Switching from Explode the Code to All About Reading: which level to check first
Find the last Explode the Code level your child worked in to see where to look in All About Reading, how strong the evidence is, and the free placement test to give next.
In short
No publisher we found publishes a direct Explode the Code to All About Reading crosswalk, so we place both programs on one shared reading scale from each publisher's own level guidance. Finishing Book 4 in Explode the Code points to Level 3 in All About Reading, or Level 2 if the placement test shows gaps (Unverified). At least one of the two programs has no source tying its levels to grades or reading stages, so every row below is Unverified. Treat them as a starting guess and let the All About Reading placement guidance decide. The placement test is the real answer.
Checked Oct 17, 2026. Built from the same table as our reading switch helper and methodology page.
All About Reading placement test (Levels 1 to 4) and Pre-reading checklist
The publisher says its level numbers do not correspond with grade levels. A parent gives the test with the child; the child should not work alone.
All About Reading covers: phonics and reading. Explode the Code covers: phonics workbooks.
Explode the Code to All About Reading, level by level
| Last Explode the Code level | Finished it: look first at | About halfway: look first at | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get Ready, Get Set, Go for the Code (A to C) | Level 2 If the test shows gaps: Level 1 | Level 1 If the test shows gaps: Pre-reading | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 1 | Level 2 If the test shows gaps: Level 1 | Level 1 If the test shows gaps: Pre-reading | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 2 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Level 2 If the test shows gaps: Level 1 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 3 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Level 2 If the test shows gaps: Level 1 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 4 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Level 2 If the test shows gaps: Level 1 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 5 | Level 4 If the test shows gaps: Level 3 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 6 | Level 4 If the test shows gaps: Level 3 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 7 | Level 4 If the test shows gaps: Level 3 | Level 3 If the test shows gaps: Level 2 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Book 8 | Past Level 4, the last level | Level 4 If the test shows gaps: Level 3 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
Greyed rows are Unverified: we found no publisher or parent source for at least one side, so treat that level as a guess and rely on the placement test.
Why these levels
Explode the Code: Explode the Code sells a printed placement test. We found no free publisher source tying each book to a reading stage. Sources: Explode the Code placement test book (publisher).
All About Reading: All About Reading places by skill. Its Level 1 test checks letter knowledge and blending, and Level 2 adds silent E and longer words. A parent review lines Level 3 up with second-grade reading; the publisher says Level 4 is not fourth grade. Sources: All About Reading placement page: level numbers do not match grades, All About Reading Level 1 placement test (PDF): readiness skills, All About Reading level descriptions, All About Learning Press: Level 4 is not fourth grade, Parent review: Level 1 kindergarten, Level 2 first grade, Level 3 second grade skills.
A match is only as strong as its weaker side. Confirmed by publisher means both publishers state the level we used, not that they confirmed the pairing. Supported by parent reports means at least one side rests on reviewers or parents. Unverified means we found no source for at least one side.
How to make the switch
- Note the last Explode the Code level your child worked in and whether they finished it.
- Find it in the table above and note the evidence level.
- Give the All About Reading placement guidance on a calm day, without helping. Follow the publisher's instructions for scores near a cutoff.
- Compare the All About Reading level's scope and sequence with what your child already covered.
- Use free samples or trial lessons for a week before buying the full level.
- Check the sale timing before you buy. When All About Reading usually goes on sale. When Explode the Code usually goes on sale.
Going the other way? See All About Reading to Explode the Code. Comparing more programs, or not sure a switch will help? The reading switch helper starts with that question.
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Questions parents ask
Does All About Reading have a placement test?
All About Reading placement test (Levels 1 to 4) and Pre-reading checklist: https://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/placement/. The publisher says its level numbers do not correspond with grade levels. A parent gives the test with the child; the child should not work alone.
Is Book 4 in Explode the Code the same as Level 3 in All About Reading?
Not exactly. Programs teach topics in different orders. On our scale, a child who finished Book 4 in Explode the Code is at about the point where Level 3 in All About Reading begins, so that is the level to check first. Evidence level: Unverified. No publisher publishes a crosswalk between these two programs.
Why might my child place differently in All About Reading?
How we placed Explode the Code: Explode the Code sells a printed placement test. We found no free publisher source tying each book to a reading stage. How we placed All About Reading: All About Reading places by skill. Its Level 1 test checks letter knowledge and blending, and Level 2 adds silent E and longer words. A parent review lines Level 3 up with second-grade reading; the publisher says Level 4 is not fourth grade.
Should we switch at all?
Often a pacing change in the program you own works first: slow down, review, skip ahead or trim problems. A switch makes the most sense when the format or content does not fit your child or family. The switch helper walks through this first.
When does All About Reading usually go on sale?
Latest dated offer on our list: Oct 6 to 13, 2026. Fall Sale: 10% off All About Reading, All About Spelling and All About Math. (Reported.) Details and sources: https://homeschoolhaul.com/sale-calendar/all-about-learning-press/
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