Animal Books for Kids

Indlovu is the biggest, boldest elephant anyone has ever seen, and she wants everyone to know it. But when she dares to shout that she is stronger than the rain, the sky falls silent and the waterholes crack dry. Can a tiny hornbill teach the mightiest creature on the plain that even the greatest must learn to ask? Will the rain ever return before it is too late? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ph’ sound in words like ’elephant’, ’triumphant’, ‘prophecy’ and ‘phew’.

Deep in the rainforest lives an Elephant so sure that nothing small could ever matter to him. But when his careless feet crush a tiny weaver bird’s nest, will Pili simply fly away, or find a way to make a giant listen? Can a creature no bigger than his toe truly stand up to him? This warm, clever tale about courage and respect will delight young readers. This Bookbot level practises the ’ei’ phonogram with words like ‘being’, ‘weigh’, ‘height’, ’eight’, and ‘seize’.

Meg is the best vet in the whole forest, and today her most important jar of medicine is nearly empty! Can she trek deep into the woods, cross slippery rocks, and gather the rare herb she needs? And what will she do when a scratchy monkey, a hurt bird, and one very hungry little fawn all cross her path? This decodable reader practises the wr phonogram in words like ‘wraps,’ ‘wriggles,’ ‘wrist,’ and ‘write.’

In the hills above a river valley, a girl named Amahle keeps the best garden in her village. One morning she finds a snake coiled at the garden’s edge, green and gold with calm copper eyes. Most people would run. Amahle stands still and looks back. What does a green-gold spirit snake want, and can one quiet girl protect it when the whole village turns against her? This Bookbot Level G story practises the soft ‘g’ sound in words like ‘village’, ‘gentle’, ‘courage’, and ‘danger’.

Bingo has the best job in the whole village, guarding the grain store for a fat bone and the warmest spot by the fire. But when a sweet smell drifts in from the forest one night, will he leave his cosy place to chase it? And what will he find when he finally races back home? This heartwarming tale shows what happens when we forget to treasure what we have. Level: AUGH. This book practises the /aw/ sound with words like ‘caught’, ’taught’, ’naughty’, ‘haughty’, and ‘distraught’.

Fisi the hyena eats and eats, and the word “enough” means nothing to him. So when a windfall of bones appears in the rocky hills, his belly takes charge. Then a strange voice answers from a crack in the rocks, granting him a most convenient ‘permission’ to take it all. Is a real spirit hiding there, or is greedy Fisi fooling only himself? Will he ever learn to stop? This Bookbot Level S9 story practises the /ʃ/ sound in words like ‘permission’, ‘collection’, ‘commotion’, and ‘confession’.

When the yams run low and the whole village must share, why is the barn giving out less each morning even though the lock stays shut? Clever Mbe the tortoise thinks he has found a secret way to take more than his fair share, but a sharp eyed neighbour named Chinyere notices things others miss. Will anyone discover the truth? This Bookbot level practises the ’eigh’ sound with lesson words like ‘weight’, ’eight’, ’neighbour’, and ’eighty’.

On a sunny granite hill grows the sweetest marula tree, until a troop of greedy baboons claims it all for themselves. When tiny Tsuro the Hare offers to help, everyone laughs. How could a creature the size of your knee outwit twelve bullies? What secret is hidden in his little grass bag, and why does he carry a drum? This warm African trickster tale is a Bookbot Level SI reader, practising the /ʒ/ sound in words like ‘pleasure’, ‘decision’, ’treasure’, ‘composure’ and ‘measured’.

Eight big crocodiles guard the wide brown river, and mean Old Crocodile has not lost a fight in eighty years. When the dry season withers his home and the sweet berries lie just out of reach across the water, how can one small hare ever hope to cross a river ruled by hungry, boastful beasts? Could a clever trick weigh more than sharp teeth? This Bookbot book practises the ’eigh’ sound with words like ’eight’, ’eighty’, ’eighteen’, and ‘weighs’.

Elephant is the biggest, proudest beast on the plain, and he stamps roughly through every small animal’s garden without a care. But when the river floods and the maize harvest is stranded on the far bank, how can creatures too small to fight ever change his mind? Clever Hare has a plan, though it will take more than muscle to pull off. Could a boast become something braver? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ough’ sound with words like ‘rough’, ’though’, ’tough’, ‘although’, and ‘ought’.