Children's Books for 1st Graders

Skel is a skeleton who never stops working! He chops, plants, runs, and hunts all day long. His friends Zom and Jack tell him to rest, but Skel refuses. He marches off on another hunt with his dog Bones, getting richer and richer. But when you don’t sleep, strange things start to happen… What are those spooky phantoms following Skel? Will he escape them?

May the fairy has one simple job: fly through the garden and pick her very favourite flower. Easy, right? But wait - which bloom is truly the best? The sunny daisies? The pinky-pink roses? That mysterious red bloom no one has ever seen? Even the bees can’t agree, and a zippy little bee keeps buzzing, ‘Pick one already!’ Can May ever choose just one? This cheerful decodable reader practises open syllables in words like ‘fly,’ ‘go,’ ’try,’ ‘why,’ and ‘me.’

High up in the sky, thousands of tiny raindrops are jostling at the edge of a grumpy cloud, ready for the wildest race ever. Who will splash down first? Who will reach the sea? And what happens when the hot sun starts to shine on the winners? Tumble down hills, rush through rivers, and discover a surprise twist that turns the whole race upside down! This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’thick,’ ’thin,’ ’thud,’ and ’through.'

Pang the cicada has the biggest job of his life - conducting the Dry Season Concert for the whole forest! His wings tremble, his knees wobble, and his glasses keep sliding down his nose. Can he get the choir to sing in tune? And what happens when something very wet and very unexpected starts falling from the sky at a DRY season concert? A decodable reader practising open syllables in words like ‘be,’ ‘fly,’ ‘my,’ ’try,’ and ‘we.’

Dr. Can Do is sure he knows every cobblestone and rooftop in his quiet little town - so when a stranger named Sam rides in claiming there are secret caves nearby, the doc just laughs. But what happens when Sam leads him down a twisting stone stairway? Could a whole glowing world really be hiding right beneath their feet? This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends through lively words like ’trots,’ ‘glint,’ ‘plucks,’ ‘stands,’ and ’twist.’

Deep in a cool, green pond, Red loves looping, lunch, and his little pals - until something huge and toothy comes snapping out of the reeds! Can one small fish outswim a giant with row after row of sharp teeth? And when hiding isn’t enough, what wild, wonderful plan could possibly scare a Big Bad Fish away? This decodable reader practises VCC/CVCC words such as “fast,” “help,” “bolt,” and “past.”

Kara has the best idea ever: a surprise birthday party for Pip, her happy little pup! But what happens when Pip overhears the secret and decides he wants to help too? Can a puppy really plan his own surprise? From a finch on a branch to a bunch of bouncy chums marching up the path, this cheerful tale is packed with wagging tails and giggles. This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘branch,’ ‘bunch,’ ‘catch,’ and ‘march.’

High in a sunny tree, a proud mother crow has three hungry chicks yelling for breakfast - and nothing, not shiny buttons or sparkly beads, will fill their bellies! Can she swoop down and snatch a silvery fish before anyone notices? And when rival crows come screeching from the sky, will she hold on tight to her prize? A lively decodable reader practising CCVC/CCVCC blends through words like ‘grab,’ ‘snap,’ ‘flap,’ ‘spins,’ and ‘stop.’

Rain is drumming on the roof, and Sam just wants hot coffee and a good book - but have you ever tried to keep one quiet cup away from a muddy bull, a nosy cat, and a whole gang of soggy animals? When the puddles call and the rain won’t stop, what is a boy with a cold coffee supposed to do? This decodable reader practises the ’ng’ sound in words like ‘bang,’ ‘sing,’ ‘song,’ ‘strong,’ and ’thing.’

Ned is sick of bread for breakfast, bread for lunch, and bread for dinner - so Book has a brilliant plan involving a stick, some twine, and a trip to the sandy shore. But what exactly is a fish, and will Ned’s first catch be the tasty dinner he’s dreaming of? Can patience pay off when there’s a THUD on the line? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’think,’ ’thanks,’ ’this,’ ’thud,’ and ‘with.’