Life Books for Kids

Tim would rather shoot hoops than tackle his letters - and honestly, who wouldn’t? But those tricky B’s and D’s keep playing sneaky tricks on him every single time he picks up a pencil. Can Dad’s old wooden board help Tim finally figure out the alphabet? What secret trick did Grandpa pass down to beat those wobbly letters? Grab a basketball and find out! This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including ’explain,’ ‘defeat,’ ‘redo,’ ‘rewrite,’ and ‘unlike.’

What do you make when you want to create something truly brilliant but have no idea where to start? Join one young artist as they gather scissors, pencils, and paint, then visit Dad, Mum, Gran, and Pop for help. Each one shares a different kind of magic - but could the real answer be hiding in all of them at once? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘rabbit,’ ‘garden,’ ‘yellow,’ ’lesson,’ and ‘perfect.’

Gran says they’re making the best coconut bars in the whole world - from scratch. But what does “from scratch” actually mean? Climbing trees? Cranking wheels until your wrists ache? Wrestling stubborn husks that refuse to budge? With every crack, thunk, and stir, the kitchen fills with the sweetest smell ever - but will Gran ever say the magic words: “We are done”? A decodable reader practising the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrapped,’ ‘wrestled,’ ‘wriggle,’ and ‘wrists.’

Mara has one big rule: curly is ALWAYS better than straight! But what happens when she meets a lion with a perfectly straight tail, climbs a spiral staircase fit for a princess, and spots a golden carpet of silky hair belonging to her very own sister? Can curly really beat straight every single time, or might Mara discover a few surprises along the way? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables through words like ‘basket,’ ‘carpet,’ ‘rabbit,’ and ‘picnic.’

Meet a puppet maker who builds every show by hand - but what happens when the wrong backdrop drops a fancy Rich Lady straight into a jungle with a hungry tiger? Will she panic, run, or do something nobody expects? With a calm doctor puppet, a confused tiger, and an audience leaning in close, tonight’s show might not go exactly as planned. This decodable reader practises prefixes in words like ‘pretend,’ ’explain,’ ’nonstop,’ and ‘design.’

It’s Jan’s birthday, and the whole family has a secret mission! Mum is swirling frosting on a giant cake, Dad is puffing up balloons until his face turns tomato-red, and Grandpa has wheeled in a shiny surprise. But who will carry all the wobbling boxes into the party room without dropping a thing? Can Tim really pull it off? This decodable reader practises the eigh phonogram in words like ’eight,’ ’eighteen,’ ’neighbour,’ and ‘weighed.’

Drip, drop - can you feel the rain on your nose? When the sky opens up, one girl throws her arms wide and dances in every splash. There’s music on the roof, a peacock on the path, and something warm bubbling in Mum’s pot. What wonderful surprises will the rain leave behind once it finally quiets down? This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends through words like ‘drip,’ ‘plops,’ ‘grin,’ ‘stands,’ and ‘smells.’

Five kids, one dog, and zero chance of losing - at least, that’s what the squad promised before the championship match. But when the other team’s bus rolls up and out steps the biggest, most serious squad anyone has ever seen, can teamwork really beat pure power? Will one brave gang of friends find a way to score? Lace up your boots and find out! This decodable reader practises the ’ng’ sound in words like ‘strong,’ ‘sprang,’ ‘flings,’ and ‘rings.’

Paul has a special talent - he loves to draw, but he also loves to play a guessing game! He starts with simple shapes: a big circle, two little ones on top, then a box. Is it a frog? An owl? A car with eyes? Every time you guess, Paul just shakes his head and keeps drawing. Can you work out what Paul’s picture will be before he finishes? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘sketches,’ ‘rushes,’ ’lashes,’ and ‘dashes.’

One plum towel, one windy day, and suddenly it is sailing off into the sky like a ghost with places to go! Who will grab it first as it drifts across the yard? Will a splashing neighbour claim it, a horn player use it as a cushion, or will our little hero ever get that perfect towel back? Hold on tight and find out! This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words such as ‘phew,’ ‘phantom,’ ‘megaphone,’ ‘symphony,’ and ’triumph.’