Decodable Books for UFLI Foundations Lesson 100: -er/-est
We’re passionate about ensuring literacy is accessible to every child, from first sounds to longer words. In these decodable books for UFLI Lesson 100, children meet the suffixes -er and -est in words like taller, tallest, fewer and fastest. The stories compare people, animals and things, and you can read some of them online for free.
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Dig!
Alex is sure something special is buried deep in the hillside, and she won’t stop digging until she finds it. When her shovel uncovers a strange, cooked fish sitting underground, she can’t resist a snack break before pushing on into the dark. But the deeper she goes, the steeper and stranger the tunnel gets. What is Alex about to dig up? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘deeper’, ‘darker’, ‘steeper’, ‘boldest’, ‘wildest’.
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His Big Gig
Crow has a big plan: wow some new friends with his singing voice. But when he lets loose his loudest song from the highest branch, everyone runs away instead of cheering. Alone under the tree, Crow decides to practice until he’s the best singer ever, but will a bolder new plan finally bring his friends back together? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ’louder’, ‘faster’, ’loudest’, ‘highest’, ‘best’.
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My Curls Bounce!
Joy has one big rule: curly always beats flat, and her curls bounce to prove it. Her sister’s flat locks stay put, animals from cats to lions weigh in with tails curled or straight, and even the stairs seem to agree with Joy. But when Joy tries drawing straight lines herself, will she still be so sure that curly wins every time? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘quicker’, ‘grander’, ‘richest’, ‘sweetest’, ‘wildest’.
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Not Again, Dr. Can Do!
Dr. Can Do’s workshop is buried in stone and deepslate, and there’s only one way he trusts to get rid of it: a device that tosses everything straight into the lava below. He builds fast, and when the dust settles, his shop has never looked neater or cleaner. But will his grandest plan really stay tidy? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘brighter’, ‘cleaner’, ’neatest’, ‘proudest’, ‘wildest’.
Dragon in the Drain
Kip is having a very bad day: a flood sweeps him off his warm rock and straight into a storm drain, leaving him to crawl through a dark, smelly tunnel just to find a way out. When he finally bursts into the sunlight, he’s far from his jungle home, and a group of kids with brooms is staring at him like he’s a monster. Could this scaly stranger really be as scary as they think? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘faster’, ‘darker’, ‘shorter’, ‘sweetest’, ‘proudest’.
Paws Off My Hen!
A grand new house appears overnight at the end of Jill’s street, and trouble follows fast. Her chicken starts walking upside down, laying eggs that shoot straight into the clouds, and the mysterious Mage next door doesn’t look the slightest bit sorry. What will he magic next? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘grandest’, ‘brightest’, ‘highest’, ‘wildest’, ‘boldest’.
Look in the Pool!
Donkey is sure there must be another donkey out there somewhere, just like him. He checks the pond, the meadow, and every animal he meets, but none of them quite match. Could the other donkey be hiding somewhere he hasn’t looked yet? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘grandest’, ‘harder’, ‘rounder’, ’tallest’.
Hare and the Last Melons
On Hare’s dry side of the river, the last wild melons are almost gone, and Old Crocodile guards every crossing to the sweeter berries beyond. He’s the longest, meanest crocodile around, and no one has ever gotten past him. Can Hare find a clever way across before the dry season takes everything? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ’longest’, ‘meanest’, ‘sweeter’, ‘quicker’, ’loudest’.
Free Haircuts For Everyone!
Ned finally builds his dream bed in his cozy new shed, but sleeping on a cold stone floor every night has left him grumpier than ever. He hammers together shears and heads out to find some wool, only to learn that sheep are much faster than they look. Can Ned figure out a smarter way to get the wool he needs? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘colder’, ‘brighter’, ‘faster’, ‘sharpest’, ‘cleanest’.
Grab the Grub!
