Children's Books for 1st Graders
Just One!
May the fairy has one simple job: fly through the garden and pick her very favorite flower. Easy, right? But wait - which bloom is truly the best? The sunny daisies? The pinky-pink roses? That mysterious red bloom no one has ever seen? Even the bees can’t agree, and a zippy little bee keeps buzzing, ‘Pick one already!’ Can May ever choose just one? This cheerful decodable reader practises open syllables in words like ‘fly,’ ‘go,’ ’try,’ ‘why,’ and ‘me.’
Cat Is Struck!
Brat Cat has a List, and Brat Cat always finishes her List - chickens to feed, sheep to brush, fences to mend. But what happens when an arrow comes flying out of nowhere and thunks right into her shoulder? Who would dare attack a busy cat on a perfectly good Tuesday? Can she grab her bow and save the day? This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘sun,’ ‘struck,’ ’trunk,’ and ‘yes.’
What Ned Did
Ned has a tall stone tower, a big book full of tips, and one tiny problem - he is not a wizard yet! Can a boy with a bucket really turn bubbling lava into the hardest stone in the world? And what happens when he whacks it with his shiny new pick? Join Ned on a steamy, sparky cave adventure full of drips, hisses, and surprises. This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘what,’ ‘whew,’ ‘which,’ and ‘whisks.’
The Big Drop Race
High up in the sky, thousands of tiny raindrops are jostling at the edge of a grumpy cloud, ready for the wildest race ever. Who will splash down first? Who will reach the sea? And what happens when the hot sun starts to shine on the winners? Tumble down hills, rush through rivers, and discover a surprise twist that turns the whole race upside down! This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’thick,’ ’thin,’ ’thud,’ and ’through.'
His Big Gig
Pang the cicada has the biggest job of his life - conducting the Dry Season Concert for the whole forest! His wings tremble, his knees wobble, and his glasses keep sliding down his nose. Can he get the choir to sing in tune? And what happens when something very wet and very unexpected starts falling from the sky at a DRY season concert? A decodable reader practicing open syllables in words like ‘be,’ ‘fly,’ ‘my,’ ’try,’ and ‘we.’
A Band of Birds
Who is truly the best bird in the yard? Red Bird thinks she is. Yellow Bird whispers it from her hill. Orange Bird is too busy running to care, Green Bird has his crew, and Blue Bird zips by like a rocket! But when a huge gust of wind crashes through the sky, can six very different birds find a way to fly together? This decodable reader practices VCC/CVCC words such as ‘bold,’ ‘fast,’ ‘band,’ and ‘wind.’
Ride That Pig!
Ned is lost in a spooky swamp with only his floating Book for company - and something slimy is bouncing his way! Can Ned battle the splitting slimes, make it home before dark, and figure out why a mysterious pink pig keeps staring at him? And what happens when he straps a saddle onto its back? Giggles, oinks, and carrot-powered chaos await! This decodable reader practises the sh sound in words like ‘shade,’ ‘splash,’ ‘fresh,’ ‘shock,’ and ‘shrug.’
A Glint in the Dark
Dr. Can Do is sure he knows every cobblestone and rooftop in his quiet little town - so when a stranger named Sam rides in claiming there are secret caves nearby, the doc just laughs. But what happens when Sam leads him down a twisting stone stairway? Could a whole glowing world really be hiding right beneath their feet? This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends through lively words like ’trots,’ ‘glint,’ ‘plucks,’ ‘stands,’ and ’twist.’
Lost in the Dust
Rooster has rules, a proud chest, and a crow loud enough to wake the stars - but what happens when his farmer leaves him all alone on a dusty street corner? Cold, hungry, and chased from every doorstep, Rooster is sure he doesn’t need anyone. Then a kind man and his wife offer him corn and a cozy home. Could this scruffy bird finally belong somewhere? This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jump,’ ‘dust,’ ‘yelps,’ and ‘cuff.’
Rot
Steve and Alex catch WAY too much cod - and then make some truly terrible choices about what to do with the leftovers. What happens when fish is left to go bad? Why are cats suddenly swarming the yard, and what giant creature is snuffling around in the cave? Can two friends fix a stinky, slimy, oozy mess before the whole farm turns into an animal party? This decodable reader practises the ng phonogram in words like ‘bring,’ ‘cling,’ ‘strong,’ and ‘song.’