Decodable Books for Jolly Phonics Classrooms: Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn

A girl sniffs out something stinky lurking in the park behind a bush. Out bursts a muddy, dirty creature with thick fur and a goofy grin. She races it down the hill, splashes with it in the mud, and even puts curlers in her curly hair to dress it up. Will Mom let her keep such a smelly new friend? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘dirty’, ‘curly’, ‘burps’, ‘swirl’, ‘fur’.

Tip’s nose wakes her before anyone else does. Something in the air smells cold and wild and completely new. What could be falling from the sky? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘swirls’, ‘bursts’, ‘curled’, ’turns’.

Pup just wants one tiny nap by his favorite bush, but a mystery chirping keeps interrupting. He sniffs the ground, checks behind every bush, and even bumps into Trunk and Spike, sure one of them must be the noisy culprit. Could a whole row of silent birds finally solve the mystery? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘chirp’, ‘bird’, ‘dirt’, ‘stir’, ’turns’.

Ned has built himself a fine little house, but when night falls, monsters always creep out of the dark, and he always hides. Tonight, he grabs his glowing sword instead. A lurching zombie, a skeleton lurking in the murk, and a giant spider stand between him and his own front door. Will Ned make it home before the whole monster mob catches him? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’lurking’, ‘murk’, ‘spider’, ‘bursts’, ’turning’.

A girl has waited all week for the rain to stop, and now the sun bursts through at last. Her kite has a secret weapon that no other kite on the street can match, but will it fly higher than all the rest? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘stirs’, ‘curl’, ‘swirl’, ’twirls’, ‘sturdy’.

Zom wakes up to find his farm covered in cake, planted in neat rows like crops. No one will admit to it, but someone on the farm has a very odd sense of humor. As coal and then eggs appear overnight too, Zom is determined to catch the culprit red-handed. Could there be more than one trickster on the loose? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘blurts’, ‘dirt’, ‘firm’, ‘stir’, ‘jerk’.

Turtle arrives at Anansi’s door, dusty and hungry, hoping for a share of the feast. Every time he washes up at the river like a good guest, Anansi gobbles another pot bare before he returns. Turtle says nothing and simply nods, the way someone nods when they are already planning something else. So when an invitation to a feast at the bottom of the river arrives, what is turtle really planning for his old friend? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’turtle’, ‘dirt’, ‘blurts’, ‘sturdy’, ‘murky’.

A girl sits by her window and plays her flute, but every note is sad because she is sad. Her song swirls out into the sky, and up above, the notes begin to cry, filling the clouds until they burst. Down in the garden, a bird and her friends hear the tune drifting through the rain. Who could be playing something so heartbreaking, and can they find her before the whole sky weeps? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bird’, ‘chirps’, ’turns’, ‘burst’, ‘swirls’.

Kirk the Komodo dragon just wants to nap on his warm rock, but a sudden flood sweeps him into a dark storm drain, and he has to crawl through trash and murky puddles just to find a way out. When he finally bursts into the sunlight, he’s not home at all, so what will he do when kids with brooms start screaming that a crocodile has escaped? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘swirls’, ‘dirty’, ‘murky’, ‘firm’, ’thirsty’.

A boy’s dad is the best dad in the whole entire woods, but he’s also the busiest, always napping the second he gets home. Two fishing rods sit waiting, untouched, until a secret note finally gets him off the couch. Their walk to the lake stops fast when a bird bursts overhead in a panic. Can Sam still get his one day of fishing with Dad? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bird’, ‘bursts’, ‘chirps’, ‘stir’, ‘firm’.

Jill’s yard is full of trouble the moment a strange new house appears down the street. Her chicken flips upside down, lays an egg that flies into the clouds, and won’t turn back until Jill demands it. What has the mischievous new Mage done now? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’turn’, ‘smirk’, ‘swirl’, ‘dirty’, ‘firm’.

Jack is stuck in the grumpiest funk ever, and not even a butterfly can cheer him up. When his friends drag him into a bamboo forest, they spot something huge lurking in the leaves. It’s a real panda, and Zom has a very odd plan involving cake. Will Jack’s frown survive what happens next? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘smirk’, ’turns’, ‘chirp’, ‘curl’.

