Decodable Books for Jolly Phonics Classrooms: Group 7, ou /ou/

Group 735 books

We believe every child deserves access to quality reading materials that nurture a lifelong love of learning. On this page, children read the Jolly Phonics ou sound from Group 7, the /ou/ in out, loud, sound and mouth. Each story combines ou words with letter sounds from earlier groups, so children can read it themselves. Some titles are free to read online.
Free Monkey Shouts and Pouts

Monkey Shouts and Pouts

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Monkey wakes up starving, but his whole bunch of bananas has vanished from the treehouse. He questions a bee and a snake, sure one of them must be the culprit, but both have good excuses. Determined to catch the real thief before his tummy growls any louder, Monkey spots a telltale trail leading away from the tree. Could this be the clue that finally cracks the case? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ‘ground’, ’lookout’, ‘sprout’, ‘grouch’.
Animals Mystery Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Free Ned Shouts Out Loud!

Ned Shouts Out Loud!

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Ned finally has a shed, sunflowers all around, and just one wish: never build anything again. But The Book has other plans, sending him out into the ground to dig with a brand-new tool. Sand is easy, dirt is fun, but soon Ned’s shovel hits something hard and won’t budge. Will Ned’s proud new tool be tough enough for what’s buried below? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘round’, ’loud’, ‘mound’.
Minecraft STEM Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Free The Troll Creeps About!

The Troll Creeps About!

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Nib is left alone spinning red wool when something big and shaggy creeps out of the woods, watching her little house. What will it take to get inside without a sound? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘ground’, ‘crouches’, ‘without’, ‘round’.
Fairy Tales Fantasy Adventure ou /ou/
Read Book
Free Snip, Snip, Ouch!

Snip, Snip, Ouch!

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Allie finds an old photo of Mom with short, pretty hair and decides she wants the same. She grabs the craft scissors and starts snipping away at her own hair. But when she finally looks in the mirror, will she love what she sees? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘proud’, ‘round’, ‘ouch’, ‘outstanding’, ‘pouts’.
Family Humor Life ou /ou/
Read Book
Free Jim Shouts Out

Jim Shouts Out

3.8 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Jim races off with his pup, boasting to Len and a pal that he has the best stuff in the world back in his room, way better than any old toy boat. But when he checks his toy box, all he finds is a rubber frog and not much else worth showing off. Can Jim scrape together enough treasures from around the house to save face before tomorrow comes? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘proud’, ‘ground’, ‘found’, ‘about’.
Life Family Friendship ou /ou/
Read Book
The Cat Outruns Him!

The Cat Outruns Him!

4.2 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Dr. Can Do fixes everything in Canville, so when a ginger cat won’t listen to him, he’s sure he can handle it too. But every time he lunges, the cat is faster, and Jill can’t stop laughing at him. Can a fish and a little patience finally win the cat over? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘out’, ‘proud’, ‘shouts’, ‘about’, ‘found’.
Minecraft Animals Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Ned Scouts Out a Stout Lump

Ned Scouts Out a Stout Lump

4.2 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Ned is proud of his wall and moat, sure nothing can get past them. But The Book tells him a real fort needs a guard, so Ned mounts an expedition to the village to find one. There, standing right in the middle of the road, is something enormous, iron, and silent. Could this giant be exactly what Ned’s fort is missing? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘stout’, ‘proud’, ‘ground’, ‘shouts’, ‘sprouts’.
Minecraft Humor Fantasy ou /ou/
Read Book
Web Shouts Out Loud

Web Shouts Out Loud

4.2 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Web the round internet mascot loves showing off his web of wonders, from silly cat videos to a thousand years of things to click. But when a teacher warns her class about strangers and nasty viruses online, his grin wobbles. Can Web help kids stay safe while still having fun exploring? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘out’, ’loud’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘sound’.
Science STEM ou /ou/
Read Book
South to the Lookout!

South to the Lookout!

4.2 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
May has never seen the sea, and when her teacher Jack promises to show her, she climbs a hill, a rock, and a tall tree, hoping each new height will finally reveal it. But the sea stays hidden every time. Could a small book Jack pulls from his bag hold the answer she has climbed so high to find? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘proud’, ‘ground’, ‘ouch’, ’lookout’, ’thousand’.
Adventure Nature ou /ou/
Read Book
Ned Must Outrun Zombie!

