Free Books for 1st Graders

One huge elephant, one tiny red cart, and it will NOT budge - can you help push? As the day unfolds, there are eggs to count, bubbles to blow, a giant ant to ride, and a sparkly spider waiting in its web. Will Child ever reach ten? And what about that stubborn elephant back at the start? This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jump,’ ‘just,’ ’tug,’ and ‘fun.’

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.’

CHINK, CHINK, CHINK goes Steve’s pickaxe - just another boring day in the mine. But what happens when a strange green gem starts glowing in the wall? One touch, one flash, and suddenly Steve is standing under the stars with monsters closing in from every side. Can he outrun a spider, a skeleton, and a baby zombie riding a chicken? This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘clink,’ ‘sinks,’ ‘bank,’ ’thank,’ and ‘wink.’

Steve has a shiny red gem - but something is very strange about it. Why do the villagers back away when he holds it up? Why does the cat freeze solid right at his knee? Steve only wanted a hot lunch, but this little green stone might be more trouble than any rumbling belly is worth. What will Steve do when he finds out the truth? This decodable reader practices VC/CVC short vowels with words like ‘hid,’ ‘ran,’ ‘cat,’ and ‘sat.’

Miss B walks with a cane now, tapping the studio floor while her three young dancers leap and twirl. But what if their gentle teacher once floated across stages in Paris, Tokyo, and New York? What if the quiet woman with the clackety cane hides a dazzling secret? Could a prima ballerina be hiding in plain sight? Step into the studio and find out. This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends through words like ‘spin,’ ’twirl,’ ‘dress,’ ‘claps,’ and ‘stars.’

When Monkey wakes up with a rumbly tummy and a big plan for a banana breakfast, he gets the shock of his life - his bananas are GONE! Who could the sneaky thief be? Was it the little bee? The hissy snake? And who is that plump rabbit sitting on the grass with a suspicious yellow pile? Can Monkey solve the mystery before his tummy grumbles right off the tree? This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘grins,’ ‘stomps,’ ‘plump,’ and ‘grass.’

Dr Can Do has the BEST Christmas joke in the whole wide world, saved up for Christmas dinner like a secret treasure. But what happens when someone keeps stealing his punchlines before he can say them? Who could possibly know every joke in his head? From the sunny beach to the sparkling tree in the town square, Dr Can Do is determined to land one perfect laugh. This decodable story practices open syllables in words like ‘go,’ ‘he,’ ‘me,’ ‘my,’ and ’tree.’

Anansi owes great Python a debt, and now Python wants to eat him for lunch! Can a clever little spider talk his way out of becoming a snake’s dinner? What trick could possibly outwit the longest, proudest creature in the whole forest, and will it be enough? This warm, funny retelling is full of surprises. This Bookbot book practices the ‘ch’ sound with the words ’lunch’, ‘chomp’, ‘champ’, ‘catch’, and ‘which’.

Deep in the cold sea lives the fastest, sneakiest cod on the whole coast - and nobody has ever caught it. Then along comes Steve, who has no rod, no net, no boat, and absolutely no plan. Just confidence! Can Steve outsmart a fish that’s slipped through every fisherman’s fingers? And what happens when he spots a bucket washed up on the sand? This decodable reader practices VC/CVC short vowels with words like ‘cod,’ ‘sat,’ ‘ran,’ ‘hid,’ and ‘got.’

Ned has built a snug little shed on a sunny hill, and he thinks his work is finally done - but what happens when The Book says it’s time to dig? Armed with a brand new shovel and a grin from ear to ear, Ned scoops sand, carves tunnels, and clangs straight into something hard and shiny. Can one small tool really crack solid stone? This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘make,’ ’nice,’ ‘wide,’ ‘brave,’ and ‘stone.’