Children's Books for 1st Graders

What happens when Skel the skeleton gets tired of cleaning up after his messy housemates? When Zom and Jack refuse to lift a finger, the muck piles up thick and fast - and soon something starts scuttling in the shadows. Will the boys learn their lesson before the bugs take over the whole shack? A funny, creepy-crawly tale about mess, friendship, and pitching in. This decodable reader practices the ck sound in words like ‘brick,’ ‘muck,’ ‘snack,’ and ‘whack.’

Who is truly the best bird in the yard? Red Bird thinks she is. Yellow Bird whispers it from her hill. Orange Bird is too busy running to care, Green Bird has his crew, and Blue Bird zips by like a rocket! But when a huge gust of wind crashes through the sky, can six very different birds find a way to fly together? This decodable reader practices VCC/CVCC words such as ‘bold,’ ‘fast,’ ‘band,’ and ‘wind.’

THUMP! Can you hear the dinosaurs coming? Meet a boastful T-rex and a whole crowd of amazing creatures - some big, some small, some thin, some with mighty long necks that stretch up to the clouds. Who hunts in packs? Who has tiny twins hiding in the plants? And which dinosaur might actually be related to a chicken? Stomp along and find out! This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’thump,’ ’those,’ ’through,’ ’thanks,’ and ’three.'

Bob is the worst fisherman in town - but that suits him just fine, because Bob only comes to the dock to nap! So when something enormous tugs his line and a huge, sharp-toothed head rises from the waves, Bob is in for the shock of his life. Is this scaly giant a monster… or something else entirely? And what secret lies at the bottom of the sea? This decodable reader practices open syllables in words like ‘by,’ ‘cry,’ ‘me,’ and ’try.’

When Deb’s cat Sam digs up a very grumpy crab in the yard, what’s a kid to do? Pop it in a bucket, of course! But then come the babies - dozens of tiny, scuttling, sand-digging babies - and suddenly Deb has crabs going everywhere. Can she catch them all before they vanish into the dirt? This decodable reader practices open syllables in words like ‘by,’ ‘my,’ ‘go,’ ‘he,’ and ’try.’

Shel the fish thinks her lake is the very best place in the whole wide world - until one morning, something strange bobs on the surface, and bits of rubbish start drifting past her nose! Who would dump trash in her beautiful home? Can a tiny fish really stand up to the culprit and save her sparkling lake before it’s too late? This decodable reader practices the ‘sh’ sound in words like ‘fish,’ ‘shade,’ ‘shock,’ and ‘fresh.’

Ben’s cat has missed dinner - and that NEVER happens! When he follows muddy paw prints to a giant, googly-eyed pile of rubbish, he spots his furry friend perched happily on top like a queen. Then the pile WALKS AWAY with her! Can Ben outsmart a walking heap of junk before his cat vanishes forever? This decodable reader practices open syllables through words such as ‘go,’ ‘my,’ ‘sky,’ and ‘so.’

Jack, Zom, and Skel are splashing in the pink evening sea when they notice something strange - where have all the fish gone? A dark shape stirs on the ocean floor, and suddenly a gang of honking axolotls comes rocketing up through the kelp! Can anyone be brave enough to face the Lotl Gang? Maybe it’s time to call in someone who is never, ever scared. This decodable reader practices the nk phonogram in words like ‘blink,’ ‘clunk,’ ‘skunk,’ ’think,’ and ‘wink.’

Lily woke up with a big, squeezing belly-ache - and a heavy little monkey clinging to her back! He follows her everywhere: into the garden, into her dance practice, even into her tears. With the art festival just days away, how will Lily ever spin and leap with a monkey hanging on? Can Mom help her find the courage to shake him loose? This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jumps,’ ‘hug,’ ‘pluck,’ and ‘yup.’

The land runs dry, the river shrinks to a trickle, and no grown-up in the village has a plan that works. So why does old Nozipho keep asking a curious young girl about the thing everyone walks past but never notices? What forgotten answer has been waiting at the edge of the village all along? Discover it in this gentle tale of wisdom and hope. This Bookbot level practices the ’nk’ sound with words like ’think’, ‘drink’, ‘sink’, ‘winks’ and ‘junk’.