Decodable Books for UFLI Foundations Lesson 73: y /ī/
We’re committed to helping children turn tricky sounds into words they know. These decodable books follow UFLI Lesson 73, where y works as a vowel and says /ī/ at the end of short words. Children read words that use y as a vowel, like my, by, fly, sky, cry and try, practicing a sound change that surprises many beginning readers.
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Steve is sure he’s the greatest hide-and-seek seeker ever, but Alex has zipped off into the fields to find the perfect hiding spot. Every green-eyed glimpse and rustling twig has him convinced he’s finally caught her, but will Steve’s search lead him anywhere near where Alex is actually hiding? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ’try’, ‘spy’, ‘sly’, ‘fly’.
Free
Big Talk, Back It Up!
Five kids and a dog make up the smallest, scrappiest squad in the league, and they’re sure they can win the championship match. But when the other team’s bus pulls up and out steps the biggest, fastest squad anyone has ever seen, can this little squad prove their big talk was true? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ’try’, ‘fly’, ‘sky’, ‘why’, ‘rely’.
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My Mane Has Style
A girl’s hair has a mind of its own, blocking the sun like an umbrella, flying behind her like a wave of leaves, and even keeping her warm in the snow while her dog watches in wonder. But when she cuts it all off one day, will she ever let it grow long again? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘my’, ‘sky’, ‘fly’, ’try’, ‘shy’.
Free
The Cat Is Hiding!
Jess wakes up and Kit, her cat, is gone. She calls through the house and yard, but that sly cat just won’t answer. Where could she be hiding? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘sly’, ‘why’, ‘cry’, ‘spy’, ’trying’.
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The Best Bunch
Zom’s pumpkin patch grows the biggest crop he’s ever seen, and he can’t wait to bake his famous cakes. But one morning a pumpkin is gone, with no footprints, no clues, and no sign of a thief anywhere. Why would something sneak in and steal his prize pumpkins one by one? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘why’, ‘sly’, ‘cry’, ’try’, ‘spy’.
Who Ate Everything?
Pat the cat has no home, but he doesn’t mind. He has a comfy tree, singing birds, and a kind family next door who always leave food out. Then one day, he spies suitcases by the door. Why would they leave without him? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘my’, ‘why’, ‘sly’, ‘shy’, and ’try’.
Lost in the Black
A girl’s little brother is lost in the black night beyond the firelight, and her flashlight fails almost at once. She has no light left to guide her, only a wild idea by the fire. What can she try before his crying fades into the dark? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘sky’, ‘crying’, ‘fly’, ’try’, ‘reply’.
Kaggen Spies a Flame
Sly Kaggen the mantis is spying on the Ostrich, who keeps a secret flame tucked under his wing and never lets anyone see it. The camp is cold and dark, and Kaggen is tired of watching his family shiver. He tries flattery, he tries a clever plan with sour plums, but why won’t the Ostrich just share? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘sly’, ‘my’, ‘why’, ’trying’, ‘deny’.
Chui Cannot Catch
Chui the leopard is fast, fierce, and sure he’s the most beautiful animal on the savanna, but his plain gold coat is a big problem: every creature can spy him coming long before he gets close. Hungry and desperate, he tries hiding at night and rolling in mud, but nothing works. Can he find a way to stop everyone from being able to spy him so easily? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘spy’, ’try’, ‘shy’, ‘sly’.
My Most Splendid Pet
Jack has no pet, and that feels like a problem worth fixing. When he spots a small, sad cub sitting alone on the ice, he knows right away he’s found the most splendid pet in the world, but he never stops to ask why the cub is out there all by itself. Will Jack’s new friend turn out to be everything he hoped for? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘my’, ‘why’, ‘cry’, ’try’, ‘shy’.
Kofi and the Sly Track
Kofi is sure he can hunt the mighty gorilla Nkosi all by himself, no matter what the older hunters warn. But when a vine snaps and drops him onto a narrow ledge, alone and hurt, he must find a way to survive, and to trust a creature he once wanted to catch. Will Kofi make it home safely? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘sly’, ’try’, ‘cry’, ‘rely’, ‘spying’.
Can Small Things Stop Me?
Elephant thinks nothing small could ever bother him, so he stomps through the rainforest and crushes a tiny bird’s nest without a glance. Pili loses her eggs and her home in an instant, but she has two clever friends and a plan already forming. Can a bunch of small creatures really turn the tables on someone so big? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘my’, ‘sly’, ‘shy’, ‘deny’, ‘satisfy’.
Jan Has No Idea
I have a secret plan, and I’m racing to check on everyone before Jan gets home! I fly by the hills on my bike, all by myself, making sure Mom’s cake is perfect, Dad’s balloons don’t escape, and Grandpa’s new bike is ready with its pink basket. Will everyone pull it off before Jan walks through the door? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘my’, ‘why’, ‘fly’, ‘reply’, ‘sly’.
Defy the Depths
Kip swims the shallow sea with his mom every day, but he is ready for more. When he begs to go deeper, his mom warns him of a bad fish with big fangs down below, so Kip hatches a sly plan of his own. Will Kip listen, or will his curiosity get him into trouble he can’t swim away from? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘sly’, ‘spy’, ‘cry’, ‘defy’, ’trying’.
Do Not Look in the Glass
Three siblings run wild on the farm, until their father’s mysterious golden mirror shows them something they never expected. One by one, the kids try to make the mirror behave, but each attempt only makes things stranger. Can they figure out the mirror’s secret before it’s too late? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ’try’, ‘cry’, ‘spy’, ‘sly’, ‘why’.
Just One Quick Second
Mia can’t resist trying on Tess’s brand-new denim jacket, just for one quick second. But art class runs long, and paint splatters everywhere, staining the jacket she was never supposed to touch. Now Mia has to hide it before Tess finds out, but can she keep her secret, or will she have to try something braver? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ‘why’, ’try’, ‘spy’, ‘crying’, ‘reply’.
SOS in the Sand
Every morning, a girl carries her toy boat to the sea and listens to what the waves tell her. But one day she and her mom spy something new: a gray factory pumping dark muck straight into the water. The fish on one side stay bright, while the other side turns ghostly and gray. Can she make her voice loud enough for someone to hear? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 73: y /ī/), this book practices words like ’try’, ‘cry’, ‘shy’, ‘fly’, ‘reply’.
Decodable Books Created to Align with the UFLI Foundations Scope and Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rule for y as a vowel?
At the start of a word, y is a consonant, as in yes and yak. When y comes at the end of a one-syllable word with no other vowel, it usually says /ī/, as in my, fly and sky. In longer words, a final y more often says /ē/, as in baby and happy, which is the next step after this lesson.
How do you tell if y is a consonant or a vowel?
Look at where the y sits. If it starts a word or syllable, like yell or yellow, it is a consonant. If it ends a word or fills the vowel spot in a syllable, it is working as a vowel, as in shy, dry and gym. Every syllable needs a vowel sound, so a word like my must be using y for that job.
Why is y not taught as a vowel at first?
Children usually learn y first as a consonant, because that is its job at the start of common words like yes, you and yellow. Its vowel jobs come later, once children can read short and long vowels, so the new sound has something to connect to. The National Reading Panel (2000) found that phonics taught in a clear, planned sequence benefits beginning readers, and y is a good example of why order matters.
How do the books for UFLI Lesson 73 teach y as long i?
The y as long i decodable books for UFLI Lesson 73 repeat words such as by, my, why, fly and spy in short sentences, so children read the pattern many times. Reading together and pausing on each y word helps your child notice the sound. Many of the free titles include read-along audio, and our article on the benefits of reading aloud explains why hearing and saying words matters.
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