Wiley Blevins

Bestsellers: Phonics from A to Z (the OG), A Fresh Look at Phonics, Differentiating Phonics Instruction for Maximum Impact

The Deal: Harvard Ed.D. Wiley Blevins is the person phonics teachers quote when they want to sound smart—and they're right to. He's written 17+ books for teachers, over 100 children's books, and authored the

International Literacy Association's official brief on phonics instruction.

What sets him apart: Blevins doesn't just tell you phonics matters (everyone knows that). He tells you why it fails—the 10 common causes of phonics instruction breakdown—and exactly how to fix it. His Fresh Look at Phonics has been called "a page-turner" about phonics, which is honestly kind of amazing. He's also SVP at

Reycraft Books, focused on publishing diverse voices, because he knows representation matters before kids can even decode the words.