Ouch! That Was My Leaf! (V/V syllable division)

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Friendship Decodable Reader with V/V Syllable Division

Practice Words

Two-syllable words where two vowels are divided into separate syllables (V/V pattern).

being fluent giant naive quiet react riot trio
Page 1
On the right side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot looking sad and hopeful, facing a group of three potted trees who are clustered together with smug, dismissive expressions. The scene is set outdoors on reddish-brown ground with a colourful flowering hedge running across the background under a white sky. Spike's posture is slightly hunched and uncertain, while the trees lean together as a clique, clearly rejecting him.

Spike the cactus had no friends. Not one. But today was the day. 'Hi!' he called to a giant trio of trees. 'I'm Spike! Want a hug?' The giant trees did not react well. They shook their leaves at him. 'Ha! From you? No way. Beat it, cactus!'

Page 2
In the lower half of the image, Spike is shown in three sequential poses hopping cheerfully from left to right in his small terracotta pot, conveying movement across the scene. In each pose Spike has a happy, optimistic smile — unbothered and determined to keep going. Dashed bouncing lines between each position emphasise the hopping motion. The top half is plain white background, and the overall setting is a simple, minimal outdoor ground plane with soft shadows beneath the pot.

Did Spike cry or give up? Nope! 'That's fine!' said Spike with a grin. 'Those giant trees were not ready for a friend as great as me.' He hopped across the garden in his quiet pot, humming a little song he made up.

Page 3
On the right side of the image, Spike is shown in a sequence of poses hopping across the scene in his terracotta pot, with dashed lines indicating his bouncing path. In the centre-right, Spike stands in his pot looking up hopefully with a friendly smile at a grumpy orange tree, which has narrowed, annoyed-looking eyes peering out from its foliage. The outdoor scene features a warm peachy-orange ground with a colourful flower hedge running along the background.

Spike saw a giant orange tree by itself. 'You need a quiet friend! I'm fluent in chatting,' said Spike. The giant tree did not react well. 'No.' 'No to chatting, or no to being friends?' 'No to it all. Go away.'

Page 4
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot on reddish-brown ground, facing a banana tree (also in a pot) that has a worried, fearful yellow face peeking out from its leaves. Spike has a slightly confused or uncertain expression, appearing to approach the banana tree. The scene is set outdoors in a garden with a colourful flower hedge running along the background under a plain white sky. Two additional small potted plant characters are visible — a flower to the right of the banana tree turning away, and another flower on the far left also moving away, both with small fearful facial features, fleeing the scene.

Next, Spike met a giant yellow tree with a worried look. The tree took one peek and screamed, 'Spines! Spines!' Two little potted plants nearby ran for their lives. 'I am not that sharp,' said Spike, but he was, in fact, very sharp.

Page 5
On the right side of the image, Spike is shown multiple times in a sequence — standing in his terracotta pot beside a tall mango tree and a smaller guava bush, both in pots with annoyed, sighing facial expressions. Spike appears with a hopeful but slightly sad expression as he approaches each tree. The scene is set outdoors in a sunny garden yard with a row of colourful flowering bushes in the background and warm reddish-brown ground. A dashed trail on the ground shows Spike's path moving from tree to tree, with one instance of Spike walking away toward the far right looking dejected.

He tried a giant mango tree. It sighed. He tried a guava bush. It sighed louder. "Don't touch us," they said. Spike's bounce got smaller. Spike went quiet.

Page 6
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot looking up at Pawpaw tree with a hopeful, slightly shy expression. Pawpaw tree, also in a terracotta pot, towers over Spike and looks down at him with a calm, knowing expression. Pawpaw tree has a straight slender brown trunk, a round green leafy canopy forming its head with large round white eyes, small dark eyebrows, and a subtle smile, with several large lobed green fronds extending outward from the top like hair. They are outdoors in a garden setting with a colourful flower bed visible behind them, and the right side of the image is plain white background.

