Free Sports Books for 1st Graders
Our mission is making literacy accessible through free books, because reading should never have barriers. Discover free sports books for 1st graders ages 5-6. Our free children’s books feature teamwork, games, and athletic adventures perfect for beginning readers. Download free story books PDF or read childrens books online free.
Squad!
Meet an awesome football squad where each player has special skills! One runs super fast, another can dodge and twist, and there’s an amazing header who never misses. But what happens when they face a tough team on game day? Find out how working together and trusting your teammates can make magic happen on the field!
The Duck Race
Meet an eager young duck trainer with a special feathered friend! Watch as they work together to help their duck learn to fly faster and faster. With practice and determination, they’re ready for the big race day. Will their hard work pay off? Find out as you cheer on this speedy duck!
In My Tum
Join in the excitement at the street fair! There’s an eating contest, fun games, and a chance to win big prizes. But when the narrator gets so focused on winning the noodle-eating contest that they start neglecting their team, will they discover what really matters? Find out what happens when competitive spirit meets teamwork!
Jump Up!
Coach Vic has an exciting surprise for his students after school! When they discover it’s volleyball, Tim worries he won’t be good enough. But Coach Vic believes everyone can have fun playing sports. Will Tim overcome his doubts and discover the joy of this amazing game? Join the team and find out!
What’s Your Name?
Jojo spots a boy playing football alone on the field and decides to join him. The boy is amazingly skilled—so swift and quick that Jojo can barely keep up! But something seems different about this player. When Jojo calls out for a break, the boy doesn’t stop. When Jojo shouts a warning, the boy doesn’t look up. What will happen when Jojo discovers the boy’s secret? And how will these two very different kids find a way to become friends?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do sports-themed books work well for 1st graders who are learning to read?
Active children often connect more readily with stories about games, teamwork, and competition than with generic reading-practice texts. Wang (2025) found that interest-driven reading significantly predicts decoding gains in young children, and Ehri et al. (2001) confirmed that systematic phonics instruction produces the strongest results when children are motivated to practise. Bookbot’s free sports books use decodable text so children build real phonics skills while reading about the activities they love. For more strategies, see 8 ways to boost reading motivation.
What formats are these free sports books available in?
Every sports book on Bookbot is free to read on the Bookbot website. Many also include PDF downloads, and select titles offer a read-aloud feature with word-by-word highlighting. Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998) stressed that early, frequent reading practice is one of the strongest predictors of later literacy success, and free access removes a common barrier to that practice.
What reading levels do the free sports books cover?
The books span the full range of 1st grade phonics, from basic CVC words (like run, kick, win) through consonant blends and digraphs. Each book is tagged by phonics level so you can match it to your child’s current ability. Our scope and sequence page explains how the stages build on one another.
Can sports books help a reluctant reader build confidence?
Absolutely. When a child cares about the subject, they are far more willing to work through unfamiliar words — and every word they decode successfully builds confidence for the next one. Stanovich (1986) called this the Matthew Effect: children who read more develop stronger vocabularies and fluency, which makes reading easier, which encourages even more reading. Sports books tap directly into that positive cycle. For more ideas, see our guide on reluctant readers.