Children's Books for 1st Graders
Give Me Your Gems!
Ned has trekked past the flower fields and found something amazing - a whole village full of people who only say “Hmm”! But what do these odd folk want, and what are those sparkly green gems they keep pressing into his hands? When a wandering trader strolls up with bags of mystery seeds, Ned must decide what’s really worth trading for. This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’thanks,’ ’think,’ ’three,’ and ’those.'
Ned and the Thing with Teeth
Ned has built thick walls, but can they really stop every mob? When a huge iron thing on the path gives him an idea, Ned sets to work - stacking slabs with a thump, planting seeds in the earth, and carving sharp teeth into a pumpkin. But will his strange creation actually come to life? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’thick,’ ‘path,’ ’teeth,’ ’thump,’ and ’thanks.’
Hang On, Mel!
When the water rises fast and swallows the whole street, what can Mel do but cling to a pole and hug her toy giraffe, Gus? A kind helper named Jen scoops her up and brings her somewhere safe - but can Mel be brave enough to help others too, and will Jen keep her biggest promise of all? This decodable reader practises the ’ng’ sound in words such as ‘clung,’ ‘hang,’ ‘sang,’ ‘flung,’ and ‘strong.’
Here Comes the Brute!
When pillagers swarm the hills and a giant Ravager comes snorting out of the trees, who will stand up to save the village? With only an iron golem, two brave dogs, and a shiny golden axe for company, one hero must find the courage to fight - but can anyone really take down a beast that eats swords for breakfast? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘brave,’ ‘huge,’ ‘strike,’ ‘pride,’ and ‘smile.’
Here They Come!
Night is falling, and something is groaning in the shadows. Can Ned and his brave wolves hold back the skeletons, zombies, and creepy crawlies clawing across the field? His leather armour is no match for their fangs - but what if The Book has a shiny, clanging plan to turn Ned into a hero? Will iron be enough when the monsters swarm again? This decodable reader practises the ng phonogram in words like ‘bang,’ ‘clang,’ ‘king,’ ‘strong,’ and ‘swing.’
Hold On, Big Fish!
CRASH! SPLASH! When a fishing net traps Big Fish on the rocky seabed, Little Fish knows there’s only one way to save his best friend - find someone with really, really sharp teeth. But where do you look when you’re tiny and the ocean is huge? Will Turtle help? Will Whale? Who on earth has teeth sharp enough to slice through a net? This decodable reader practises the ‘sh’ sound in words like ‘fish,’ ‘sharp,’ ‘shrimp,’ ‘splash,’ and ‘swish.’
Hold On, Brother!
When Jack and Ben fight over a toy, Mom sends them straight to bed - but what happens when Jack dreams up a giant elephant and zooms off across the plains without his little brother? What if Ben needs him? Can Jack reach his brother before it’s too late? Climb on and hold tight for a wild ride full of heart and hope! This decodable reader practices the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘whiz,’ ‘whew,’ and ‘whole.’
Hold On, Cam!
What happens when Cam drifts off to sleep and suddenly feels lighter than air? Up, up he goes - past bushes, past birds, past an eagle and a plane all shouting the same warning: hold on tight! But hold on to what? Cam zooms higher and higher, whirling past clouds and rockets and even the stars themselves. Will he remember what he’s really holding on to? This decodable reader practises the wh phonogram in words like ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘whirl,’ and ‘whole.’
They Use My Cloth!
What happens when one special towel keeps disappearing? First a girl grabs it to dry her hands, then a man scoops it up after a big splash, and then an old man sits on it to play music under the moon! Can the owner ever get their purple-and-gold towel back - and who will use it last of all? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ‘bath,’ ‘cloth,’ ’then,’ ’this,’ and ‘with.’
Run! Run! Run!
Goya the Komodo dragon is having the worst day ever. First a flood sweeps him into a grimy tunnel, and then, when he finally pops out into the sunshine, a bunch of kids start screaming one truly awful word at him: CROCODILE! Can Goya prove he’s a proud, magnificent Komodo dragon? And will he ever find his way back to his warm jungle rock? This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘yuck,’ ‘jumps,’ ‘just,’ and ‘runs.’