Adventure Books for 1st Graders

Ned is SO bored - there is nothing, nothing, NOTHING to do in the whole entire world! But what happens when he climbs the tallest tree he can find and the branch goes CRACK? Can a clever book, a pile of squishy honey blocks, and one very big idea turn a bored boy into the bravest jumper around? Climb up, look down, and find out! This decodable reader practices the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘whack,’ ‘whew,’ and ‘whiz.’

When Boy’s favorite toy gets snatched by a mischievous dragon and carried high into the clouds, what’s a brave friend to do? Girl knows just one answer: hold on tight and chase that silly dragon across the sky! Can they zoom fast enough to catch the toy before Dragon gets up to more trouble? Buckle up for a wild, whooshing ride packed with giggles and gasps. This decodable reader practices open syllables in words like ‘cry,’ ‘fly,’ ‘sky,’ and ‘we.’

Deep in an old, forgotten mine, Fig Pig grips his little lamp and marches bravely into the dark. What treasures are hiding in the shadows? Who built these huge stone archways, and why did they leave? With a shiny blade tucked under his arm and his trotters wobbling, Fig Pig creeps past sleeping spiders and bubbling lava - but will he spot the warning sign in time? This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘brave,’ ‘cave,’ ‘flame,’ ‘shine,’ and ‘race.’

Ned is the bravest knight around - but every monster fight leaves him covered in bumps and bruises! What he needs is armor, and armor means leather, and leather means… cows. Easy, right? But when Ned charges down the hill yelling at the top of his lungs, the cows have other ideas. Can one small knight outsmart a herd of very fast cows? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’thick,’ ’three,’ ’thud,’ and ’thumps.'

Prince Din wants the biggest leaf ball in the kingdom - but the best leaves grow in the wild forest, where dangerous creatures are said to lurk! When a huge striped cat comes bounding out of the bushes, Din bolts deeper into the trees and gets horribly lost. Is that tiger really chasing him, or could something stranger be going on? This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jumps,’ ’luck,’ ‘plums,’ and ‘stuck.’

The Congo rainforest hides more than towering trees. When nine-year-old Amara chases a runaway hen past the tree her mother warned her never to pass, she tumbles into a world of shadows, glowing beetles, and a shimmering Forest Spirit named Moke. Why would the forest choose to speak to one small girl? And what will she dare to say when she returns to her village? This Bookbot SH story practices single-syllable words like ‘dash’, ‘push’, ‘bush’, ‘fresh’, and ‘shelf’.

The fish are gone, the market is empty, and Tano is only eleven when his digging stick strikes something buried in the sand: an old drum with a strange rule carved into its base. Three beats to ask, one to say thank you, and only one wish a day. But what happens when a bigger boy grabs the drum and refuses to follow the rules? Can Tano set things right before the magic turns sour? This Bookbot level practices the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘whir’, and ‘whole’.

Sara loves to float in her cool, clear stream, dreaming of faraway seas. But what happens when a tiny, bossy fish bursts out of the weeds and begs her to follow? Where will the current carry her - and whose sparkling kingdom waits in the deepest, darkest part of the ocean? Could a girl from a little creek really become queen of the whole sea? This decodable reader practices the wh phonogram through words like ‘whales,’ ‘what,’ ‘whirl,’ ‘whose,’ and ‘whole.’

Pam is SURE she is a tree, and trees don’t take naps - not ever! Can a girl with leafy green hair really outrun bedtime? Watch Pam zoom past the elm, boss a whole row of trees, and hide in a bush so sneaky even the birds get a fright. But what happens when the path twists and Pam can’t find her way home? This decodable reader practices VCC/CVCC words such as ‘fast,’ ‘held,’ ‘past,’ ‘rest,’ and ‘went.’

Dad pedals off to work, and tonight feels a MILLION hours away - so how will one determined girl catch up? Hop on a wobbly scooter, zoom past a shiny car, rumble in a big green bus, lurch across a field in a digger, and SPLASH through the waves on a speedboat. Each ride is faster than the last, but can she really chase Dad all the way across the ocean? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’that,’ ’the,’ ’there,’ and ’thinks.'