Animal Books for 1st Graders

Steve and Alex catch WAY too much cod - and then make some truly terrible choices about what to do with the leftovers. What happens when fish is left to go bad? Why are cats suddenly swarming the yard, and what giant creature is snuffling around in the cave? Can two friends fix a stinky, slimy, oozy mess before the whole farm turns into an animal party? This decodable reader practices the ng phonogram in words like ‘bring,’ ‘cling,’ ‘strong,’ and ‘song.’

Skel is a skeleton who wants one thing - a loyal, bone-loving dog. When he finds the perfect pup, everything seems wonderful, until the dog starts stealing his actual bones. His arms! His leg! His skull! Can Skel train his cheeky pup before he ends up as a pile on the floor? A decodable reader practicing VCC/CVCC words such as ‘held,’ ‘fast,’ ‘felt,’ ‘kept,’ and ’next.’

When a sneaky fox zips into the pen and grabs a hen, Fig Pig, Tip, and Brat Cat have to think fast - but how do you stop a fox who can leap over logs and outrun everyone in the yard? Brat Cat has a big, noisy plan with an axe, yet Fig Pig is quietly smiling by his shovel. Could a simple hole in the ground save the day? This decodable reader practices CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘stop,’ ‘drop,’ ‘flip,’ ‘snap,’ and ’trap.’

Tal just has to walk the calf home before dark - easy, right? But when his friends call him over for a game, the rope slips and the calf wanders off to munch grass. Later, no matter how hard Tal tugs, yanks, and jabs, that stubborn calf will not budge! Is Tal stuck on the hill forever? Will anything get this calf moving before dusk? This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y in words like ‘just,’ ‘fun,’ ‘yank,’ ’tug,’ and ‘mom.’

Ned loves building things on his farm, but he’s tired of growing only wheat. What happens when he wanders off and discovers a field of strange orange carrots poking out of the ground? And why is a round, pink, sneaky pig suddenly following him home at sunset? Can Ned keep his new carrot safe - and can he build a pen strong enough to protect a whole herd of hungry pigs? This decodable reader practices the ’th’ sound in words like ’that,’ ’then,’ ’this,’ and ’three.'

Little Toman Fish is ready to catch the biggest dinner anyone has ever seen - easy, right? But what happens when his hiding rock stands up and stomps away? And when a sneaky kingfisher swoops in after the very same dragonfly he’s been eyeing? Can a fast, impatient little fish learn to wait, watch, and maybe even share the river with a feathered rival? This playful decodable reader practices open syllables in words such as ‘go,’ ’try,’ ‘fly,’ ‘shy,’ and ‘we.’

Thabo’s village has one rule, never cross the stones into the deep water where an old crocodile lives. But what will Thabo do when he hears a strange groan from the wrong side of the rocks? And weeks later, when the current pulls him under, who could possibly save him? A tale of kindness that comes back around. This Bookbot level practices the ‘ch’ sound with words like ‘catch’, ‘branch’, ‘much’, ‘reach’, and ‘watch’.

Olkiama the hyena has one hungry goal tonight: to sneak past the fence and steal Maasai cattle. But inside the enkang, eight-year-old Aisha is keeping watch alone for the very first time, armed with nothing but a lantern and a fistful of pebbles. When the thorns start to rustle in the dark, who will outsmart whom? Can one clever girl guard the whole herd on her own? This Bookbot level practices the ‘ch’ sound with words like ‘watch’, ‘catch’, ‘branch’, ‘fetch’, and ‘bench’.

Kofi is a clever little goat grazing far from her village when hungry Fisi the Hyena blocks her path home. Can a small goat outwit a big hyena? She spots a thin, fragile bridge across a deep gulley, but will crossing it be enough to escape those snapping jaws? This gentle, surprising tale rewards quick thinking and kindness alike. This Bookbot level practices the /k/ sound with words like ‘quick’, ‘sticks’, ‘stuck’, ‘crack’, and ‘black’.

Elephant has claimed the finest waterhole on the whole veld, and no thirsty animal dares come close. So when little Jackal trots up, dry and desperate, what could a creature so small possibly do against the biggest beast around? Can a clever mind topple a mighty trunk? Read on to see who ends up cooling off in the mud! This Bookbot level practices the ’nk’ sound, with lesson words like ‘drink’, ’think’, ‘sink’, ‘bank’, and ’trunk’.