Children's Books for 1st Graders

Ned has a brand new home, a proud name on the sign, and a belly that rumbles louder than thunder. Can a talking Book really teach him to grow food from tiny seeds? Why does every job start with “simple” and end with sore arms? From shaping a blade to hauling a bucket from the lake, Ned is about to find out that farming is harder than it looks! This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘bake,’ ‘bone,’ ‘shape,’ ‘while,’ and ‘waste.’

Tal just has to walk the calf home before dark - easy, right? But when his friends call him over for a game, the rope slips and the calf wanders off to munch grass. Later, no matter how hard Tal tugs, yanks, and jabs, that stubborn calf will not budge! Is Tal stuck on the hill forever? Will anything get this calf moving before dusk? This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘just,’ ‘fun,’ ‘yank,’ ’tug,’ and ‘mum.’

Ned loves building things on his farm, but he’s tired of growing only wheat. What happens when he wanders off and discovers a field of strange orange carrots poking out of the ground? And why is a round, pink, sneaky pig suddenly following him home at sunset? Can Ned keep his new carrot safe - and can he build a pen strong enough to protect a whole herd of hungry pigs? This decodable reader practises the ’th’ sound in words like ’that,’ ’then,’ ’this,’ and ’three.'

Little Toman Fish is ready to catch the biggest dinner anyone has ever seen - easy, right? But what happens when his hiding rock stands up and stomps away? And when a sneaky kingfisher swoops in after the very same dragonfly he’s been eyeing? Can a fast, impatient little fish learn to wait, watch, and maybe even share the river with a feathered rival? This playful decodable reader practises open syllables in words such as ‘go,’ ’try,’ ‘fly,’ ‘shy,’ and ‘we.’

Rob, Pam and Tim love causing mischief on the farm - until Dad’s magical mirror shows them three warty, green-skinned monsters staring right back! Can a fancy hat fix it? What about a super-speedy sprint, or the friendliest smile ever? The kids try everything to escape the horrible reflection, but the mirror keeps showing something nobody wants to see. What’s really going on? This decodable reader practises VCC/CVCC words such as ‘best,’ ‘gasp,’ ‘gold,’ and ‘kind.’

Thabo’s village has one rule, never cross the stones into the deep water where an old crocodile lives. But what will Thabo do when he hears a strange groan from the wrong side of the rocks? And weeks later, when the current pulls him under, who could possibly save him? A tale of kindness that comes back around. This Bookbot level practises the ‘ch’ sound with words like ‘catch’, ‘branch’, ‘much’, ‘reach’, and ‘watch’.

Two kids live beside a vast dump piled high with junk - but could a kind visitor with a box of books change everything? When she stops coming one week, the kids start to sulk. Something must be wrong. Can they rush into the big, busy town and find her before it’s too late? A warm tale about friendship, courage, and the magic of stories. This decodable reader builds short u with j, v, y through words like ‘junk,’ ‘hug,’ ‘sulk,’ ‘vast,’ and ‘rush.’

The whole lake stirs, and a green hand rises with a gift wrapped in reeds. Who is Nyar Nam, the spirit of the lake? When a fierce storm traps Auma’s father far out on the churning water, the men on shore say nothing can be done. Can one brave girl and a strange feather calm the waves before it is too late? This Bookbot level practises the /w/ and /h/ sounds in words like ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘whole’, ‘while’, and ‘where’.

When the rains stop and the hill streams fall quiet, brave Ineza climbs into the misty highlands to fetch water. Who is the amber-eyed old woman waiting by the ancient stones? And when her little brother vanishes into the dark ridges, will kindness guide her back? A warm tale of respect, courage, and quiet generosity. This Bookbot story practises the ‘ck’ sound with words like ‘rock’, ‘quick’, ’luck’, ‘back’, and ‘picks’.

Olkiama the hyena has one hungry goal tonight: to sneak past the fence and steal Maasai cattle. But inside the enkang, eight-year-old Aisha is keeping watch alone for the very first time, armed with nothing but a lantern and a fistful of pebbles. When the thorns start to rustle in the dark, who will outsmart whom? Can one clever girl guard the whole herd on her own? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ch’ sound with words like ‘watch’, ‘catch’, ‘branch’, ‘fetch’, and ‘bench’.