Iron Golem has practiced the perfect greeting, but the town just will not listen. Villagers stroll past, cats ignore him, even the pigs seem unimpressed - will anyone ever notice him and become his pal? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘chirps’, ‘burps’, ‘dirt’, ‘hurt’, ‘sturdy’.

Elephant guards the last waterhole in the dry, dusty veld, spraying every thirsty creature that dares come near. A small tortoise sits watching in the dirt, thinking hard, then makes a bold offer: if Elephant can crack her shell by sundown, she’ll leave forever, but if not, every animal gets to drink. Can a calm, curled-up shell really outlast an elephant’s fury? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’thirsty’, ‘churns’, ‘curls’, ‘dirty’, ‘stirs’.

Dr. Can Do’s furnaces are hungry for coal, and the mine is far away down a bumpy, twisty dirt path. Walking will take forever, so he starts hammering together something sturdy to get him there fast. Can his clever new invention really beat that long, dusty road? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘dirt’, ‘sturdy’, ’turns’, ‘firm’, ‘first’.

Jackal has spotted Hyena’s secret honeycomb, golden and dripping inside a hollow tree, and he is hungry. Hyena is far too big and strong to fight, so Jackal will need a much sneakier plan. Can he trick her into leaving her treasure unguarded? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘slurp’, ‘smirks’, ‘stirs’, ‘blur’, ‘first’.

Ajapa the tortoise turns up the street with a smirk, ready to help his hungry town through a long dry season. Deep in a murky wood he finds a glowing tree, but its magic comes with one firm rule he must never break. When Balogun the hunter blurts questions about where the food comes from, will Ajapa’s growing pride put everything at risk? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’turns’, ‘dirt’, ‘firm’, ‘smirk’, ’thirsty’.

A girl loves nothing more than sniffing an old book before her grandmother reads it aloud, and today she gets to choose the story herself. But she has one rule: no made-up bits allowed this time. Will her grandmother actually stick to the page? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘curls’, ‘first’, ‘smirks’, ’turns’, ‘her’.

Tim thinks letters just don’t like him. Every one comes out wrong, and B and D keep tricking him by looking the same. When his dad brings out an old wooden board and a clever trick, will Tim finally get every letter just so? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘firm’, ‘irk’, ‘blurts’, ‘sturdy’, ‘chirps’.

A curious calf spots a beautiful blue butterfly and just has to follow it down the dirt path, past hidden snakes and giggling monkeys, deep into the ferns. But when the butterfly lands right on a tiger’s nose, the calf freezes in the grass, holding perfectly still. Will she ever find her way back to Mom? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘stir’, ’lurking’, ‘hurt’, ‘sturdy’, ‘returns’.

Kintu lives alone on a green hill with one sturdy cow, wishing for a wife. When the sky god’s daughter Nambi peeps through the clouds and spots him, she climbs down to say hello. Will her father let them be together? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’turn’, ‘birds’, ‘chirp’, ‘first’, ‘sturdy’.

Siti finds a strange golden coconut that hums instead of rattling, and inside it she discovers a tiny sleeping girl who says she is a real princess. Siti’s uncle wants to sell the girl for a fortune, so the two of them flee into a moonlit grove of ancient trees to find the only thing that can help. Will Siti be brave enough to ask the old trees for their strange, hidden magic before her uncle catches up? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bird’, ‘curled’, ‘firm’, ‘stirs’, ’twirls’.

Hyena always eats first, fastest, and loudest, leaving nothing behind for anyone else. When Hare finds a tree bursting with sweet fruit, will he really let her gulp down every last bit again? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘slurp’, ‘burp’, ‘dirt’, ‘smirks’, ‘stir’.

High on the misty slopes of Kĩrĩnyaga, old Wanjirũ is too tired and weak to rise from her mat. Ngai the creator has a plan to give her fresh life again, if only his message reaches the village whole. But a slow chameleon and a hasty bird stand between her and her rest, and one of them is about to get it terribly wrong: what happens when a gift arrives broken? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bird’, ‘curls’, ‘swirls’, ’turns’ and ‘stir’.