Only one plant was left. A giant pawpaw tree. Spike hopped over, but this time he did not bounce. "Let me guess," said the giant tree. "You're Spike. The one who's been looking for a friend all day." Spike nodded. "Lucky for you, I don't scare easy."

Page 7
Pawpaw tree stands on the right side of the image with a warm, welcoming smile and gentle eyes, looking slightly downward as if inviting someone closer. The tree's large leafy fronds spread outward like open arms against a plain white background. The scene is set outdoors in bright daylight with a calm, welcoming atmosphere.

The pawpaw tree spread his giant leaves wide. 'All the other plants ran away from you. That's not fair. Come sit with me.' 'Really?' said Spike. 'Really.' For the first time all day, Spike felt like he might just find a friend after all.

Page 8
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot next to Pawpaw tree (also in a pot), both with surprised, wide-eyed expressions. Spike is shaking, mouth open in shock with his small arms raised, and Pawpaw tree looks upset and is trembling, with a worried frown, drooping green fronds, and a single sweat drop on her leafy crown. Motion lines surround both characters, suggesting an agitated reaction. The right side of the image is plain white background.

They told jokes and stories in a riot of giggles. But then Spike bent in close with joy and... Pop! His spine pricked the pawpaw tree's leaf. 'Ouch!' yelled the pawpaw tree. 'That was my leaf!'

Page 9
On the right side of the image, Pawpaw tree stands with an angry, furrowed expression, frowning and looking upset, leaning away as if pulling back from someone. Its large leaf fronds are trembling with agitation, indicated by small motion lines above them. The left side of the image is plain white background, leaving ample space for text overlay.

The pawpaw tree pulled away, his giant leaves shaking. 'I was right! Get out, Spike. Find a friend you won't hurt.' 'I'm sorry! I never meant to do it!' said Spike. 'Out!' said the pawpaw tree.

Page 10
On the left side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot in an empty garden, looking outward with a bright, determined smile — as if he has just decided to find somewhere new. The garden around him is bare and quiet, emphasising that he is alone with no other spikey plants in sight. The background is plain white, suggesting open space and possibility ahead.

Spike sat alone. No trees. No bushes. No one. Maybe he had been naive. Maybe a cactus was not meant to have friends. Then Spike looked at his spines, and at the road beyond the quiet garden. 'Wait! I have been looking for a friend who is not prickly. What if I need one who is?'

Page 11
On the right side of the image, Spike stands in his terracotta pot on sandy, dry terrain just beyond a road, looking curiously at Thorn bush with a happy, excited expression. A dashed line traces Spike's path from the road across to his current position. Thorn bush sits beside Spike as a round, ball-shaped tangle of dark brown thorny vines with small spikes protruding in all directions, with two large white mismatched eyes and a small open dark mouth, looking back at Spike. The scene is set outdoors in a sandy, arid landscape with a paved road and sidewalk visible in the upper-left corner, along with a hint of greenery near the roadside.

Spike crossed the road to a giant dune. There, in the sand, sat a bush with thorns all over. 'You are so sharp,' said Spike. The thorn bush blinked. 'You are so sharp too!' 'Want a hug?' 'I hoped you would ask!'

Page 12
On the left side of the image, Spike and Thorn bush walk together across sandy dunes at sunset, both with wide joyful smiles as if singing together. Spike stands upright in the centre-left without his pot, smiling broadly, with a small flower blooming from the top of his head and a dotted trail of footprints behind him leading back to a clay pot left by the road in the far background. Thorn bush — a round, dark brown ball of thorny vines with mismatched white eyes and a small open mouth — bounces along beside Spike on the right. Dark mountains and a glowing sun sit on the horizon. The right side of the image is plain sandy background with warm golden sky.

They hugged. And no one said 'ouch.' So Spike left his pot by the road, and the two set off across the dunes, singing songs, bumping spines, and smiling all the way. And then, without Spike even seeing it, a little flower grew right on top of his head. He was far too busy being happy with his friend.

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