Children's Books for 3rd Graders
Take What You Need
In a village where the sky hangs low enough to touch, Igwe the Sky offers his flesh as food, asking only one thing: take what you need. But what happens when one woman ignores the rule and wastes his gift? Will the people ever coax the sky back down to their fingertips? A tender retelling about gratitude, generosity, and living within our means. This Bookbot level practises the ’ei’ phonogram with words like ’their’, ‘height’, ’either’, ‘weigh’, and ‘weird’.
Why Won't You Sing?
Ben loves the little brown bird that sings from its cage on the porch, filling his house with music sweet enough to curl his toes. But one bird means just one song - so what happens when Ben asks his father to catch more and more, until every ledge is lined with cages? Why won’t his new birds sing a single note, and can Ben figure out what they really need? This decodable reader practises soft g in words like ‘cage,’ ‘gentle,’ ’large,’ and ‘strange.’
Zom's Deep Dive
Zom has a handwritten list, a rumbly tummy, and one big goal: catch the tastiest seafood in the ocean. But have you ever tried to grab a slippery cod with your bare hands? Or knock on a turtle’s shell? When Zom dives deeper than he’s ever gone before, he stumbles upon something shimmering and strange beneath the waves. What could possibly be down there? This decodable reader practises the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrap,’ ‘wreck,’ ‘wrestle,’ and ‘wrong.’
Python Wants Anansi
Anansi owes great Python a debt, and Python has decided that the payment will be Anansi himself, cooked with pepper in a bright pot! But this clever spider has never met a problem he cannot talk his way out of. Can Anansi spin a story about a royal knot cunning enough to trap a giant snake? What happens when a trickster faces a hungry legend of the forest? This Bookbot Level G book practises the soft ‘g’ sound with lesson words like ‘giant’, ’legend’, ‘danger’, ‘huge’, and ‘village’.
Eight Legs, One Small Hole
Anansi the spider sneaks inside Farmer Kofi’s prize melon for a cool, sweet snack, then eats so much he can’t squeeze back out. What will he do when the whole village hears the melon talk? Can a hungry trickster fool an elephant, a crowd of ’eighty’, and even the King himself, or has Anansi finally outsmarted himself? A juicy West African tale of one very greedy spider. This Bookbot book practises the ’eigh’ sound with words like ’eighty’, ’eightieth’, ’neighbours’, and ‘weighs’.
Dig, Ned, Dig!
Ned has built a cosy shed in an unknown world, but his magic book says it’s time to dig! Can Ned figure out which end of the shovel goes in the ground? And what happens when his trusty shovel hits something hard and golden deep beneath the hill? Grab a pickaxe and find out! This decodable reader practises the ‘kn’ phonogram in words like ‘knelt,’ ‘knuckles,’ ‘knock,’ and ‘knew.’
Don't Break the Bank!
It’s Khushi’s tenth birthday, and she’s dreaming of the biggest, shiniest presents ever. But when Dad hands her a stubborn little clay donkey with a slot in its back, she’s distraught! What on earth is she meant to do with a money bank? And when her sister comes begging for a loan, will Khushi’s savings survive the week? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ‘daughter,’ ’laugh,’ and ’naughty.’
Don't Chop the Bees!
Ned has a cosy farm, a magic Book, and fruit trees that suit him just fine - but what happens when a lone bee cruises past the yard and leads him deep into the woods? Can Ned resist chopping down the hive for one taste of that juicy, golden honey? And if he builds his own, will the bees be a sweet treat or a total nuisance? This decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ sound in words like ‘fruit,’ ‘suit,’ ‘cruises,’ and ‘bruise.’
Don't Look Down!
Alex is an enthusiastic miner - maybe a little TOO enthusiastic. With her inventory stuffed full of diamonds, gold, and fourteen spare pickaxes (but somehow no armour and no sword), she’s ready to dig deep. But when one wobbly step sends her tumbling into a dark pit full of rattling bones, will she find a way out? And can a tough miner bounce back from losing everything? This decodable reader practises the ough phonogram in words like ’thought,’ ’tough,’ ‘rough,’ ‘brought,’ and ’enough.’
Flip, Toss, SPLAT!
Gran can juggle anything - pans, onions, even Pop’s pocket watch goes spinning through the air! But when her flipping and tossing causes a very ripe mango to go SPLAT on a grumpy shopkeeper’s head, what will Gran do next? Can she find a new pursuit that won’t leave anyone with a bruise? This lively decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ phonogram through words such as ‘fruit,’ ‘juice,’ ’nuisance,’ ‘pursuit,’ and ‘suitable.’