Children's Books
We’re passionate about ensuring literacy is accessible to every child, as it is essential for a happy, successful life. This collection features kids books online, including picture books and children’s story books suitable for home reading and classroom use. Browse books for kids across reading levels and discover stories available to read online or as PDF downloads.
A Spot to Nap
Sloth is so tired his eyeballs feel like bowling balls, and all he wants is the perfect spot for a nap. But will the low branches be safe from a hungry giraffe? What about the buzzing bees, the grumpy snake, or that very loud bird? Can a sleepy sloth ever find somewhere quiet to curl up? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables through words like ‘perfect,’ ‘sudden,’ ‘problem,’ ‘hunker,’ and ‘bitten.’
Boo! I'm the Ball!
Meet Gad, the friendliest ghost in the forest! He’s spent ages floating all alone, watching grumpy ghouls jump out and scare people just for fun. But Gad doesn’t want to scare anyone - he wants to play! So when he spots a group of kids at the park, he zooms down to say hello. Will they run away screaming, or could Gad finally find the best friends he’s been dreaming of? This decodable reader practises the gh phonogram in words like ‘ghost,’ ‘ghostly,’ ‘ghosts,’ and ‘ghouls.’
I Am NOT a Crocodile!
Goya the komodo dragon is having a truly terrible morning. First, a flood sweeps him into a smelly drain. Then, when he finally escapes, four kids with brooms take one look and scream ‘CROCODILE!’ Can a proud, handsome komodo dragon convince anyone he isn’t a scaly-toothed swamp monster? And will he ever find his way back to his warm jungle rock? This decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ phonogram in words like ‘sluiced,’ ’nuisance,’ ‘bruised,’ and ‘pursuit.’
My Minecraft Is Broken!
All I wanted was a perfectly normal afternoon - finish my house, go mining, find some diamonds. Easy, right? So why is there a bed on my roof, a pig in my cave, and a fish stuck inside a tree? Something is absolutely, totally, ridiculously wrong with my Minecraft world today, and nobody seems to know how to fix it. Can I survive until tomorrow? This decodable reader practises 3+ syllable words such as ‘afternoon,’ ‘congratulations,’ ’enormous,’ and ‘ridiculous.’
Not Done Yet!
Dr. Can Do has a brilliant plan for every cottage in the village - warm carpets, cosy floors, and piles of wool in every colour you can imagine! But shearing a whole flock by hand takes so much energy. Could a gentle machine help? And what happens when his friend Jill suggests hiring a villager to run a brand-new Wool Shop? This decodable reader practises soft g words such as ‘gentle,’ ‘huge,’ ‘village,’ ‘gem,’ and ‘imagine.’
Dad, Read My Note!
What do you do when your dad is the best dad in the whole neighbourhood, but he’s also too tired to go fishing? One clever kid has tried tugging, begging, and waving a fishing rod in the air - nothing works! So he writes a secret note and slips it next to Dad’s morning mug. Will the note finally get Dad off the couch, and what woodland surprises wait on the path? This decodable reader practises the eigh phonogram in words like “eight,” “neighbour,” “weighed,” and “sighed.”
Don't Burn The Book!
Ned the maker is running low on coal, and the caves are far too dangerous to explore. Luckily, his friendly book-shaped helper has a clever idea: why not grow a whole forest of your very own? But can Ned really turn trees into fuel, and will bone meal truly make saplings shoot up in seconds? Join Ned as he digs, plants, and chops his way to a brilliant plan! This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘boldly,’ ‘farmer,’ ’taller,’ and ‘hopeful.’
Don't Touch Jin's Pen!
Jin’s shiny ink pen is strictly off-limits - the sign on his desk says so! But when Rin sneaks into his drawer one quiet afternoon, she finds a mysterious little black block that makes paper clips leap through the air. What could it possibly be? And when Jin’s precious pen rolls somewhere it absolutely shouldn’t, can Rin’s clever discovery save the day? This decodable reader practises 3+ syllable words such as ‘afternoon,’ ‘mysterious,’ ‘caterpillar,’ and ‘discovery.’
Fig Pig and the Dark Cave
When a tall, purple-eyed Enderman appears at Fig Pig’s window in the dead of night, he can’t stop wondering: why is it so angry? Why do Endermen steal blocks, and where do they take them? With his friend Player at his side, Fig Pig tiptoes into a shadowy cave to uncover the truth behind the screams - but what will he find lurking in the dark? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘common,’ ‘hidden,’ ‘follow,’ and ‘sudden.’
Follow That Smell!
Tip’s nose wakes her up one snowy morning with a smell she’s never met before - cold, wild, and wonderful! But wait, what’s that sweeter scent drifting on the wind? Something warm, something spicy, something absolutely delicious is hiding out there in the snow. Can Tip follow her twitchy nose all the way to the source? And why is Brat Cat grinning like she knows a secret? This decodable reader practises the gn phonogram in words like ‘gnome,’ ‘sign,’ ‘design,’ and ‘foreign.’
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of children's books can I find here?
This collection includes picture books and story books for children ages 5 to 9, spanning topics from adventure and science to friendship and fantasy. Each book uses decodable text matched to a specific phonics level, so children practise reading words they can genuinely sound out rather than guess from context.
Are these kids books free to read and download?
Many of the books on this site are free to read online, with select titles offering PDF downloads, printable versions, or read-aloud features. A study across 35 countries found that simply having books available in the home is significantly associated with stronger literacy and numeracy skills in young children (Manu et al., 2019).
How do I choose the right reading level for my child?
Start by selecting your child’s grade level, then look at the phonics focus for each book. Children typically begin with simple CVC words (like cat or sit) before progressing to blends, digraphs, and multi-syllable patterns. Jeanne Chall’s Stages of Reading Development (1983) describes this journey as moving from ’learning to read’ to ‘reading to learn’ by around third grade. Our scope and sequence guide explains how the levels are organised.
Why do these books use decodable text?
Decodable books use only letter-sound patterns a child has already been taught, turning reading into genuine phonics practice. The National Reading Panel (2000) found that systematic phonics instruction produces significant benefits for children in kindergarten through sixth grade — and decodable texts are how that instruction translates into real reading practice. Learn more about what decodable books are and how they work.