Children's Books for 1st Graders

Lily woke up with a big, squeezing belly-ache - and a heavy little monkey clinging to her back! He follows her everywhere: into the garden, into her dance practice, even into her tears. With the art festival just days away, how will Lily ever spin and leap with a monkey hanging on? Can Mum help her find the courage to shake him loose? This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jumps,’ ‘hug,’ ‘pluck,’ and ‘yup.’

The land runs dry, the river shrinks to a trickle, and no grown-up in the village has a plan that works. So why does old Nozipho keep asking a curious young girl about the thing everyone walks past but never notices? What forgotten answer has been waiting at the edge of the village all along? Discover it in this gentle tale of wisdom and hope. This Bookbot level practises the ’nk’ sound with words like ’think’, ‘drink’, ‘sink’, ‘winks’ and ‘junk’.

Ned has built the best beehive ever, and the honey inside is the yummiest thing he has ever tasted! But what happens when Ned eats honey for breakfast, honey for lunch, and honey on EVERYTHING in between? Why is his tummy grumbling like a grumpy bullfrog, and what strange dream waits for him when he finally falls asleep? Will Ned ever listen to The Book? This decodable reader focuses on the ’th’ sound in words like ’thanks,’ ’thumps,’ ’thud,’ and ’three.'

Pep the bird has ENORMOUS plans for the village parade, and he is absolutely, definitely a genius - just ask him! But when a giant paint spill turns his wall into a masterpiece, Pep gets a dangerous idea. Why stop at one cart when he could paint every house in the village? Will his neighbours cheer, or will they chase him up the hill? This decodable reader practises the th sound in words such as ’this,’ ’them,’ ’these,’ ’they,’ and ’thinks.'

Big Sis is the coolest person in the whole world - she climbs the tallest trees, launches toy jets into the sky, and never, ever flinches when Dog barks his biggest bark. But when Lad peeks into the kitchen one afternoon, he sees something impossible: real, wet tears rolling down Big Sis’s cheeks! What could POSSIBLY make the bravest sister ever cry? This decodable reader practises VC/CVC short vowels in words like ‘dig,’ ‘got,’ ‘hit,’ ‘ran,’ and ‘sad.’

When Asad’s mother vanishes near the beach, all she finds is one enormous footprint and a whisper of a name: Dhegdheer, the ogress whose single giant ear can catch every sound for a hundred miles. How do you sneak past a monster who hears each step you take? With one clever gift and a plan sparked on the salt flats, can a ten year old outwit her? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ch’ sound with lesson words like ‘catch’, ‘chain’, ‘beach’, ‘ditch’, and ’each’.

Dibs the little dragon has the shiniest, jingliest bell in the world - until one clumsy tumble sends it bouncing straight into Dragon School! Can he sneak past the guard dragons, wait patiently in line, and rescue his treasure before a cheeky purple dragon snatches it away? And what happens when Dibs discovers he might have a tiny spark of fire inside him? This decodable reader focuses on the ’th’ sound in words like ’thud,’ ’thumps,’ ’thanks,’ and ‘breath.’

What if the dinosaurs never died out? What if a pair of cheeky raptors zoomed down your local slide, a sauropod strolled onto the football field, and a triceratops raided your fridge before breakfast? Would sharing the planet with them be a wild adventure - or a huge, stompy disaster? Join the chaos and find out what happens when prehistoric giants crash into everyday life. This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘slide,’ ‘glide,’ ‘plate,’ ‘bone,’ and ‘space.’

a quest into the Nether! Can Mage, Doc, and Jill gather what they need for the trip? Will Jill really trot across lava on a Strider’s back, or can clever thinking save the day? With a grin and a zest for adventure, the friends set off on a journey they will never forget. This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘plan,’ ‘grin,’ ‘quest,’ and ‘blasts.’

The Mage has a big, fizzy secret: his magic just will not sit still! What happens when he sneaks out for one tiny spell… then another… then another? Stone walls, prickly plants, bubbling lava, and a shack full of noisy chicks - can anyone stop him before Jill’s wolf Minx does? And who will clean up this wild, magical mess? This decodable reader practises the ck sound in words such as ’trick,’ ‘quick,’ ‘snuck,’ ‘chicks,’ and ‘stack.’