Children's Books for 1st Graders
Busy Hen
Hen has five eggs tucked safely in her cozy nest, and she is determined to be the best mom in the whole wide world. But what happens when tiny taps start coming from inside those eggs? Will Hen be ready when five wobbly, wiggly chicks pop out and dash off in every direction? Can a tired hen really keep up with such busy little ones? This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘chick,’ ‘glad,’ ‘grins,’ ‘split,’ and ’trots.’
Can Dad Help?
Tim just wants to shoot hoops, but Dad says homework comes first - and today’s homework is letters! Can Dad help Tim tame those tricky, sneaky letters that never seem to sit still? With an old wooden board, a piece of chalk, and a little patience, will Tim finally crack the code? And what happens when two curious cats decide they want to learn too? This decodable reader practices CCVC and CCVCC blends in words like ‘grips,’ ‘grabs,’ ‘prints,’ and ‘grins.’
Stop That Cat!
Have you ever tried to stop a sneaky black cat with big, bold Plans? The birds are singing, Grandad is planting seedlings in the soft spring earth, and Mom is twirling in her new dress - but somewhere inside the house, a certain furry troublemaker is plotting an escape. Can Girl catch that cat before the squirrel gets a terrible surprise? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’that,’ ’this,’ ’thin,’ ‘breath,’ and ’those.’
Will They Get It?
When Gran spots a cheeky little mouse zipping across the floor, the whole family panics! Ma grabs a broom, Pa hides behind the curtain, and even the cat refuses to help. But what happens when the baby sees the mouse too? Will anyone in this house be brave enough to catch the naughty creature - or might they all end up laughing instead? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ‘both,’ ’then,’ ’there,’ and ‘with.’
Cod
Deep in the cold sea lives the fastest, sneakiest cod on the whole coast - and nobody has ever caught it. Then along comes Steve, who has no rod, no net, no boat, and absolutely no plan. Just confidence! Can Steve outsmart a fish that’s slipped through every fisherman’s fingers? And what happens when he spots a bucket washed up on the sand? This decodable reader practices VC/CVC short vowels with words like ‘cod,’ ‘sat,’ ‘ran,’ ‘hid,’ and ‘got.’
Mix It All Up!
What do you do when you want to make something truly amazing but your brain is as blank as the paper in front of you? Join one busy young artist who asks Dad, Mom, Gran, Pop, and even a sneaky big brother for help - painting, snipping, pressing leaves, and scribbling stories along the way. Could all these little bits somehow add up to something wonderful? This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘grab,’ ‘grin,’ ‘plan,’ ‘press,’ and ‘stands.’
Come Back, Rex!
Rex is the wiggliest, waggiest dog on the block - and the second Benny opens the door, WHOOSH, off he goes! Can Benny catch his runaway pup before Rex chases a flying umbrella over the hills, dives into a scratchy bush, and sniffs out Uncle Bruce’s yummy rice? It’s a wild, barky, breathless dash across town with one very determined boy and one very bouncy dog. This decodable reader practices the ’ng’ sound in words like ‘spring,’ ‘strong,’ ‘song,’ ‘cling,’ and ‘zing.’
Huff! Puff! Yum!
Gran has a big plan, and it starts with the plumpest coconuts you’ve ever seen! But can one kid really crank, crack, and chop a pile of tough nuts into something sweet? What happens when the hard part just keeps getting harder - and Gran refuses to quit? Get ready to huff, puff, and cheer along on a very crunchy adventure. This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y through words like ‘jump,’ ‘huff,’ ‘puff,’ ’nuts,’ and ‘yum.’
Dad, Get Up!
All this kid wants is one day of fishing with Dad - but Dad works so hard he keeps falling asleep on the couch! Can a tiny folded note tucked beside Dad’s morning mug wake him up and get those fishing rods moving? And when they finally head out together, why do all the woodland animals keep showing up? A heartwarming decodable reader practicing short u with j, v, y in words like “jump,” “tuck,” “trust,” “yum,” and “yep.”
Don't Burn The Book!
Meet Ned, a busy crafter whose furnace flame is growing thin - and his chatty friend, The Book, always thinks it knows best! Can they grow a whole forest from three tiny saplings? Will bone dust really make trees shoot up with a thud? And when the furnace roars hungrily, why does The Book suddenly look very, very nervous? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’thin,’ ’thinks,’ ’three,’ and ’thud.'