Children's Books for 1st Graders

When Gran spots a cheeky little mouse zipping across the floor, the whole family panics! Ma grabs a broom, Pa hides behind the curtain, and even the cat refuses to help. But what happens when the baby sees the mouse too? Will anyone in this house be brave enough to catch the naughty creature - or might they all end up laughing instead? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ‘both,’ ’then,’ ’there,’ and ‘with.’

What do you do when you want to make something truly amazing but your brain is as blank as the paper in front of you? Join one busy young artist who asks Dad, Mum, Gran, Pop, and even a sneaky big brother for help - painting, snipping, pressing leaves, and scribbling stories along the way. Could all these little bits somehow add up to something wonderful? This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘grab,’ ‘grin,’ ‘plan,’ ‘press,’ and ‘stands.’

Gran has a big plan, and it starts with the plumpest coconuts you’ve ever seen! But can one kid really crank, crack, and chop a pile of tough nuts into something sweet? What happens when the hard part just keeps getting harder - and Gran refuses to quit? Get ready to huff, puff, and cheer along on a very crunchy adventure. This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y through words like ‘jump,’ ‘huff,’ ‘puff,’ ’nuts,’ and ‘yum.’

Meet Cuckoo, a clever bird who can fly higher than hawks and balance on the thinnest twig - but there’s one thing she simply cannot do. Her call has vanished! Where could it have gone? Has she lost it in the meadow, the farm, or the forest? Will Cuckoo ever find her voice again? This decodable reader practises the th sound in words like ’this,’ ’them,’ ’there,’ and ’thump.'

Ned is marching through a blazing desert in a full suit of iron armour, hunting for treasure - but what happens when the ancient ruins go BOOM? With his stomach growling, no food in sight, and shuffling husks closing in, will Ned listen to The Book before he eats something truly disgusting? Can a hungry knight survive his own bad ideas? This decodable reader practises the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘plank,’ ‘sank,’ ‘chunk,’ ‘blink,’ and ‘yank.’

Mara has one big rule: curly is ALWAYS better than straight! Her bouncy curls boing back every time, and even her cat’s tail agrees. But what happens when she meets a lion with a perfectly straight tail? Or tries to draw a straight line and ends up with a question mark? From spiral staircases to swirly buns, Mara is on a mission to prove curly wins - but will snack time change her mind? This decodable reader practises the th sound in words like ’think,’ ’those,’ ’three,’ and ‘smooth.’

Mum said don’t follow that butterfly - but how can Nell resist when a flash of blue flits down the path ahead? What will she find in the deep, wild jungle: pink snakes, chimps in the trunk, or something far more dangerous? And when trouble slinks closer, can she make it back home? This decodable reader practises the ’nk’ sound with words like ‘pink,’ ‘sank,’ ‘shrank,’ ‘slunk,’ and ’think.’

Little Fish is tired of the same old sandy shore - don’t you ever wish you could explore somewhere new? When Mum warns him about the deep water, Little Fish sneaks off anyway. What wonders wait in the colourful coral below? And what happens when a very ugly boulder opens one enormous eye and shows rows of jagged teeth? This decodable reader practises the sh sound in words such as ‘shark,’ ‘dashes,’ ‘splash,’ ‘rush,’ and ‘blush.’

Ned’s tiny shed is safe, but oh, is it COLD! With chattering teeth and a floating, talking Book for company, he’s made one very important rule: Don’t go outside! But what happens when the only way to get warm means stepping out where spiders lurk and zombies shuffle? Can brave little Ned dig up stone, chop some logs, and beat the chill before night falls again? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘brave,’ ‘broke,’ ‘flame,’ ‘smile,’ and ‘safe.’

Behind the pink curtains, a puppeteer is ready for the perfect show - but what happens when the wrong backdrop turns a fancy lady’s quiet evening into a jungle adventure? With a huge tiger on the loose and a calm doctor who refuses to panic, can anyone convince the Rich Lady to run? Kids will giggle as every plan goes delightfully sideways. This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘hide,’ ‘cute,’ ‘shine,’ ‘smile,’ and ‘wide.’