Life Books for Kids

Nitwit’s nose is twitchy, his eyes are watery, and his throat feels like he swallowed a cactus - but is he going to rest? No way! Not when he’s tough as an elephant and one hundred percent fine. Can Nitwit march past his friends, dodge a sneezy dog, and outsmart his own cosy bed? Or will one mighty ACHOO change everything? This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words such as ’elephant,’ ‘phone,’ ‘phony,’ and ’triumphant.’

Dog has found a mysterious tin sitting in the middle of the floor - but what could be inside? A treat? A toy? When Dog tips it over, yellow paint goes everywhere, and soon Cat is splattered too! Can two very messy pets sneak past Pam on Art Day without ruining her beautiful blank canvas, or is disaster about to strike? This decodable reader practises suffixes through words like ‘gladly,’ ‘proudly,’ ‘swiftly,’ ‘breathless,’ and ‘painter.’

It’s harvest day, and every single mango matters! Can you help balance the baskets, climb the trees, and keep the fruit safe from hungry insects and wobbly cousins? From the farm to the picnic blanket to the busy market, golden mangoes roll and tumble everywhere - but whatever you do, don’t drop that mango! Will every last one make it safely into the truck? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘basket,’ ‘mango,’ ‘picnic,’ and ‘farmer.’

What happens when one curious cat climbs the tallest tree in the yard and flatly refuses to come down? A simple rescue soon turns into a broken ladder, a screaming baby, a kitchen-raiding monkey, and a very hungry dog with a nose for trouble. Can anyone possibly convince the teacher that every single wild word of this story is true? This decodable reader practises si making /zh/ in words such as ‘occasion,’ ‘confusion,’ ‘pleasure,’ and ‘unusual.’

When Jim sees Len’s shiny new toy boat, something twisty happens in his tummy - and suddenly he’s bragging about owning the best stuff in the WORLD! But Jim’s toy box only holds a dented ball and an old board game. Could borrowing treasures from Grandpa’s plants, Gran’s craft basket, and Mum’s dresser save the day? Or will one missing perfume bottle give the whole game away? This decodable reader practises es plurals through words like ‘boxes,’ ‘bushes,’ ‘fixes,’ ‘dresses,’ and ‘riches.’

Diane is the proudest litterbug around - until she wakes up one morning to find a stinking cloud of rubbish hovering right above her bed! Flies buzz, wrappers swirl, and the cloud follows her everywhere she goes. Can Diane figure out how to make her smelly shadow disappear? Will anyone want to sit with her at lunch, or is a small grey rat her only friend now? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ‘about,’ ‘open,’ ’even,’ and ‘only.’

What happens when a tiny toy boat meets a big, grey factory pouring dark gunk into the sea? When a child spots a bruised reef and drifting ghost-fish, can three huge letters carved in the sand really call for help? Will anyone up above look down in time to save the ocean’s juicy stories? This decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ sound in words such as ‘bruised,’ ‘cruise,’ ‘pursuit,’ ‘sluice,’ and ‘juicy.’

What happens when a brave girl sets off to walk to Grandad’s house all by herself for the very first time? The sunshine is warm, the pathway is familiar, and nothing could possibly go wrong - until a sharp YAP bursts from around the corner and her footsteps freeze. Is there a monstrous beast waiting just out of sight, or something else entirely? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘doorstep,’ ‘driveway,’ ‘pathway,’ ‘footsteps,’ and ‘sunshine.’

Today, I have a plan - I am going to show Mum EVERY single thing I can do! Can I really chop vegetables, water the flowers, and hang up the washing all by myself? And what about riding my bike - will my wobbly knees let me down, or will I be flying down the street? This decodable reader practises the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knack,’ ‘knew,’ ‘knelt,’ and ‘knuckles.’

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.’