Free Books for 1st Graders

Poor Pup just wants a nap, but something in the garden keeps going CHIRP! CHIRP! Who could be making all that noise? Is it Trunk the elephant, with his big floppy trumpet? Is it prickly Spike, or the colorful toucans high up in the tree? Pup sniffs and searches every bush to track down the mystery chirper - but will he ever get his quiet little snooze? This decodable reader practices the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘chirp,’ ‘chirps,’ ‘branch,’ and ‘patch.’

Ash blew in from the reeds when clever Adaeze meets a tall, smooth-voiced suitor whose fine suit gives a faint ‘swish’ with every move. Why does no shoe print show in the ash she lays across his path? Can she unmask him before the whole court, or will his charm win? Wade into a lake-country mystery where truth hides in plain sight. This Bookbot level practices the /ʃ/ sound with words like ‘swish’, ‘flash’, ‘sharp’, ‘shift’, and ‘splash’.

Meet one very clever cat who knows exactly who owns the house - and it is NOT the kids! Does he need a bath? No thanks, a quick lick will do. Can a mouse sneak past him? Not a chance. And what about that rude boy next door who sticks out his tongue? Just wait and see what this fluffy boss has planned! This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’this,’ ’that,’ ’teeth,’ and ’think.'

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.’

Pip the squirrel has stashed forty-nine nuts all over Butternut Hill, ready for winter - but when she checks her secret spots, every single nut has vanished! Who would take them? The buzzing bees? A sneaky fly? Her kind friend Liz? Pip is determined to solve the mystery, even if it means tumbling out of a tree or two along the way. Could the answer be hiding somewhere she never thought to look? This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘hive,’ ‘chase,’ ‘dome,’ and ‘smile.’

Deep in the Ashanti forest lives a fairy no bigger than your thumb, with a magic spoon that fills any pot with food. So when hungry Anansi spots it, what will he do? And when he finally holds that wondrous spoon, why won’t it work for him? Can a trickster learn to share? This Bookbot story practices the /ŋk/ sound with words like ’think’, ‘blink’, ‘sink’, ‘chunk’, and ’thank’.

Gran has a big plan, and it starts with the plumpest coconuts you’ve ever seen! But can one kid really crank, crack, and chop a pile of tough nuts into something sweet? What happens when the hard part just keeps getting harder - and Gran refuses to quit? Get ready to huff, puff, and cheer along on a very crunchy adventure. This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y through words like ‘jump,’ ‘huff,’ ‘puff,’ ’nuts,’ and ‘yum.’

Mara has one big rule: curly is ALWAYS better than straight! Her bouncy curls boing back every time, and even her cat’s tail agrees. But what happens when she meets a lion with a perfectly straight tail? Or tries to draw a straight line and ends up with a question mark? From spiral staircases to swirly buns, Mara is on a mission to prove curly wins - but will snack time change her mind? This decodable reader practices the th sound in words like ’think,’ ’those,’ ’three,’ and ‘smooth.’

Bam thinks his flute music is the sweetest sound on the beach - so sweet it could calm the whole ocean. But what happens when he plays a little louder, just to see? Something huge is sleeping deep beneath the bay, and one wrong note might wake it up. Can a boy with a flute hush a furious sea beast before the waves swallow the shore? This decodable reader practices the ‘sh’ sound in words like ‘hush,’ ‘shade,’ ‘shook,’ ‘shore,’ and ‘splash.’

Drip, drop - can you feel the rain on your nose? When the sky opens up, one girl throws her arms wide and dances in every splash. There’s music on the roof, a peacock on the path, and something warm bubbling in Mom’s pot. What wonderful surprises will the rain leave behind once it finally quiets down? This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends through words like ‘drip,’ ‘plops,’ ‘grin,’ ‘stands,’ and ‘smells.’