Animal Books for 1st Graders

Ned is lost in a spooky swamp with only his floating Book for company - and something slimy is bouncing his way! Can Ned battle the splitting slimes, make it home before dark, and figure out why a mysterious pink pig keeps staring at him? And what happens when he straps a saddle onto its back? Giggles, oinks, and carrot-powered chaos await! This decodable reader practices the sh sound in words like ‘shade,’ ‘splash,’ ‘fresh,’ ‘shock,’ and ‘shrug.’

Ned thinks he’s the greatest miner ever - but his pockets are tiny and his gold pile is HUGE! What happens when he spots a white, four-legged creature on the plains and decides it MUST be a horse? And when The Book tells him to wrap gold around carrots, could something truly magical be about to hatch? Saddle up for a silly, sparkly adventure! This decodable reader practices the ch phonogram with words like ‘chomps,’ ‘catch,’ ‘bunch,’ ‘chase,’ and ‘ranch.’

Jack is stuck in the grumpiest funk ever, and nothing - not the sun, not the flowers, not even a perfectly nice butterfly - can pull him out of it. But what happens when his friends Skel and Zom drag him into a bamboo forest and spot something huge in the grass? Could a baby panda, a sneaky cake, and one enormous sneeze be the cure? This decodable reader practices the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘funk,’ ‘blink,’ ‘chunk,’ and ‘honk.’

Pat the cat has no home, but he has a cozy tree, two singing birds, and a kind family next door who always leaves out food. But what happens when the family pack their bags and drive away? With a rumbling tummy and an open kitchen window, Pat spots his chance - but will one little cat really gobble up everything? This decodable reader practices the ’ng’ sound in words like ‘bang,’ ‘string,’ ‘king,’ and ’things.’

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.’

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.’

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.’

Jack already has two pets, Bones and Starfang, but he dreams of finding another animal friend. One chilly day, he sets off on a walk hoping to discover the perfect pet. A cat? A bird? Then he spots something unexpected - a tiny cub all alone! Jack thinks this could be his new pet, but is the cub really all by itself? What happens when Jack finds out the truth?

Ting the bookworm mouse loves reading more than cheese - but his little brother Tang loves EATING books instead! Can Ting teach Tang to read before a very big, very hungry cat catches them both? With one wobbly sneeze, a daring leap, and a book held up like a shield, these tiny brothers are in for the adventure of their lives. Will Tang discover that stories taste better than paper? This decodable reader practices short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jump,’ ‘munch,’ ’tug,’ and ‘yum.’

Tim is the world’s worst bird at not stopping. Butterflies? He stops. Bugs? He stops. A pretty cloud shaped like a cherry? You bet he stops! But when his young gang zooms off and night falls fast, Tim is all alone - and bird catchers are waiting in the dark. Can one easily-distracted little bird learn to keep flying, no matter what? This decodable reader practices the ng sound in words like ‘sing,’ ’long,’ ‘strong,’ ‘wings,’ and ‘zing.’