Ned Must Outrun Zombie!

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Ned finally strikes diamond after three days of digging, but a zombie shoves him into a lava pool and steals it before he can celebrate. Furious, Ned chases it through tunnels, dodging a creeper’s blast and a cave full of skeletons. Will he ever catch up and get his diamond back? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘outrun’ and ‘hound’.
Minecraft Adventure Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Fig Pig Looks About

Fig Pig Looks About

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Fig Pig sets sail to build a crew of brave adventurers, exploring strange new lands along the way. He meets fish, dolphins, and giant mushrooms, but will anyone agree to join his voyage? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ’loud’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘about’.
Adventure Animals Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Bound for the Clouds

Bound for the Clouds

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Yellow Rabbit Balloon just wants to fly free, up where the birds soar and the clouds drift. But the sky isn’t as friendly as he hoped, with pecking birds, hot torches, and smoggy air along the way. Will he ever find someone to hold his string again? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘proud’, ‘shouts’, ‘ouch’, ‘ground’, and ‘found’.
Adventure Fantasy Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Kaggen Must Think

Kaggen Must Think

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Kaggen the Mantis crouches by a shrub, watching the Ostrich guard the only fire in the Karoo tucked under one wing. Flattery gets him nowhere, so Kaggen sits by a sour-plum tree and pouts over a hidden plan, waiting for the Ostrich to come drink. Will a proud old bird’s stubborn temper finally give a clever mantis the ground he needs to grab fire for everyone? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘crouches’, ‘aloud’, ‘sour’, ‘pouts’, ‘ground’.
Africa Fantasy Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
Kele and the Grouch

Kele and the Grouch

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Old Chimpanzee crouches proud over the only fire in the forest, and shouts loud if anyone gets too close. When the camp is left without warmth, a small boy sets out with a hidden reed and a plan of his own. Can he get close enough to that jealous fire to bring some warmth home? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘proud’, ‘shout’, ’loud’, ‘crouches’, ‘outrun’.
Africa Adventure Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
Kato Runs Out

Kato Runs Out

4.1 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Kato’s baby sister is shivering with cold, and only Old Tortoise has fire, hidden in a pot he refuses to share. When Tortoise won’t hand it out, can Kato find another way to get warmth for his sister without any help at all? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ‘ground’, ‘crouches’, ‘pouting’, ‘aloud’.
Africa Adventure Family ou /ou/
Read Book
Tim Is on the Lookout

Tim Is on the Lookout

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Tim has a big secret mission: get everyone ready before Jan gets home for her birthday. He zooms past the clouds on his bike, checks on the cake, the balloons, and a brand-new bike, then faces one last job. Can Tim carry every gift inside without a single trip? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘proud’, ‘ground’, ‘outing’, ‘crouches’.
Family Humor Life ou /ou/
Read Book
Man Shouts About The Clouds

Man Shouts About The Clouds

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
A man sets out with a shovel and big plans for the best garden the street has ever seen. He digs and digs, sure that nothing can stop him, until the sky flashes and something strange begins to happen above him. Will his plans survive what falls from the clouds? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ’loud’, ‘ground’, ‘clouds’, ‘proud’.
Fantasy Humor Life ou /ou/
Read Book
Snap Sets Out

Snap Sets Out

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Snap sits on Pop’s bumpy back, watching the stars, dreaming of one thing: finding the most amazing thing in the whole world. She sets out alone, swimming south past rocks and sandy shores, further than she has ever gone before. Out in the deep, loud and proud, she meets new friends and wonders about the sky, but the sea feels big and quiet without them. Will Snap find what she is looking for? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘out’, ‘about’, ’loud’, ‘proud’, ‘south’.
Adventure Animals Family ou /ou/
Read Book
Little Fish Pouts About Teeth

Little Fish Pouts About Teeth

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Little Fish is bored of the same slow swim with his mother every morning, so one day he sneaks down to the deep sea alone, where a strange dark mound on the ground turns out to have a mouth. Is it just a rock, or something far more dangerous? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘about’, ‘shout’, ‘mouth’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’.
Animals Adventure Family ou /ou/
Read Book
Not the Wee Pets, Ned!

