Adventure Books for Kids

The river has stopped flowing, the crops are wilting, and no one will speak the name of what sleeps in the deepest pool. When nine-year-old Nomsa discovers that something ancient was taken from the water, can she find a way to make right what was done, even when a broken thing cannot simply be mended? Will the river ever run again? A gentle tale of courage and respect. This Bookbot level practises the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrong’, ‘wrinkled’, ‘wriggles’, and ‘wrists’.

Hyena has found the sweetest treasure on the whole dry veld, and she is not sharing one drop with anyone. But clever Jackal is watching from the shadows, and he is very hungry. Can a small, quick trickster outsmart a bigger, stronger beast? What plan is forming behind those bright eyes? This Bookbot level practises the phonogram ’ei’, with lesson words like ‘being’, ’neither’, ‘seize’, ‘weighs’, and ‘weird’.

Thwack! Arrows are raining down from the sky, and one nearly catches Hop in the ear! Who could be behind this startling onslaught? Distraught and cross, Hop sets off to find the king, gathering brave friends along the way. But will the king listen when they finally track him down? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ‘distraught,’ ‘haughty,’ and ’laughter.’

In the walled town of Ilara, the Oba owns a magic drum that spreads a feast for the whole town, but only when beaten with a giving heart. So when a greedy trader steals it and speeds off north, who will chase him down? Young Remi, whose father has taught her to make any drum talk, races after the thief. Can one brave girl bring the drum home? This Bookbot level practises the ‘augh’ sound in ’taught’, ‘caught’, ’laugh’, and ‘distraught’.

The Tokoloshe is coming to Nomsa’s homestead tonight. Who is this small, wet, cheeky creature tipping over cooking pots and pinching little Sipho’s toes in the dark? For three nights the family has woken to chaos, and only clever Nomsa has spotted the tiny wet footprints on the floor. Can one brave girl outsmart a water sprite who steals her plan right out from under her? This Bookbot level practises two syllable words split VC/CV, with lesson words like ‘cannot’, ‘sudden’, ‘clever’, ‘problem’, and ’little’.

Yellow Rabbit Balloon wants nothing more than to float up, up, up - past the treetops, past the kites, past everyone telling him to hold still. But what happens when the sky turns out to be full of pecking birds, scary flames, and smoggy air? Will anyone down below look up in time to catch a tired little balloon? This decodable reader practises the ‘gn’ phonogram in words such as ‘reign,’ ‘gnat,’ ‘gnarled,’ ‘gnome,’ and ‘signpost.’

Walt sings to the sky every day, begging the clouds for rain on the dry, grey plain. But what happens when a giant, grinning dinosaur thumps down the trail and wants to join in? Can two loud voices and one silly song really call the clouds down to play? This decodable reader practises the ai/ay phonogram in words like ‘rain,’ ‘day,’ ‘plain,’ ’trail,’ and ‘sway.’

When every golem in Canville vanishes overnight, the Mischievous Mage knows the village is in serious trouble. Without them, what will stop the zombies and skeletons creeping in after dark? The only answer is pumpkins - but no one has ever seen one growing nearby. Can the Mage and his friends track some down before nightfall, or will their search lead somewhere far more surprising? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words such as ‘ancient,’ ‘mission,’ ‘patience,’ and ‘delicious.’

Anansi the spider has a plan. The great fig tree drips with sweet fruit, but a swarm of hornets has claimed every last one, stinging anyone who dares come close. How can one small spider outwit a whole angry swarm and win back the figs for his hungry village? With a ‘wry’ grin and a clever trick, Anansi sets to work, while the hornets buzz with ‘wrath’ at his whispered words. This Bookbot level practises the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrapped’, ‘wrangle’, and ‘wriggled’.

Ned is lost in the dark woods, and something just shot an arrow at him! Can one brave boy and his talking Book outwit a skeleton hiding behind the trees? With only a bow, a flickering torch, and a whole lot of nerve, Ned must find the perfect angle for one good shot - but what happens when more bony figures start creeping out of the shadows? This decodable reader practises le/al/el/il words such as ’little,’ ’needle,’ ‘castle,’ ‘signal,’ and ‘scramble.’