Children's Books for 3rd Graders

Hyena has found the sweetest treasure on the whole dry veld, and she is not sharing one drop with anyone. But clever Jackal is watching from the shadows, and he is very hungry. Can a small, quick trickster outsmart a bigger, stronger beast? What plan is forming behind those bright eyes? This Bookbot level practises the phonogram ’ei’, with lesson words like ‘being’, ’neither’, ‘seize’, ‘weighs’, and ‘weird’.

Thwack! Arrows are raining down from the sky, and one nearly catches Hop in the ear! Who could be behind this startling onslaught? Distraught and cross, Hop sets off to find the king, gathering brave friends along the way. But will the king listen when they finally track him down? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ‘distraught,’ ‘haughty,’ and ’laughter.’

In the walled town of Ilara, the Oba owns a magic drum that spreads a feast for the whole town, but only when beaten with a giving heart. So when a greedy trader steals it and speeds off north, who will chase him down? Young Remi, whose father has taught her to make any drum talk, races after the thief. Can one brave girl bring the drum home? This Bookbot level practises the ‘augh’ sound in ’taught’, ‘caught’, ’laugh’, and ‘distraught’.

The nights grow so dark that children cry out in fear and even the great trickster Kaggen the mantis cannot fix it. When he catches a hundred fireflies, they only tumble back to earth. What happens when his own worn shoe flies off his foot and an idea takes hold? Will light ever find a way to stay in the sky? This Bookbot level practises the ‘gn’ phonogram making the /n/ sound, with words like ‘sign’, ‘gnaw’, ‘gnarled’, ‘design’, and ‘resigned’.

The fishermen of Kogelo village have not filled a net in twelve nights, and old Oloo whispers that something deep in the lake has frightened even the great fish away. When twelve-year-old Opiyo sees the water ‘bulge’ and ‘surge’ in the dark, he learns the creature below is not hungry but heartbreakingly alone. Can one boy’s shaky voice, and his grandmother’s old fishing song, calm a lonely ‘giant’? This Bookbot level practises the soft ‘g’ sound in ‘gently’, ‘village’, and ‘danger’.

Hippo rules the great river bend and sends every thirsty animal fleeing with one enormous splash. But when slow, patient Tortoise offers a strange wager, will Hippo really keep her mighty jaws shut from moonrise to moonrise? What happens when a chewing, yawning tortoise spends all night tempting her? Who truly holds ’their’ river now? This Bookbot level practises the ’ei’ sound, with lesson words like ’their’, ‘height’, ’leisure’, ’neither’, and ‘weirdest’.

Meet a clever cat who knows exactly whose house this really is. Sure, the humans think they own the place - but are they right? From cosy naps and sneaky mice to muddy dogs and a cheeky boy next door, this proud kitty has opinions about everything. Will the people ever figure out who is really in charge? This decodable reader practises the ‘wr’ phonogram in words such as ‘wrap,’ ‘wreck,’ ‘wriggling,’ and ‘wrong.’

Yellow Rabbit Balloon wants nothing more than to float up, up, up - past the treetops, past the kites, past everyone telling him to hold still. But what happens when the sky turns out to be full of pecking birds, scary flames, and smoggy air? Will anyone down below look up in time to catch a tired little balloon? This decodable reader practises the ‘gn’ phonogram in words such as ‘reign,’ ‘gnat,’ ‘gnarled,’ ‘gnome,’ and ‘signpost.’

Have you ever wondered if somewhere out there, someone looks exactly like you? Join a curious child on a search to find their perfect match. They look everywhere - checking every face and every body they can find. Could there really be another person with the same laugh, the same personality, and the same likes and dislikes? What do you think they’ll discover on this special journey?

Kobi the white buffalo calf has the biggest job of his life: leading the New Year parade through the glowing city. Abi has promised to stay by his side every single second - but what happens when the crowds get loud, the lanterns get bright, and the scent of hot rice and spices drifts from the food stalls? Can one small boy keep one nervous calf calm? This decodable reader practises soft c words such as ‘celebration,’ ‘city,’ ‘crescent,’ ‘scent,’ and ‘voice.’