Children's Books for 3rd Graders

Ned has built a wall, a gate, and even a moat - but what if something still sneaks past? The Book says he needs a guard: a giant iron golem with a pumpkin for a head. But how do you GROW a head? And what happens when Ned finally plants the seeds and waits? Join Ned on a very strange, very silly building adventure. This decodable reader practices the ‘gn’ sound in words like ‘design,’ ‘sign,’ ‘gnaw,’ and ’lasagna.’

May has never seen the sea - only fog and hills. When her teacher Jack knocks on her door promising a place where she can finally see it, will a hill, a rock, or even a tall tree be high enough? And what surprise does Jack have tucked in his bag? This decodable reader practices the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knock,’ ‘knees,’ ‘knew,’ and ‘knuckles.’

Have you ever had a day so bad you just wanted to hide under the blanket? After an onslaught of zombies and a flooded farm, poor Tip has decided her bed is the only safe place left in the world. But when Brat Cat and Fig Pig come knocking with a red tulip and glowing vines, can they cheer her up? This decodable reader practices the ‘augh’ phonogram with words like ‘caught,’ ’taught,’ ’naughty,’ and ‘distraught.’

Deep in the jungle lives Rafa, a huge red flower with bumpy, spotted petals and a smell so strong it can curl your toes! The orchids gnash their teeth, the roses turn up their noses, and the butterflies fly right past. But why do clouds of gnats adore her? And could Rafa’s stinky cologne actually be her greatest gift of all? This decodable reader practices the gn phonogram in words like ‘sign,’ ‘design,’ ‘reigns,’ and ‘gnaw.’

Kip has somewhere very important to be today - but can one little hero make it across his neighborhood when a mob of eight snapping crocs is blocking the path? With jaws wide open and hungry bellies rumbling, these crocs are ready for a Kip-sized snack! Can Kip leap, bound, and fly his way to safety before those teeth catch up? This decodable reader practices the ’eigh’ phonogram in words like ’eight,’ ’eighth,’ ‘heavyweight,’ and ‘weightless.’

Could you survive a day in the blazing Minecraft desert? Sand stretches in every direction, the sun climbs to a dizzying height, and the air feels weirdly still. Where do husks hide when the heat gets too strong? How do rabbits stay cool, and what hidden treasures wait beneath the dunes? Grab a shovel, pack a map, and seize the chance to explore this foreign land! This decodable reader practices the ’ei’ phonogram in words such as ‘weird,’ ‘height,’ ’neither,’ and ‘seize.’

Bird has built the most perfect nest in the tallest tree - but then comes a BUMP, a wobble, and a very surprised elephant! Can a stone wall be any safer? What happens when a giant Man peeks through the leaves? After three wobbly flops, poor Bird wonders if she’ll ever find a home at all - until a sky full of floating balloons gives her the silliest idea ever. This decodable reader practices the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knots,’ ‘knocked,’ ‘knew,’ and ‘knees.’

Brat Cat has eight jobs on her list and zero time for weirdos - so why is a gray pillager standing on her hill with a crossbow? When an arrow thumps into her shoulder on a perfectly normal Tuesday, this feisty farm cat grabs her bow and climbs the log pile. Can she seize the moment and save her pigs from the weirdest neighbor ever? This decodable reader practices the ’ei’ sound in words like ’eight,’ ‘weight,’ ‘seize,’ and ‘reign.’

Ned’s shed is finished, but something feels missing - can a trip to the beach, a shovel, and a bit of squishy blue clay really turn a plain little shed into something special? And when Ned reaches for a fistful of flowers, why do the bees suddenly want them back? Join Ned and The Book on a colorful, buzzing adventure. This decodable reader practices the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘oomph,’ ‘phenomenal,’ ‘phew,’ and ‘spheres.’

Jack is stuck in the grumpiest funk ever, and nothing - not sunshine, not flowers, not even a perfectly nice butterfly - can shake him out of it. But when his pals Skel and Zom drag him into a bamboo forest, they spot something big, furry, and black-and-white munching in the grass. Can a hungry panda mom, a cake-crazed baby, and one enormous sneeze do what no friend has managed? This decodable reader practices the wr phonogram in words like ‘wrist,’ ‘wriggled,’ ‘wrinkled,’ ‘wrestled,’ and ‘wry.’