Children's Books for 1st Graders

Steve has a fresh catch straight from the sea, but ouch - it is cold and raw! Can he build a fire hot enough to cook his cod without burning his fingers? And when a raw chick turns up the next day with no logs in sight, what will our hungry hero try next? Join Steve for a sizzling, smoky adventure full of bright ideas and big mistakes. This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘catch,’ ‘chick,’ ‘much,’ and ’touch.’

Naisula stands on the ridge and hears only the wind. Could the old story be true, that the sky god will one day send a living gift down to the Maasai? When a thick rope appears trailing from the clouds, holding fast to something heavy and unseen, will Naisula be brave enough to grab hold? A tender retelling of how cattle came to the savanna. This Bookbot level practises the /ŋ/ sound with words like ’long’, ‘hangs’, ‘strong’, ‘swing’, and ‘song’.

What happens when one special towel keeps disappearing? First a girl grabs it to dry her hands, then a man scoops it up after a big splash, and then an old man sits on it to play music under the moon! Can the owner ever get their purple-and-gold towel back - and who will use it last of all? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ‘bath,’ ‘cloth,’ ’then,’ ’this,’ and ‘with.’

When Fig Pig gives Brat Cat a brand new pair of wings for her birthday, she’s not so sure about this whole flying thing. What happens when you leap off a very tall, very scary cliff with a friend who promises it’s the simplest thing in the world? Can Brat Cat find the courage to jump, soar, and swoop through the clouds? This decodable reader practises the ’ng’ sound in words like ‘wings,’ ‘spring,’ ‘sings,’ and ‘bang.’

Deep in a dark cave, Steve spots something pink with a huge, goofy grin swimming up through the water. What is this strange little creature, and why won’t it leave his side? As Steve takes his new friend home, could there be another glowing pet waiting back in the cave? Will two be better than one? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words such as ’that,’ ’then,’ ’there,’ ’thick,’ and ’thanks.'

Up on the tallest tower, young Ned is sure he can fight off a whole zombie gang with just his bow and string. But when dusk falls and his arrows go dang, dang, dang into the dirt, will he give up - or find a cleverer way to practise? Can a boy who hit zero zombies ever become a hero? This decodable reader practises the ng phonogram with words like ‘bring,’ ‘fling,’ ‘sting,’ ‘strong,’ and ‘zing.’

Bird has just landed in a brand-new part of the world, and he doesn’t know a soul! But when he spots a rhino with buzzing flies, a croc with a sore tooth, and a zebra watching for lions, he’s sure he can lend a wing. Can one little bird really help four big animals - and make four new friends? This decodable reader practises the ’nk’ sound in words like ’think,’ ‘blink,’ ‘stink,’ ’thanks,’ and ‘junk.’

Bon’s summer holiday is off to the worst start ever. Mum is busy, Dad is busy, and Su won’t even look up from her paper pinwheels. Will anyone in this house ever play with him? Just when Bon is ready to give up, a brilliant idea pops into his head - and it involves Butter, the family parrot, a polka-dot hat, and a very big secret. This decodable reader practises the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘wink,’ ‘stink,’ ’think,’ ‘blink,’ and ‘prank.’

Ned’s shed looks nice, but the cold stone floor is no place to sleep! What he really needs is a big, soft, woolly bed - and that means finding sheep to shear. But have you ever tried to catch a fluffy sheep on a sunny slope? Will Ned chase them down, or can he come up with a cleverer plan? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘chase,’ ‘hide,’ ‘pine,’ and ‘smile.’

The whole grass belongs to everyone now, but first Kalulu must win an impossible memory contest against the proudest elephant on the Zambezi. Who can name the most rivers? What clever trick does a small hare have hidden up his sleeve? And when the floodwaters rise, will an old rival become an unlikely friend? Find out who wins the meadow and why. This Bookbot level practises the ‘wh’ sound with words like ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘which’, and ‘whole’.