Books for Girls

Something stinky is hiding at the playground, and one curious girl is determined to sniff it out! What could be making that terrible pong behind the bush? She finds a muddy, grumpy, grinning beast and decides right away that it’s the best friend she’s ever met - but how will she sneak it past Mum at sunset? Will this smelly pal get to stay? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘playground,’ ‘downhill,’ ‘hallway,’ ‘bathtub,’ and ‘sunset.’

Nomvula is the cleverest tracker in her village, able to read a footprint like a face, so why does she slip a hollow reed and three marula fruits into her marriage bag before following her handsome new husband home? When bones lie at his gate and a lion’s paw print appears beside a man’s, can she outwit him before he catches her? A brave folktale of wits and courage. This Bookbot level practises the /ʃ/ sound with words like ‘attention’, ‘motion’, ‘question’, ‘situation’, and ‘caution’.

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’.

In the lake town of Oguta lives Adaeze, a princess who reads the weather in the water and solves every riddle she meets. So when a smooth-voiced suitor glides up to the palace gate, why does she alone feel that something is wrong? What secret hides beneath his sharp dark suit, and can one clever girl and a small disc of ash unmask him before the whole court? This Bookbot Level S9 story practises the /sh/ phonograms in ’tradition’, ‘ancient’, ‘accusation’, ‘attention’, and ‘aberration’.

Mara has one big rule: curly is ALWAYS better than straight! But what happens when she meets a lion with a perfectly straight tail, climbs a spiral staircase fit for a princess, and spots a golden carpet of silky hair belonging to her very own sister? Can curly really beat straight every single time, or might Mara discover a few surprises along the way? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables through words like ‘basket,’ ‘carpet,’ ‘rabbit,’ and ‘picnic.’

In the misty highlands of Ethiopia, a proud judge sets young Tigist three impossible tasks. Fill a whole room with something that fits in one hand? Arrive neither walking nor riding? Bring a gift that is not a gift? Her family cannot afford to fail, but this clever girl ‘knows’ that every trap hides a simple truth. Can she outwit the cleverest man in the land? This Bookbot level practises the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knows’, ‘knee’, ‘kneel’ and ‘knot’.

Phew, what could be more tempting than a tree that rains golden fruit? Deep in the Congo forest stands a tree that only gives up its gift to someone who knows its true, long name and sings it just right. Little Suki is listening closely, but will she remember every step? This Bookbot book practises the /f/ sound spelled ‘ph’ with words like ‘phew’, ’triumph’, ‘symphony’ and ‘atmosphere’.

Miss B walks with a cane and taps her way around the dance studio, calling out to her three giggling girls. But what if their sweet old teacher used to leap past gnarled bridges and float under starlight? What if she once danced on every stage in the world, from Paris to Rio? Could Miss B be hiding a dazzling secret behind that quiet tap, tap, tap? This decodable reader practises the gn phonogram in words like ‘gnarled,’ ‘reigned,’ ‘foreign,’ and ‘sign.’

After a whole week of rain, today the sun is finally shining - and one very special kite is ready to soar! But this isn’t just any kite. Have you ever drawn something brave and sent it flying? With a secret troll queen smiling from the front, can she zoom higher than every other kite on the street? Find out if she rules the sky! This decodable reader practises the ‘oa’ sound in words like ‘float,’ ‘goal,’ and ‘road.’

The sky above May’s town is grey, smoggy, and smelly - and she’s had enough! What if there’s real sunshine hiding up above the clouds? With a pile of gears, a wooden frame, and a head full of big ideas, May sets out to build a plane that can climb higher than the smog. But can a kid really fly all the way to the sun? This decodable reader practises the ai/ay phonogram in words like ‘day,’ ‘stay,’ ‘waits,’ and ’trail.’