Green Dino
Three steps to a story they want to read.
Tell Baker what they love
Tap Text Baker now and WhatsApp opens with Baker. No sign-up. Then just say it: "Ben is obsessed with Minecraft."
Tell it the sounds they know
"Year 1, Little Wandle Phase 3, up to oa." Baker saves it, so next time you only need the topic.
Read it, print it, teach it
The story, practice sheet and questions land as PDFs. Read them first. Want it easier, or more oa words? Just say so.
Everything you get for phonics.
- Personalised phonics storiesAbout any interest, for one child or the whole class, illustrated on every page.
- Written with your class's soundsTell it your scheme and where you're up to. It remembers and writes to that.
- Matching practice sheetsThe same words as the story, sorted by sound, with lines to write on and a Name and Date line.
- Comprehension questions with answersQuestions on the story, numbered, with an answer page at the end.
- A version for every groupShorter, easier, a word bank, picture clues. Ask for it without starting again.
- The rest of Baker tooWorksheets, quizzes, songs and lesson plans for everything else you teach. Same number, same chat.
One plan. Unlimited messages. Cancel any time.
Prices in US dollars. Local taxes may apply at checkout.
on a real
reader
The only risk is a child asking for the next one.
- Your first resource is completely free. No card, no account, nothing to sign up for. Just text.
- Try it on the child who won't read. If the story doesn't land, you've lost nothing.
- Cancel by text: send CANCEL, confirm, done. Your plan runs to the end of the month you paid for.
- First names only. Baker doesn't keep surnames or medical details.
What Baker doesn't do for phonics.
Questions phonics teachers ask first.
Will it slip in sounds my class hasn't learned?
Baker writes with the sounds you tell it your class knows, and keeps the other words simple. It's much closer than a blank chat box, but it isn't a word-by-word checker, so read each story before it goes out. If a word is too hard, text it back ("swap 'night', we haven't done igh") and you get a new version.
Which phonics schemes does it work with?
Whichever one you teach. Teachers tell Baker things like "Little Wandle Phase 3", "Read Write Inc. Set 2", "Jolly Phonics" or "UFLI lesson 20", plus the sounds they're up to. Baker saves that and writes to it. It isn't partnered with or approved by any scheme; it simply works from what you tell it.
Can it write a story about one child's interests?
Yes. "Ben loves Minecraft" or "her dog is called Biscuit" is all it needs. Use first names only. Baker remembers who loves what, so next time you can just say "another one for Ben".
Do the practice sheets match the story?
Ask for a sheet "on that story" and it uses the same words and characters: reading the words, sorting them by sound, writing a sentence. Comprehension questions come with an answer page at the end.
Can I make a version for a different group?
Yes. Reply "easier", "shorter", "add a word bank" or "with picture clues" and you get a new version of the same story. Baker can remember which group needs which, so you don't have to say it each time.
Does it work for older readers who still need phonics?
Tell Baker the child's age and the sounds they know, and ask for a story that doesn't feel babyish. A Year 4 pupil can get a football story at Phase 3 sounds without it reading like a Reception book.
How much does it cost?
Your first resource is completely free: no card, no account, just text. After that the Baker plan is $20 USD a month for unlimited messages, for phonics and everything else. Text PLAN any time to see the details.
How do I cancel?
Text CANCEL and confirm. You keep Baker until the end of the month you've paid for and you won't be charged again. Changed your mind? Text KEEP.
Is it safe to text about my pupils?
Use first names or group labels ("the blue group"). Baker won't store surnames, medical or special-needs details, and it says so if you send them. The full detail is in our privacy policy.
The story they'll actually read is one text away.
Tell Baker what they love and the sounds they know. Get the story, the sheet and the questions back, ready to print.