Review of "Apricot Tree Academy Dyslexia Intervention Workbook, Level 1" by Sandra Dallon, Apricot Tree Academy

Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)

Well, here's something near and dear to our hearts!
A workbook intended to help those who struggle with dyslexia, a very real and very misunderstood learning challenge that can make reading feel like trying to run through wet cement.

And here is the thing: when a child (or adult) struggles to read, it is not because they are lazy. It is not because they are not trying. It is not because they do not care. In many cases, they are trying harder than everyone else in the room. They are just fighting a battle other people cannot always see--a struggle that even fewer understand.

That is why resources like Apricot Tree Academy Dyslexia Intervention Workbook, Level 1 matter.

This workbook, created by Sandra Dallon and Apricot Tree Academy, is aimed at young learners ages 5-10 and serves as part of a dyslexia intervention curriculum. It is designed as a student workbook for Level 1, Lessons 1-4, with activities that align with the corresponding teacher materials

And we have to say: this is a thoughtfully constructed, visually warm, and genuinely useful early literacy workbook.

Now, is this the kind of book you curl up with next to a fireplace and read for the plot twists?

No.

Nobody is sitting there going, “Oh my gosh, I cannot believe the tan cat is mad at the fat rat!”

Although... honestly... the tan cat/fat rat drama does have some serious emotional stakes.

But that is not the point.

The point is structure. Repetition. Confidence. Pattern recognition. Sound awareness. Small wins. One decoded word at a time. One sentence at a time. One “I can do this” moment at a time.

And on that level, this workbook succeeds.

The book starts with simple short a words like mat, map, sat, hat, bad, can, tan, fan, ham, and jam. It also includes nonsense words, which is a great sign from an instructional standpoint. Nonsense words may look silly to an adult, but they are extremely useful because they show whether a child is truly decoding sounds rather than simply memorizing familiar words.

That is important.

A child who can read cat because they have seen it a hundred times may still struggle when they encounter a new word with the same pattern. But if they can sound out nonsense words like dat, gat, lat, or vap, that means they are developing transferable decoding skills. That is where the magic starts to happen.

The workbook then gives students short decodable sentences such as “Pam is at the mat,” “Sam ran on the pad,” and “Tap the map.” Are these sentences literary masterpieces? Of course not. But they are controlled, intentional, and accessible. For struggling readers, that accessibility is everything.

One of our favorite things about this workbook is that it does not rush.

So many reading materials accidentally overwhelm children by introducing too much too quickly. This workbook is more patient. It lingers on sound patterns. It gives students repeated practice. It reinforces through word lists, sentence reading, handwriting, syllable counting, matching games, and short decodable stories.

That kind of repetition may seem simple, but it is powerful.

The short stories are probably the most charming part of the workbook. “The Tan Cat and Fat Rat,” “The Fat Rat’s Hat,” “The Band,” “The Slop Pot,” “A Jog in the Bog,” and “Fran at the Shop” all use controlled vocabulary while giving students something that resembles a little narrative. That matters because children do not just want to drill words forever. They want to feel like they are reading something.

And even when the stories are extremely simple, they provide that feeling.

“The Fat Rat’s Hat,” for example, is basically a tiny saga of fashion disaster and recovery. The rat has a hat. The rat sits on the hat. The hat is flat. The cat is sad. The cat gets the rat a cap.

That is not exactly War and Peace, but for a beginning reader? That is a complete little reading journey. There is a character. There is a problem. There is a resolution. And most importantly, the child can actually read it.

That is huge.

We also appreciated how the workbook introduces the idea of closed syllables in Lesson 2. It explains the concept in a clear and kid-friendly way: one vowel, followed by one or more consonants, with the vowel making a short sound. That is the kind of foundational phonics concept that can unlock a lot for young readers.

The workbook also brings in digraphs like ch, sh, and th, along with short o words such as dog, log, pot, mop, fox, and shop. Later sections appear to build into more complex spelling concepts like the FLOSS rule, welded sounds, plural s sounds, and short e practice.

In other words, the curriculum has a real staircase. It is not random. It is not just “Here are some cute worksheets.” It builds.


We also need to talk about the visuals.

This workbook is surprisingly eye-catching. The teal, orange, cream, and dark navy color palette gives it a polished, branded feel. The illustrations are warm, cozy, and inviting, though it looks like some of them may have been AI generated. In any case, some of the reading scenes, animal illustrations, and story title pages genuinely look like they belong in a children’s picture book.

At the same time... you run a risk when creating something this colorful with all these swirly lines and zig-zagging patterns in the background, especially for children with dyslexia. Like, wouldn't that be distracting?

Moving on...

Children who struggle with reading can sometimes develop anxiety around books and worksheets. A cold, clinical workbook can make that worse. This workbook feels more welcoming. It has personality. It looks like someone cared about making the experience less intimidating.

That said, the visuals are also where we have one of our main critiques.

Some pages may be a little visually busy for dyslexic learners. The decorative backgrounds, strong color blocks, illustrations, and layered layouts are attractive, but dyslexia-friendly design often benefits from extra simplicity, spacing, and visual calm. There are pages where the design looks wonderful from an aesthetic standpoint but might be slightly overstimulating for a child who already struggles with visual processing or attention.

We would not call this a dealbreaker. Not at all. But if the workbook ever receives a revised edition, we would recommend preserving the warmth and charm while giving some pages even more breathing room.

Our other critique is that some of the decodable sentences are a little awkward. For example, lines like “The cab had a lap” or “The man sat on a ham” are funny, but they might also make some children pause and think, “Wait... what?”

Now, to be fair, this is a common challenge with decodable readers. When you limit yourself to specific sound patterns, you sometimes end up with odd little sentences. That is just part of the territory. And sometimes silly sentences actually help kids stay engaged. Still, a few lines could probably be polished while staying within the phonics constraints.

But overall, this is a strong workbook.

It understands that dyslexia intervention is not about throwing harder words at kids and hoping they magically catch up. It is about carefully building the foundation that other readers may have absorbed more easily. It is about making sounds visible, patterns predictable, and reading less frightening.

And there is something genuinely beautiful about that.


A child who struggles to read can start to feel like reading is a locked door. This workbook hands them keys one at a time.

Short a words? Key.

Closed syllables? Key.

Digraphs? Key.

Nonsense words? Key.

Handwriting practice? Key.

Syllable counting? Key.

Decodable stories? Key.

Matching games? Key.

That is the power of a resource like this. It does not just teach reading. It teaches a child that reading is possible.

And that may be the most important lesson of all.

Apricot Tree Academy Dyslexia Intervention Workbook, Level 1 is a warm, structured, visually engaging, and intelligently scaffolded workbook for young readers who need extra support. It has a few rough edges, especially with occasional awkward sentences and some visually busy pages, but its heart and instructional design are firmly in the right place.

For parents, tutors, teachers, and interventionists looking for a gentle but systematic early literacy resource, this is absolutely worth a look.

Check it out on Amazon!