Not the Wee Pets, Ned!

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Ned is hungry, and rabbits seem like the perfect solution. But when his bow comes out, something enormous stomps out of the grass to stop him, and Ned finds himself running for his life. Could there be a way to get what he needs without a fight at all? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘out’, ‘ground’, ‘round’, ‘sound’, ‘bound’.
Minecraft Adventure Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
Lion Roundup

Lion Roundup

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
A lion has been circling Kipkemoi’s herd for days, and everyone knows a hungry lion only needs one careless moment. Kipkemoi is just ten years old, alone on the plain with thirty cattle and a predator too clever to scare off with shouts or sticks, but he has noticed one thing the lion fears: the herd’s big lead bull. Can a boy who is quick to think outsmart a lion built to outlast anyone slower? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘pouch’, ‘crouches’, ‘round’, ‘outlast’.
Africa Animals Adventure ou /ou/
Read Book
Hippo Is Too Hot

Hippo Is Too Hot

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Hippo is scorching in the heat, and the cool river water looks so inviting. But there’s a catch: the fish living there are afraid he’ll eat them all. Can Hippo find a way to prove, every single day, that he’ll never touch a single one? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ‘ground’, ‘mouth’, ‘sound’, ‘about’.
Africa Animals Mythology ou /ou/
Read Book
Fisi and the Lost Rib

Fisi and the Lost Rib

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Fisi the Hyena is out and about, and his nose leads him to a rock mound stacked with bones. When he shouts into a crack in the rocks, a strange sound shouts back at him. Could a spirit really be hiding in the rocks, ready to grant him all the bones he could ever want? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘sounds’, ‘proud’, ‘mound’, ‘crouch’.
Africa Animals Mystery ou /ou/
Read Book
The Leopard Bounds

The Leopard Bounds

4 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
A leopard blocks a boy from his goats on a rocky ridge, and only an echoing cave can save them. Karĩuki knows the cave’s tricks better than anyone, but this time he needs a sound loud enough to move his goats without spooking the leopard too. Can he find it in time? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ’loud’, ‘sound’, ‘crouches’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’.
Africa Adventure Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
A Fox Is Out

A Fox Is Out

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
A fox slinks under the fence and grabs a hen right off the ground, and the chase is on! Fig Pig and Tip shout and chase, but can they outrun a fox that jumps logs like they’re nothing? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ‘bounds’, ‘ground’, ‘snout’, ‘outrun’.
Minecraft Animals Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Boy Shouts Out Loud!

Boy Shouts Out Loud!

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
A loud, bossy crow rattles the fence posts on the very first morning of the holiday, and there stands Rooster with a brilliant red crown on his head. A boy asks for one of his own, but Rooster puffs out his chest and refuses. Will anyone on the farm share their crown? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘out’, ‘proud’, ‘round’, ‘crouches’, ’loud’.
Animals Life SEL ou /ou/
Read Book
Outrun for Fish

Outrun for Fish

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Otieno needs old Musa’s fishing spot to feed his family, but no one has ever beaten Musa in their one-day contest. Watching Musa tap his paddle on the boat again and again, Otieno starts to wonder if the old man has a secret trick. Could a strange sound be the key to finally winning? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘sound’, ‘proud’, ‘about’.
Africa Adventure Family ou /ou/
Read Book
Aisha Counts Sounds

Aisha Counts Sounds

3.9 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Aisha is on watch alone for the very first time, with her brother sick and her father away, when she hears something moving out beyond the fence in the dark. She sits still, counting pebbles instead of running toward the noise. Can a girl with a lantern and a handful of rocks outsmart a hungry, howling hyena? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ’loud’, ‘proud’, ‘sound’, ‘crouches’, ‘snout’.
Africa Adventure Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
Must Not Shout

Must Not Shout

3.8 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Diya knows more about butterflies than anyone in her whole school, but she keeps it a secret, hanging back quietly at the edge of every class trip. When her teacher takes the class to the park and gets a fact about butterflies wrong, will Diya dare to speak up? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘crouches’, ‘proud’, ‘shouts’, ‘ground’, ‘outstanding’.
Nature Science Friendship ou /ou/
Read Book
Zom Counts His Big Plans

