Children's Books for 3rd Graders

Jack is stuck in the grumpiest funk ever, and nothing - not sunshine, not flowers, not even a perfectly nice butterfly - can shake him out of it. But when his pals Skel and Zom drag him into a bamboo forest, they spot something big, furry, and black-and-white munching in the grass. Can a hungry panda mum, a cake-crazed baby, and one enormous sneeze do what no friend has managed? This decodable reader practises the wr phonogram in words like ‘wrist,’ ‘wriggled,’ ‘wrinkled,’ ‘wrestled,’ and ‘wry.’

Iron Golem has a speech ready, a friendly wave, and absolutely no one to talk to. The villagers ignore him, the cats yawn, and the pigs just burp. Could building the tallest wall in the neighbourhood finally get someone to notice him? And when the sun goes down and the skeletons creep close, who will stand watch beside a lonely golem? This decodable reader practises the ’eigh’ sound in words like ’eight,’ ‘weigh,’ ‘heavyweight,’ and ’neighbour.’

Every child in the valley ‘knows’ the rule: when the sky bruises purple and the cattle bolt, you run too. But Langa longs to see the impundulu, the great Lightning Bird whose wingbeats shake the hills. When drought withers the corn and the elders’ songs bring no rain, will one brave boy climb the ridge to call the storm himself? What must he offer a creature made of fire and thunder? This Level KN book practises the ‘kn’ sound with words like ‘know’, ‘knapsack’, ‘knees’, and ‘knuckles’.

When Amahle’s family hits a run of bad luck and the flood washes away the bridge to market, she sets out to fix it herself. But the river is watching. What happens when two shining figures rise from the water at sunset, and can one determined girl accept the strange task they point her toward? This Bookbot level practises soft ‘c’ words like ‘once’, ‘since’, ’notice’, ‘peace’, and ‘silence’.

Red made himself a big promise: walk through the whole noisy town without covering his ears, not even once. But with honking cars, zooming scooters, and drills rattling the road, can one small guy really keep his cool? And will he ever spot his friend’s bright red cap bobbing through the crowd? Join Red on a brave, bumpy, ear-splitting adventure! This decodable reader practises the augh phonogram in words such as ‘caught,’ ’taught,’ ’laughter,’ and ‘onslaught.’

Ned’s tiny shed is bursting at the seams, and his tools are crammed so tight he can barely squeeze through the door! With a shiny new axe, a know-it-all book full of advice, and a whole hill of trees to chop, can Ned finally build the proper house of his dreams? Or will something go wrong along the way? This decodable reader practises the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrist,’ ‘wrinkled,’ ‘wriggle,’ ‘wrote,’ and ‘handwritten.’

What happens when Zom spots a rainbow rabbit hopping in the grass - and discovers it gives rainbow milk? With a bucket, a recipe, and a head full of big ideas, he decides to bake the most dazzling cake pops the villagers have ever seen. But will his sparkly treats be the hit he dreams of, or will things get a little messy? Join Zom for a silly, sugary adventure! This decodable reader focuses on the ‘kn’ sound in words such as ‘knelt,’ ‘kneads,’ ‘knocks,’ and ‘knew.’

Hen has five precious eggs in her cosy nest, and she is determined to be the best mum in the whole wide world. But what happens when the shells start to tap and crack? Can Hen keep up with five wiggly, giggly chicks who will not sit still for a single second? Settle in for a warm, funny farmyard adventure. This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘phew,’ ‘photograph,’ ’telephone,’ and ‘phenomenal.’

Rex is the bounciest, zoomiest dog on the whole street - and the moment Benny opens the door, WHOOSH, Rex is gone! Can Benny catch him before Rex chases a flyaway umbrella over every hill and hedge in town? And what happens when Uncle Bruce zips by on his scooter with a warm, delicious surprise? Race along to find out! This decodable reader practises the soft c phonogram in words like ‘race,’ ’nice,’ ‘chance,’ ‘place,’ and ’twice.’

Jack loves playing with Bones and Starfang, but they aren’t really his pets. He wants an animal of his very own! While walking through a snowy land, Jack discovers an adorable polar bear cub all alone on the ice. The friendly cub comes right up to chat with him, and Jack feels an instant connection. But then a terrible smell fills the air and something BIG is coming. What will Jack do when he discovers who the cub really belongs to?