Children's Books for 1st Graders

Kobi is a snow-white buffalo calf, and tonight he gets to lead the big New Year parade through the glittering city! But Kobi is shy, the crowds are loud, and Abi has made a very important promise: to stay by his friend’s side the whole way. Can a boy keep his word when the lanterns blaze and his tummy starts to rumble? This decodable reader practises open syllables in words like ‘go,’ ‘he,’ ’no,’ ‘shy,’ and ’try.’

Have you ever stared at a frog and wondered if it’s staring right back? Every day, our curious narrator plays a secret game - catching the eye of a grinning cyclist, a stubborn cow who won’t budge, a sleepy cat on the gate, and tiny fireflies that glow like whispered secrets. But when night falls and the stars start to shimmer, could someone far, far away be playing the very same game? This decodable reader explores the ‘sh’ sound with words like ‘dash,’ ‘flash,’ ‘shine,’ and ‘wish.’

Pip the squirrel has stashed forty-nine nuts all over Butternut Hill, ready for winter - but when she checks her secret spots, every single nut has vanished! Who would take them? The buzzing bees? A sneaky fly? Her kind friend Liz? Pip is determined to solve the mystery, even if it means tumbling out of a tree or two along the way. Could the answer be hiding somewhere she never thought to look? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘hive,’ ‘chase,’ ‘dome,’ and ‘smile.’

What is the best thing in the whole wide world? Meg knows the answer: WHEELS! They whirl, they whir, they run the whole world - until one morning, every single wheel vanishes. Who took them? Where did they go? With a stubborn white goat by her side, Meg sets off to crack the mystery, and discovers a quieter world she never expected. Can she figure out who did it? This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘wheel,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ and ‘whirl.’

Zom has a BIG plan to get rich - he’s opening his very own milk bar! But why should every cow make the same milk? When the cow is brown, the milk tastes like chocolate. When the cow is white, it’s sweet vanilla. And the pink cow? Strawberry, of course! But what happens when Zom reveals his strangest flavour yet? Will the villagers dare to try it? This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘which,’ and ‘whirl.’

Chad has big plans for the best garden on the street - until the sky starts doing something very strange. Swirls twist overhead, his shovel slips, and then… fish! Squid! Splattering down all around him! But what happens when the sky clears and there’s not a single drop of proof left behind? Will anyone believe Chad’s wild story? This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words such as ‘bunch,’ ‘catch,’ ‘chunk,’ and ’twitch.’

Deep in the Ashanti forest lives a fairy no bigger than your thumb, with a magic spoon that fills any pot with food. So when hungry Anansi spots it, what will he do? And when he finally holds that wondrous spoon, why won’t it work for him? Can a trickster learn to share? This Bookbot story practises the /ŋk/ sound with words like ’think’, ‘blink’, ‘sink’, ‘chunk’, and ’thank’.

Jack loves his farm, but something is missing - where are all the bees, birds, and bats? When Jack hauls up a hive and flings seeds across the grass, the buzzing and chirping begins. But bats are tricky critters whose homes are hard to find. What can a clever scarecrow build to bring them in, and which spot will feel just right for a sleepy bat? This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ phonogram in words such as ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘which,’ ‘while,’ and ‘whose.’

Deep in the dark, twisty woods, Ned is hopelessly lost - and something bony is creeping closer through the trees! Can Ned dodge the skeleton’s arrows, find a hiding spot behind a thick trunk, and land one perfect shot before his luck runs out? What happens when a whole pack of grinning skeletons steps out of the shadows? A spooky, thrilling adventure for brave young readers! This decodable reader practises the ck sound in words like ‘quick,’ ‘stuck,’ ’thick,’ ‘pack,’ and ‘crack.’

Tim just wants to shoot hoops, but Dad says homework comes first - and today’s homework is letters! Can Dad help Tim tame those tricky, sneaky letters that never seem to sit still? With an old wooden board, a piece of chalk, and a little patience, will Tim finally crack the code? And what happens when two curious cats decide they want to learn too? This decodable reader practises CCVC and CCVCC blends in words like ‘grips,’ ‘grabs,’ ‘prints,’ and ‘grins.’