Zom Counts His Big Plans

3.8 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Zom has big plans to turn Skel’s boring old house into a palace, starting with a cozy room for Starfang the spider. But hammering and building can get awfully loud, and not everyone is thrilled about the mess. Will Zom finish before Skel gets home from his trip? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ’loud’, ‘proud’, ‘shouts’, ‘sounds’, ‘outstanding’.
Minecraft Humor Animals ou /ou/
Read Book
Frog Counts Aloud

Frog Counts Aloud

3.7 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Every night, a small frog stares up at the sky, wishing he could hold just one glowing star. He climbs higher and higher, past a tall rock and a big mound, determined to reach one, but is that even possible for a frog? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘about’, ‘found’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘shout’.
Animals Adventure SEL ou /ou/
Read Book
Tiger Crouches Without a Sound

Tiger Crouches Without a Sound

3.7 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Tiger just wants peace, quiet, and nobody bothering her. But every time she spots a snack, something goes wrong: Mouse leaps away, Monkey shouts a warning from the trees, and the whole forest scatters before she can even crouch low. Will Tiger ever catch a bite of lunch? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ’lookout’, ‘crouches’.
Animals Friendship SEL ou /ou/
Read Book
A Loud Squish

A Loud Squish

3.6 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Sam’s house is squished full of family, and there’s never a spot to sit, a room to hide in, or a moment of quiet. When Sam wishes everyone would just go away, the house finally goes silent, but that silence feels strange, and a storm outside makes it stranger still. Will Sam ever feel that loud, crowded house again? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shout’, ‘proud’, ‘pouts’, ‘crouches’, ‘aloud’.
Family Life ou /ou/
Read Book
Look Out for Lava!

Look Out for Lava!

3.5 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Ned has a tall tower, but there’s one problem: he isn’t really a wizard yet. To prove it, he’ll need to find something tougher than diamond, hidden deep down where the ground glows red and hot. Will Ned dodge the danger and finish his tower before it’s too late? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘ground’, ‘shouts’, ‘proud’, ’loud’, ‘sound’.
Minecraft Adventure Humor ou /ou/
Read Book
Gus Can Not Fit

Gus Can Not Fit

3.5 Books are rated by kids in the Bookbot app
Gus is too hot, and no matter where he looks, nothing seems the right size to cool him down. Can he find shade that fits a goat like him? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Group 7: ou /ou/), this book practices words like ‘shouts’, ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘outstanding’.
Animals Humor STEM ou /ou/
Read Book

Frequently Asked Questions

What sound does ou make in phonics?

In phonics, ou usually makes the /ou/ sound heard in out, loud and mouth. It is a diphthong, a vowel sound where your mouth moves from one shape to another as you say it. When the Jolly Phonics ou sound arrives in Group 7, children learn to see the two letters as one sound, so they blend them as /ou/ rather than sounding o and u separately.

How do you explain the ou sound to a child?

Start with a word your child already says, such as ouch or out, and stretch the vowel so they can feel their mouth change shape. Then write the word and show that the letters o and u team up to make that one sound. Short decodable stories with several ou words give them repeated, successful practice, and the National Reading Panel (2000) found that systematic phonics instruction benefits children from kindergarten through sixth grade.

What are some ou words for beginning readers?

Useful ou words include out, loud, cloud, sound, found, round, mouth, shout and count. Words like ground and proud add a consonant blend, so they suit children who already read blends with ease. The same letters spell other sounds in you, could and soup, so it helps to treat those as tricky words for now.

How do you know whether a word uses ou or ow?

There is a useful pattern rather than a strict rule. The ow spelling of this sound is common at the end of a word, as in cow, how and now, while ou usually sits in the middle, as in loud and mouth, although words like town and owl break the pattern. Children meet ow as an alternative spelling later in Step 2, and our guide to orthographic mapping explains how reading words often fixes each spelling in memory.

Bookbot is not endorsed by or affiliated with UFLI (the University of Florida Literacy Institute) or Jolly Learning Ltd. UFLI Foundations and Jolly Phonics are trademarks of their respective owners.

Download Bookbot now to
GET STARTED