Children's Books for 1st Graders

Deep in a dark cave, Steve spots something pink with a huge, goofy grin swimming up through the water. What is this strange little creature, and why won’t it leave his side? As Steve takes his new friend home, could there be another glowing pet waiting back in the cave? Will two be better than one? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words such as ’that,’ ’then,’ ’there,’ ’thick,’ and ’thanks.'

Up on the tallest tower, young Ned is sure he can fight off a whole zombie gang with just his bow and string. But when dusk falls and his arrows go dang, dang, dang into the dirt, will he give up - or find a cleverer way to practice? Can a boy who hit zero zombies ever become a hero? This decodable reader practices the ng phonogram with words like ‘bring,’ ‘fling,’ ‘sting,’ ‘strong,’ and ‘zing.’

Bird has just landed in a brand-new part of the world, and he doesn’t know a soul! But when he spots a rhino with buzzing flies, a croc with a sore tooth, and a zebra watching for lions, he’s sure he can lend a wing. Can one little bird really help four big animals - and make four new friends? This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound in words like ’think,’ ‘blink,’ ‘stink,’ ’thanks,’ and ‘junk.’

Meet Inès, a talented dancer with fans who absolutely adore her! She performs in amazing costumes and dances on stage, from mysterious dances in the dark to magical performances. What special surprises await Inès as she takes the stage for her next incredible show? Follow along to discover the magic of dance!

Bon’s summer holiday is off to the worst start ever. Mom is busy, Dad is busy, and Su won’t even look up from her paper pinwheels. Will anyone in this house ever play with him? Just when Bon is ready to give up, a brilliant idea pops into his head - and it involves Butter, the family parrot, a polka-dot hat, and a very big secret. This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘wink,’ ‘stink,’ ’think,’ ‘blink,’ and ‘prank.’

Ned’s shed looks nice, but the cold stone floor is no place to sleep! What he really needs is a big, soft, woolly bed - and that means finding sheep to shear. But have you ever tried to catch a fluffy sheep on a sunny slope? Will Ned chase them down, or can he come up with a cleverer plan? This decodable reader practices silent e words such as ‘chase,’ ‘hide,’ ‘pine,’ and ‘smile.’

The whole grass belongs to everyone now, but first Kalulu must win an impossible memory contest against the proudest elephant on the Zambezi. Who can name the most rivers? What clever trick does a small hare have hidden up his sleeve? And when the floodwaters rise, will an old rival become an unlikely friend? Find out who wins the meadow and why. This Bookbot level practices the ‘wh’ sound with words like ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘which’, and ‘whole’.

Kalulu the Hare is just a small creature, but Simba the Lion rules the whole riverbank and takes whatever he pleases. When the mighty king demands Kalulu’s supper, can a clever hare outwit a beast so much bigger and stronger? What plan could possibly bring a proud lion down to earth? Read on to find out how wit beats brute strength! This Bookbot book practices the /ŋ/ sound, with lesson words like ‘king’, ’long’, ‘sings’, ‘strong’, and ‘brings’.

Meet a playful kitten and its adventures! From napping on its back to chasing flies, this curious kitten explores the world with a furry pup pal by its side. Watch as kittens tumble through the park, get silly scares, and snuggle with their mom. What exciting adventures will this kitten discover next? A purr-fect story about growing up!

Wasp is just buzzing along on a lovely morning when SNAP! - a hungry frog grabs her for breakfast. But wait, isn’t that a snake slithering up behind Frog? And what about the mongoose… and the eagle? When everyone is caught in one big dangling chain of trouble, can one tiny wasp really be braver than them all? This decodable reader practices the ‘wh’ sound in words such as ‘whack,’ ‘whips,’ ‘whirl,’ ‘whew,’ and ‘whose.’