Mother Crow is loud, proud, and always hungry chicks to feed. She spots a fish-filled basket below and dives for the grab of a lifetime, but she isn’t the only hungry bird eyeing that fish. Will she make it back to the nest with her prize? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘boldest’, ‘fastest’, ‘sharpest’, ‘stronger’, ‘proudest’.
A Noise Down Deep!
Dr. Can Do is proudest man in Canville and swears he knows every stone in town, until a stranger named Sam rides in with a tale of hidden caves. Down a stairway that twists deeper and deeper, they find glow-berry jungles and golden walls no one has ever seen. What could possibly be waiting even farther below? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘deeper’, ‘fainter’, ‘grandest’, ‘brightest’, ‘firmest’.
Tortoise Calls Cheetah
Cheetah is the fastest animal on the whole veld, and he never lets anyone forget it. But one hot afternoon, Tortoise looks up from his shady rock and makes a bold claim: he can beat Cheetah in a race. Every animal falls silent. Cheetah stops laughing, Tortoise sounds bolder than he has ever sounded, and the race is set for dawn. Can a slow tortoise really outrun the fastest beast on the land? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘fastest’, ‘bolder’, ’longest’, ‘prouder’, ‘smartest’.
The Darkest Drum
When rain fails and the fish swim deep, a boy finds an ancient drum buried in the sand, one that grants any wish with three beats, but only once a day. What happens when a stronger boy grabs it and breaks the rule? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘quicker’, ‘stronger’, ‘harsher’, ‘bolder’, ‘fresher’.
The Grandest Catch
Rooster spots a mouse in his farmyard and declares this will be his grandest catch ever. He’s fast, he’s proud, and he’s sure nothing on the farm can outrun him. But when the chase leads him somewhere he never expected, will Rooster still be so sure of himself? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘faster’, ’louder’, ‘grandest’, ‘harder’, ‘quickest’.
Follow Me to the Deep
Jade loves the stream by her house more than anything. When a tiny fish named Pixie gets tangled in the weeds and Jade sets her free, Pixie promises a reward: a journey to the heart of the sea. Together they race through rivers and past whales taller than hills, swimming harder and faster until the water turns deep and dark all around them. What will Jade find at the bottom of the ocean? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ‘darker’, ‘faster’, ‘harder’, ‘deepest’, ‘grandest’.
Leopard Sees Akyekyere
Deep in the Ashanti forest, a clever but slow tortoise named Akyekyere is caught in Leopard’s path with no claws, no speed, and no time to run. Thinking fast, he spins a tale about his shell’s hidden power, one that makes fierce Leopard pause instead of pounce. Can a sharp mind outwit sharper teeth? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 100: -er/-est), this book practices words like ’louder’, ‘sharper’, ‘stiffer’, ‘quicker’, ‘prouder’.
Decodable Books Created to Align with the UFLI Foundations Scope and Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What are -er and -est words called?
Words with -er are called comparatives, and words with -est are called superlatives. A comparative compares two things, as in Sam is taller than Jo, and a superlative picks out the top of a group, as in Sam is the tallest in the class. Stories for UFLI Lesson 100 use base words that are easy to spot, such as few in fewer.
What are some -er words children can read?
Easy comparatives include taller, faster, longer, darker, softer and fewer. Children may also meet -er as an ending that names a person or thing, as in farmer or helper, so it helps to talk about what each word means. Reading word parts like -er makes longer words manageable, which matters more as children begin what Jeanne Chall described as reading to learn.
When do you use -er and when do you use -est?
Use -er when comparing two things, and use -est when comparing three or more or naming the most of all. A quick activity is to line up three toys and decide which is long, longer and longest. Acting out the words like this makes the meaning of each ending easy to remember, and it gives children a reason to read each word carefully.
Do all words take -er and -est?
Many short describing words do, but longer ones usually use more and most instead, as in more careful. A few common words change completely, such as good, better and best. Some words also change their spelling before the ending, like big becoming bigger, and children usually learn those spelling rules separately once the simple pattern is secure.
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