Decodable Books for UFLI Foundations Lesson 80: er /er/
Our mission is making literacy accessible to all children, one sound and one story at a time. The books on this page follow UFLI Lesson 80, where er spells the /er/ sound. Children read er words like her, ever, fern, term and sister, meeting the spelling in the middle and at the end of words as they read.
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Fig Pig and the Dark Cave
Fig Pig marches straight up to a dark cave, sure he’s spotted a monster with glowing eyes. His friend backs away, but Fig Pig never does. What is the creature hiding inside really after? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ’never’, ‘shivers’, ‘mutters’, ‘glitter’, ‘remember’.
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Never Lift the Emerald
Steve stands frozen in the hot sun, an emerald glowing in his pocket, and his belly is already rumbling for supper. When he tries to trade the gem for a hot dinner, the villagers panic and scatter, and Steve is left whispering, “What is up with this emerald?” Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘supper’, ‘whisper’, ‘corner’, ’never’, ‘scatter’.
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Cactus Cannot Be Hard
Dr Can Do has a wild idea: turn prickly cactus into bone meal to grow crops faster. But first he has to get the cactus home without a single ouch. Can a dug-out canal and a floating chest solve his prickly problem? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘harder’, ‘blister’, ’never’, ‘winner’, ‘supper’.
Red Will Never Muffle
Red is determined to cross town without once covering his ears, but honking horns and zipping bikes test his promise fast. Then something up ahead catches his eye, something he’s sure he remembers, and he can’t help walking faster and faster to reach it. Will Red make it through town without losing his nerve? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ’never’, ‘faster’, ‘remember’, ‘corner’, ‘shopper’.
I Made A Big Splash!
A girl and her big sister spend the day surrounded by family, pets, and a paper airplane that just won’t stay grounded. From a whispered “No moms and dads can enter!” in a blanket fort to a super helper who ties everything together, every person in her life adds to the mess and the fun. What will she discover about her sister’s stack of books - and her own paper plane? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘her’, ‘whisper’, ‘sister’, ‘paper’, ‘super’.
The Best Pet Ever
Lisa has been waiting all year for a birthday pet, and her parents won’t say what kind. From a stomping giant to a snake that hugs too hard, every idea seems wrong. Is there a pet out there that’s just right for her? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘her’, ‘whisper’, ‘shelter’, ’ever’, ‘after’.
Nomsa and the River
Nomsa sits by the wide, still river, watching the dark water where a huge shape moves beneath the silt. The elders whisper that a gift was stolen from the river’s keeper, and only Nomsa can find it and set things right. Can she return what was taken before the water is gone for good? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘river’, ‘whisper’, ’elders’, ‘riverbank’, ‘remember’.
Who Snatched Every Rim?
A girl always insists that wheels are the greatest invention ever, from tires to clocks to farm machines. But when she wishes all the wheels away, they really do vanish, leaving trucks stuck and people hauling loads by hand. She grabs a stubborn goat to help her track down the culprit, but can she solve the mystery before things get even harder? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘farmer’, ‘harder’, ’never’, ‘paper’.
Who Will Hold His String?
Yellow Rabbit Balloon does not want to hold still. He wants to go up, over the park and past the kites, far from anyone telling him what to do. But when he zips away from the balloon seller’s hand and drifts higher and higher, will anyone ever hold his string again? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘over’, ‘darker’, ‘shiver’, ‘whisper’, ’never’.
The Lion Herds Cattle
A lion has picked out Kipkemoi’s herd, sitting at the edge of the plain and slowly circling the cattle to steal one. The boy is only ten, alone with thirty cattle, and every trick he tries seems to bounce right off the clever beast. Can he outsmart a lion that never rushes and never gives up? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘herd’, ‘shiver’, ‘whisper’, ‘remember’, ’elders’.
A Skull Talks
Obiora is the fastest runner and biggest talker in his village, always ready with a story. One hot summer morning, he stumbles on an old skull by the path, and it talks! He races to tell the king, sure this is the story of a lifetime. But what happens when the guards ask the skull to talk, and it never says a word? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘runner’, ‘summer’, ‘harder’, ’never’, ‘whisper’.
Starfang Never Came Back
Starfang the pet spider has never once listened to Zom, not like Bones the farm dog always listens to Skel. When a barn window is left wide open one night, Starfang slips out to taste the wild world for himself. But the forest is full of berries, ferns, and surprises he never expected, so what happens when a curious spider wanders somewhere far bigger and scarier than his cozy farm? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ’never’, ‘after’, ‘spider’, ‘berry’, ‘whisper’.
Otieno Must Catch Fish
Otieno needs fish for his mom’s dinner, but the best spot on the lake belongs to old Musa, a fisherman who has never lost a contest. Everyone knows Musa has a secret trick nobody has ever figured out. Can Otieno out-think the master and finally win? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘fisherman’, ’never’, ’thinker’, ‘harder’, ‘winner’.
Never Run Short
Alex packs way more than a miner ever needs before heading into a mine full of hidden dangers. When she gets cornered by trouble, will her overstuffed bag actually help, or will it be the very thing that gets her in over her head? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘her’, ’never’, ‘proper’, ‘winner’, ‘whispers’.
Dash to the Shed
Meow the cat is sure nothing gets past her, until a wild ocelot shows up right by the farmer’s hens. This cat is bigger than Meow, and way too big to fight. Can a quick-thinking farm cat find a clever trick, or will dinner already be served? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘her’, ‘bigger’, ‘dinner’, ’never’, ‘whiskers’.
Hang On, Mel!
Mel clings to a pole as floodwater rises around her, hanging on tight to her toy giraffe, Gus. A helper named Jen carries her to a shelter, and Mel wants her mom and dad more than anything. Will Jen ever stop helping others long enough to find them? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 80: er /er/), this book practices words like ‘her’, ’never’, ‘shelter’, ‘rumbles’, ‘faster’.
Decodable Books Created to Align with the UFLI Foundations Scope and Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some er words?
Short er words include her, fern, herd, term, perch and stern. Longer words often end in er, as in sister, letter, butter, winter, ever and never. Because er is the most common spelling of /er/ at the end of a word, these words turn up constantly in children’s books, so they are worth reading quickly.
How is er different from the -er suffix?
Some words simply contain the er spelling, like her, fern and sister. In others, -er is a suffix that adds meaning: a farmer is someone who farms, and faster means more fast. Children read both the same way, with the /er/ sound, but spotting the suffix helps with meaning and, later, with spelling.
How can I help my child with r-controlled er words at home?
Say a word like fern slowly, then have your child find the letters that spell /er/ and read it back. Short, regular sessions with a book at the right level work well, and reading together matters too: a meta-analysis by Bus, van IJzendoorn and Pellegrini (1995) linked shared book reading with stronger language growth and early literacy. Our tips for boosting reading motivation can help keep practice fun.
What do the books for UFLI Lesson 80 focus on?
The er decodable books for UFLI Lesson 80 focus on er as a spelling of /er/, in words like her and ever as well as longer words that end in er. Stories may also include ar and or words, which gives children a chance to compare three r-controlled vowels. Some titles are free to read online, and many free titles include read-along audio.
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