Family Books for Kids

On a red Kalahari night, when the pans have dried up and the water bottles grow light, Naru remembers her grandmother’s tales of a hidden star that points to water. But can one girl, awake in the dark while the elders sleep, trust old star lore enough to lead her people the right way? A brave, hopeful story with a heart as wide as the sky. This Bookbot book practises the ‘ough’ sound in words like ‘drought’, ’though’, ’thought’, ’through’, and ’tough’.

Don has finally found the perfect blue cap at the market - but what happens when a sneaky gust of wind snatches it right off his head? The cap sails over the bushes, gets stuck in the branches, and lands somewhere Don never expected. Can he ever get it back, or has his treasure been claimed by someone much bigger and brighter? A warm, funny story about letting go and finding new friends. This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘bushes,’ ‘branches,’ ‘catches,’ and ‘wishes.’

When Pip and Tom spot a pile of paint pots sitting in the garden, they beg the painters to let them help. Can two excited children really be trusted with brushes, buckets, and a whole garden gate? What happens when Pip decides one gate just isn’t enough, and bold stripes start marching across the wall? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words such as “summer,” “bucket,” “garden,” “problem,” and “mistake.”

Tim would rather shoot hoops than tackle his letters - and honestly, who wouldn’t? But those tricky B’s and D’s keep playing sneaky tricks on him every single time he picks up a pencil. Can Dad’s old wooden board help Tim finally figure out the alphabet? What secret trick did Grandpa pass down to beat those wobbly letters? Grab a basketball and find out! This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including ’explain,’ ‘defeat,’ ‘redo,’ ‘rewrite,’ and ‘unlike.’

There’s a cheeky little mouse on the loose, and Gran is standing on the couch! Can Mum’s broom catch it? Will the cat even bother to try? As the whole family ends up squished under the bed hiding from one tiny, grinning troublemaker, something surprising happens - the baby claps and giggles at their furry visitor. Could a mouse in the house actually be fun? This decodable reader practises the ‘ou’ sound in words like ‘mouse,’ ‘house,’ ’loud,’ ‘round,’ and ‘proud.’

What do you make when you want to create something truly brilliant but have no idea where to start? Join one young artist as they gather scissors, pencils, and paint, then visit Dad, Mum, Gran, and Pop for help. Each one shares a different kind of magic - but could the real answer be hiding in all of them at once? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘rabbit,’ ‘garden,’ ‘yellow,’ ’lesson,’ and ‘perfect.’

Gran says they’re making the best coconut bars in the whole world - from scratch. But what does “from scratch” actually mean? Climbing trees? Cranking wheels until your wrists ache? Wrestling stubborn husks that refuse to budge? With every crack, thunk, and stir, the kitchen fills with the sweetest smell ever - but will Gran ever say the magic words: “We are done”? A decodable reader practising the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrapped,’ ‘wrestled,’ ‘wriggle,’ and ‘wrists.’

A bright blue butterfly flutters by, and little Tad just has to follow! But what happens when a curious calf wanders off the path and deep into the jungle? Will Tad spot the spotty wings, the sneaky cat, and find the way back to Mum before it’s too late? A brave, bouncy adventure about listening - and learning - the fun way. This decodable reader practises VC/CVC short vowels through words like ‘cat,’ ‘ran,’ ‘sat,’ ‘dots,’ and ‘had.’

Little Fish is tired of the same sandy floor, the same boring rocks, the same shallow sea every single day. What wonders might be hiding in the deeper water below? When he sneaks off while his mother’s back is turned, he finds glittering coral, curious crabs - and something far, far scarier resting on the ocean floor. Can Little Fish find his way back to safety? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘kindly,’ ‘boldly,’ ‘deeper,’ ‘faster,’ and ‘bravely.’

It’s Jan’s birthday, and the whole family has a secret mission! Mum is swirling frosting on a giant cake, Dad is puffing up balloons until his face turns tomato-red, and Grandpa has wheeled in a shiny surprise. But who will carry all the wobbling boxes into the party room without dropping a thing? Can Tim really pull it off? This decodable reader practises the eigh phonogram in words like ’eight,’ ’eighteen,’ ’neighbour,’ and ‘weighed.’