Children's Books for 3rd Graders

Welcome to the wide, green plains of Minecraft, where the grass stretches out as far as you can see! Can you hear a horse neigh near the fence, or spot a cow grazing in the shade? Which peaceful mobs live in this sunny neighbourhood, and why does a farmer need to balance the herd? This decodable reader practises the ’eigh’ phonogram with words like ’eighty,’ ’neigh,’ ‘weighs,’ and ‘outweigh.’

Have you ever waited weeks and weeks for someone special to arrive? When a cousin finally comes walking up the road, there’s one kid with a big, big plan: a farm to show off, a fish to catch with bare hands, and the best snack in the whole wide world. But can one day really be the best day ever? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ’taught,’ ’laughter,’ and ‘granddaughter.’

Dr. Can Do’s workshop is a disaster zone - redstone dust everywhere, contraptions piled high, and is that a chicken clucking under the repeaters? When he finally decides to tidy up, he spots mountains of extra stone and deepslate that simply have to go. But will a sensible inventor carry it outside, or will Dr. Can Do build something wildly clever instead? This decodable reader practises soft c in words such as ‘place,’ ‘space,’ ‘decides,’ ’notices,’ and ’excellent.’

Dr Can Do has a brilliant plan: build a machine that turns cactus into bone meal so Jill never runs out of golden carrots again! But have you ever tried to pick up a giant, prickly cactus? OUCH! How will Dr Can Do haul those spiky plants all the way home from the desert without poking holes in his hands? This decodable reader practises the ‘ough’ phonogram in words like ‘brought,’ ’enough,’ ’tough,’ and ’through.’

Skel loves his brick house spotless, from the floors right up to the ceiling - but Zom and Jack think cleaning is weird and would rather flop in the sunny yard. What happens when nobody lifts a mop for days? Why are strange little legs skittering in the shadows, and who seized the last slice of pie? Can the pals fix the mess before the bugs take over? This decodable reader practises the ’ei’ sound in words like ‘ceiling,’ ’eight,’ ‘seized,’ and ‘weirdly.’

Red Bird thinks she’s the boldest, brightest bird in the yard - but is she really the best? Yellow Bird claims the tallest hill, Orange Bird bowls through a flock of startled white birds, and Green Bird leads a loopy crew through the trees. Then a wild gust roars in. Can six very different birds find something better than being the best? This decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ sound in words like ‘cruised,’ ’nuisance,’ ‘recruits,’ and ‘suits.’

Bob is the worst fisherman in the whole neighbourhood - and that suits him just fine, because Bob only comes to the dock to nap! But what happens when something enormous yanks his line and drags him down into the deep blue sea? Is the toothy creature rising from the water really a monster, or could it need Bob’s help? This decodable reader practises the ’eigh’ sound in words like ’eight,’ ’eighty,’ ‘heavyweight,’ and ‘sleigh.’

Biscuit the cat never misses dinner - so why isn’t he coming when Deb calls? Following him across the yard, Deb discovers a deep hole in the dirt and something very unexpected hiding inside. Can she keep her surprise guest safe from a curious cat? And when the bucket tips over, will Deb catch the tiny escapees before they vanish into the sand? This decodable reader practises the si making /zh/ sound in words like ‘unusual,’ ’treasure,’ ‘vision,’ and ‘pleasure.’

Phoebe the fish knows her lake is the best lake in the whole wide world - cool green shade, smooth rocks, and every ripple just right. But one morning, something strange bobs on the surface, and rubbish starts drifting past her nose. Who would dump junk in her beautiful home, and can one small fish really make them stop? This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘phenomenal,’ ‘catastrophe,’ ‘megaphone,’ and ‘phantom.’

When Ben’s cat misses dinner, he cups his hands like a megaphone and calls - but where has she gone? Following fresh paw prints, he finds her perched happily on top of a huge rubbish pile. Then the pile stands up and walks away with his cat still riding on top! Can Ben outsmart a walking mountain of junk and rescue his naughty puss? This decodable reader practises the ph sound in words like ‘megaphone,’ ‘phenomenal,’ ’triumph,’ and ‘phew.’