Children's Books for 1st Graders

A chatty little mosquito loves to gossip, so when she tells Iguana a wild tale about a giant yam, why does he plug his ears and refuse to listen? One small fib sets off a chain of fright that races through the forest, until the sun itself will not rise. Can the animals trace the trouble back to where it began? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ch’ sound with words like ‘chat’, ‘catch’, ‘much’, ‘chill’, and ‘watch’.

Ben has one little bird, and its song is the sweetest sound he’s ever heard. But what if he had ten birds? Or a hundred? With his dad’s help, Ben fills the house with cages of every colour - but why won’t any of the birds sing? Can Ben figure out what his feathered friends really need before it’s too late? This decodable reader focuses on the ’th’ sound in words like ’this,’ ’them,’ ’then,’ and ‘with.’

Jill races to Gran’s house, where books fill every shelf and a black cat blinks hello. Today Gran says Jill gets to choose the story - but will Gran read what’s actually on the page, or sneak in her own wild, made-up bits again? Can Jill catch her in the act this time, and what surprise might Jill add herself? Curl up and find out! This decodable reader practises the th phonogram in words like ’this,’ ‘both,’ ’thinks,’ ’three,’ and ’through.’

Zom has a list, and right at the top is one big word: SEAFOOD! But have you ever tried to grab a slippery cod with your bare hands? Or tiptoed up to a spiky pufferfish? When Zom dives deep into the shimmering blue, he discovers that catching lunch is much trickier than it looks - and that something amazing might be waiting far below. This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘catch,’ ‘chomp,’ ‘munches,’ and ’torch.’

Anansi owes great Python a debt, and now Python wants to eat him for lunch! Can a clever little spider talk his way out of becoming a snake’s dinner? What trick could possibly outwit the longest, proudest creature in the whole forest, and will it be enough? This warm, funny retelling is full of surprises. This Bookbot book practises the ‘ch’ sound with the words ’lunch’, ‘chomp’, ‘champ’, ‘catch’, and ‘which’.

Deep in the cold sea lives the fastest, sneakiest cod on the whole coast - and nobody has ever caught it. Then along comes Steve, who has no rod, no net, no boat, and absolutely no plan. Just confidence! Can Steve outsmart a fish that’s slipped through every fisherman’s fingers? And what happens when he spots a bucket washed up on the sand? This decodable reader practises VC/CVC short vowels with words like ‘cod,’ ‘sat,’ ‘ran,’ ‘hid,’ and ‘got.’

Jill is heading into the glade with pockets full of bones and one bold plan - to tame a wolf of her very own! But what happens when a cheeky white wolf snatches her bones and bolts into the trees? Will Jill run out of patience before she runs out of snacks? And why does that wolf keep coming back? This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ sound in words such as ‘what,’ ‘why,’ ‘while,’ ‘white,’ and ‘whew.’

Ned has built a snug little shed on a sunny hill, and he thinks his work is finally done - but what happens when The Book says it’s time to dig? Armed with a brand new shovel and a grin from ear to ear, Ned scoops sand, carves tunnels, and clangs straight into something hard and shiny. Can one small tool really crack solid stone? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘make,’ ’nice,’ ‘wide,’ ‘brave,’ and ‘stone.’

It’s Khushi’s tenth birthday, and she’s dreaming of the biggest, shiniest present ever - so when Dad hands her a stubborn little clay donkey with a slot in its back, her face falls flat. Can a silly money bank really be any fun? As coins pile up and her sister begs to borrow some, Khushi starts saving for something special. But then she meets a new friend at school, and everything changes. This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘just,’ ‘yum,’ ’tucks,’ and ‘bugs.’

Ned spots a bee buzzing past a lush bush and just has to know where it lives. But when he finds a nest full of fresh, golden honey, will he listen to The Book’s warnings, or grab his axe and charge in? And what happens when his new bee friends love him a little too much? A bold, buzzing adventure full of sticky surprises! This decodable reader practises the sh phonogram in words like ‘bush,’ ‘fresh,’ ‘hush,’ ‘rush,’ and ‘shirt.’