Adventure Books for 1st Graders

Hyena has found the sweetest honeycomb on the whole dry veld, and she does not plan to share a single drop. But clever Jackal has been watching from behind a termite mound. Can a small, hungry trickster really outsmart a bigger, stronger foe? And what happens ‘when’ greed makes Hyena leave her treasure behind? This story practices the ‘wh’ sound with lesson words like ‘when’, ‘whole’, ‘what’, ‘where’, and ‘why’.

THWACK! Arrows are raining down from the sky, and poor Hop has nearly been turned into a pincushion! Who could be shooting at him, and why? Hop is furious and marching off to find the culprit - but along the way he picks up a nervous Cob, a brave Brown, a mighty Hip, and a surprising Ape. Can this little band track down the mystery archer before another arrow flies? This decodable reader practices open syllables in words such as ‘by,’ ‘go,’ ‘he,’ ‘me,’ and ‘why.’

The King has a magic drum that spreads a feast of ‘fish’ for the whole town, but when a greedy merchant steals it, who will chase him north through the dust? Can a young drummer girl outsmart a thief twice her size and remember the one secret that makes the magic work? This early reader practices the ‘sh’ sound with lesson words like ‘fish’, ‘rush’, ‘shall’, ‘fresh’, and ‘share’.

Bun the yellow rabbit balloon has one big dream - to float up, up, UP, away from strings and rules and anyone telling him to hold still. But what happens when the sky turns out to be full of swooping birds, scratchy kites, and scary flames? Will Bun ever find someone kind enough to hold his string again? This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘came,’ ‘drove,’ ‘flame,’ ‘rode,’ and ‘home.’

Kaa’s land is dry, dry, dry, and no matter how loudly he sings up at the sky, not a single raindrop falls. Then - BANG! BANG! BANG! - something huge comes stomping down the trail. Who could it be, and could a new friend’s booming voice be just what Kaa’s rain song needs? Grab your hat and find out! This decodable reader practices the ng sound in words like ‘bang,’ ‘bring,’ ’long,’ ‘sing,’ and ‘strong.’

Every iron golem in Canville has vanished overnight - and without them, who will stand guard when the monsters come crawling out after dark? Can the Mischievous Mage and his friends find pumpkins to build new guardians before sunset? With rocket-powered flights, spooky caves, and a surprise pumpkin-pie baker on a sunny hillside, the race is on! This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘woke,’ ‘came,’ ‘brave,’ ‘ripe,’ and ‘smile.’

Deep in the dark, twisty woods, Ned is hopelessly lost - and something bony is creeping closer through the trees! Can Ned dodge the skeleton’s arrows, find a hiding spot behind a thick trunk, and land one perfect shot before his luck runs out? What happens when a whole pack of grinning skeletons steps out of the shadows? A spooky, thrilling adventure for brave young readers! This decodable reader practices the ck sound in words like ‘quick,’ ‘stuck,’ ’thick,’ ‘pack,’ and ‘crack.’

Meet a curious cat on an adventure! This playful story follows a cat exploring its world—from logs and dens to exciting discoveries. Will the cat catch that mysterious dot? Join in as our feline friend figures out what to do and where to go. Perfect for young readers learning to follow along with simple, engaging text!

Ned is marching through a blazing desert in a full suit of iron armor, hunting for treasure - but what happens when the ancient ruins go BOOM? With his stomach growling, no food in sight, and shuffling husks closing in, will Ned listen to The Book before he eats something truly disgusting? Can a hungry knight survive his own bad ideas? This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘plank,’ ‘sank,’ ‘chunk,’ ‘blink,’ and ‘yank.’

Mom said don’t follow that butterfly - but how can Nell resist when a flash of blue flits down the path ahead? What will she find in the deep, wild jungle: pink snakes, chimps in the trunk, or something far more dangerous? And when trouble slinks closer, can she make it back home? This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound with words like ‘pink,’ ‘sank,’ ‘shrank,’ ‘slunk,’ and ’think.’