I remember when learning how the read was getting down letter sounds then syllables. Then trying to picture the words as you sound them out.

I think for some of the beginning basics you need more than a book to translate the written into the appropriate sounds, etc. Once you can get a handle on that it get easier.

Another tool to employ is to get them to learn the most common words (i,e, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolch_Word_List ) that will help them trough most words in sentences...