Children's Books for 3rd Graders

Pokey the cat is searching for a cosy spot to sleep, but every place he tries is already taken! A box stuffed with grumpy cats, a trash can guarded by snarling Inky - nobody wants to share. Then the rain begins, lightning cracks the sky, and suddenly everything changes. Will Pokey find somewhere safe, and what will he do when the other cats need help too? This decodable reader practises the ‘ough’ phonogram in words like ’tough,’ ‘rough,’ ’enough,’ ’thought,’ and ’through.’

Ned’s wheat field is finally sprouting - but what happens when a naughty creeper sneaks in overnight? Can Ned save his crops before they go up in smoke? With help from The Book, Ned learns to plant, protect, and maybe even bake something delicious. But first he’ll need a clever plan to outsmart one very sneaky visitor. This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ’taught,’ ’naughty,’ and ’laughed.’

What happens when a sticky orange ice block meets a whole market full of fancy things to touch? Grace had the best day ever at the city market - she danced to flute music, spotted lace skirts, and hugged a crying boy. But her fingers got stickier and stickier, and every single thing she touched seemed to notice! Can she make it home without causing more trouble? This decodable reader practises soft c words such as ‘city,’ ‘ice,’ ‘juice,’ and ‘fancy.’

A monster came down from the hills, and by Wednesday only sixteen villagers were left. No spear can stop it, so how do you fight a thing that swallows everything whole? Brave young Kwezi has one strange, dangerous idea: to beat the monster, he must let it swallow him. Can a boy, a breathing tube, and a small flame really save everyone? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ough’ sound with words like ’tough’, ‘rough’, ’though’, ’thought’, and ’enough’.

Every morning, Pip watches Mum leave for work - and every morning, Pip has a plan. What happens when a clever little dog decides the fence is NOT going to stop her? Will she meet her friends, find something musical next door, and still make it home before Mum? Get ready for jumps, giggles, and one very innocent smile! This decodable reader practises si making /zh/ in words like ‘decision,’ ’evasion,’ ‘illusion,’ ’treasure,’ and ‘unusual.’

What happens when villagers who have never touched a chicken sign up for a farm stay with Zom the zombie farmer? Could mucking out pig sties, milking bleating sheep, and scooping horse droppings really be worth it for a big country breakfast? And when a phenomenal spread finally appears on the table the next morning, why is every single dish a strange shade of green? This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘pamphlet,’ ‘phantoms,’ ‘phosphate,’ and ‘phrase.’

The water rises fast, swallowing streets and rooftops, and all Mel has left is a wooden pole and her toy giraffe, Gus. When a kind helper named Jen pulls her to safety, can Mel find the courage to speak, to eat, and to help the other frightened kids at the shelter? And will Jen keep her biggest promise of all? This decodable reader practises the ’ei’ phonogram in words like ‘weight,’ ‘ceiling,’ ’eiderdown,’ and ‘feisty.’

Susy is eleven years old, and she has decided she wants to be amazing - not just any amazing, but Susy, Queen of Magic! But how can she put on a real show without a cape, a wand, or a single trick up her sleeve? Luckily, her clever dog Mak is ready to be her magical assistant, the Orange Spirit. Can these two best friends pull off the greatest show their village has ever seen? This decodable reader focuses on the soft g sound in words like ‘gentle,’ ‘huge,’ ‘imagine,’ and ‘village.’

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. What is shaking the walls of Skel’s farmhouse in the middle of the night? When he stomps outside, he finds three llamas prancing on the grass - and by morning, there are forty-seven more! They are gnawing the crops, gnashing their teeth, and spitting sticky green goo. Can Skel and Zom ever get rid of this woolly, wobbling herd? This decodable reader practises the gn phonogram in words like ‘gnashing,’ ‘gnawed,’ ‘resigned,’ and ‘designed.’

Ray loves his googly-eyed, horned, pink-tailed hat more than anything in the world. But when a mischievous Cloud spots that silly tail flapping in the wind, trouble is brewing fast. Can Ray hold on tight enough to save the best hat ever made? And what happens when the sky decides his wonderful hat looks far too fun to blow away? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ‘distraught,’ ‘draughty,’ and ’taught.’