Dr. Can Do arrives in a little town lit only by smoky torches, and he has a big plan to fix that. He builds a shiny new workshop on the hill with a glowing lamp instead. Will the town ever give up its torches for good? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘burn’, ‘sturdy’, ‘blurts’, ’thirty’, ‘curves’.

A girl has a big secret plan for Mom’s birthday: a beautiful beaded bracelet. But first she must hunt down three hidden bead boxes, tucked away in tricky spots all over her room. Will she find them all before the big day arrives? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘girl’, ‘birthday’, ‘shirts’, ‘first’, ’turns’.

Zom and Skel race to the top of a hill, but Zom gets distracted by something strange glowing in the dirt below. It’s an egg unlike any they’ve ever seen, swirling with light and humming softly. No animal they ask seems to want it, so what could it possibly be, and who will show up to claim it? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘dirt’, ‘murky’, ‘swirls’, ‘first’, ‘returns’.

Grim the spirit lurks in swirling mist, and nothing scares him more than having no one left to frighten. Dogs run, men slip, even a lion cowers before him. But when Grim sneaks into a tiny house to give one small mouse the fright of his life, will his plan go the way he hopes? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’lurks’, ‘swirls’, ‘bursts’, ‘smirk’, ‘murky’.

Tortoise has always been the biggest chatterbox on the veld, and now the birds are flying north to a feast he cannot reach on his own short legs. When kind Crane agrees to carry him, there is just one rule: not one single word the whole way. Can Tortoise really keep his mouth shut all the way across the sky? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘birds’, ’thirsty’, ‘firm’, ‘swirls’, ‘blurts’.

Ned thinks the forest is safe, until three enormous wolves step out of the shadows with their eyes fixed on him. He escapes, but then comes up with a bold idea: what if the wolves could be his friends instead of his enemies? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘firs’, ’lurks’, ’turns’, ‘blur’, ‘smirk’.

Kit has a plan: sneak into the murky wood to grab giant leaves for his leaf ball, even though the men warn him it isn’t safe. Then a tiger bursts out with a mighty roar, and Kit bolts, certain the beast is chasing him. Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bursts’, ‘murky’, ‘firm’, ’lurks’, ‘sturdy’.

Rooster is the fastest, proudest bird on the farm, and today he’s spotted a mouse hiding in the dirt near the turnip patch. He bursts into a chase across the turf, sure that nothing can outrun him, but a sudden bark changes everything. Will Rooster catch his mouse, or is he about to become the one being chased? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘bird’, ‘dirt’, ’turf’, ‘bursts’, and ’turnip’.

Tano finds an old drum buried in the sand, carved with strange patterns and a warning to use it only once a day. When he taps it and asks for food, baskets burst open at the village gate, but keeping the secret is harder than it sounds. Will Tano manage to keep his promise when someone else wants a turn? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ’thirsty’, ‘dirt’, ‘burst’, ‘firm’, ‘swirls’.

A clever girl on a hill turns away every suitor in her village, until a strange, silent man comes calling at dusk. He walks with his back turned, and never in daylight. Then her little brother spots an odd shadow that swirls behind him at the dirt path’s edge, and Wanjikũ starts to wonder just who she has agreed to marry. Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘dirt’, ‘swirls’, ‘firm’, ’thirsty’, ‘chirp’.

Ned has built the biggest, most beautiful beehive in the whole neighborhood, and the honey inside tastes like the best thing he has ever eaten. He slurps it from the jar all day long, on toast, on cake, on a spoon, and just one more spoon, until his belly churns and hurts. What happens when Ned finally stops listening to his own warnings and dreams his way to the top of a mountain made entirely of honey? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘slurps’, ‘churns’, ‘hurts’, ‘firm’, ’twirls’.

Meg has a big plan: show her mom EVERY single thing she can do today, from cooking to gardening to riding her bike without falling. But when it’s finally time to try the wobbliest challenge yet, will Meg’s plan go the way she hopes? Written for Jolly Phonics classrooms (Step 2, Unit 11: er, ir, ur as in her, bird, turn), this book practices words like ‘girl’, ‘stir’, ’turns’, ‘dirty’, ‘chirp’.