Children's Books for 3rd Graders

A growling belly, a village full of traders, and one little green gem that should buy a roasted chicken - easy, right? But why do the villagers panic the moment the gem comes out? Why does a cat freeze solid by your knee, and why has the whole morning vanished in a blink? Something is very wrong with this shiny rock… This decodable reader practices the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knee,’ ‘knelt,’ ‘knocked,’ ‘knew,’ and ‘knucklehead.’

Steve is trapped in a strange village, clutching a Cursed Emerald that won’t let him go. The villagers only hum, a scruffy cat watches him from the hay, and his brother’s old warnings keep echoing in his head. Can Steve find a cartographer to map his way home before the emerald hollows him out? And what happens when he reaches for a second gem? This decodable reader practices the ’ei’ sound in words like ’eight,’ ‘receive,’ ‘veins,’ and ‘weird.’

Alex has a cursed emerald in his pocket, and one accidental peek turns his brother Jake into a stone statue! Can an ancient message scratched into the back of the village iron golem hold the secret to breaking the curse? What does “Nether fire” really mean, and will the brothers be brave enough to face the bubbling lava together? This decodable reader practices the ph sound in words like ‘alphabet,’ ‘decipher,’ ‘phrase,’ and ’triumphantly.’

The cursed emerald is back, and it’s tougher than ever! When our hero tries to hurl it into the Nether, the gem flings him to the desert instead. Each morning his fingers grow colder, and anyone who touches the stone freezes solid. Could Jake have an idea rough enough to work, or is time finally running out? A decodable reader exploring the ‘ough’ phonogram through words like ’enough,’ ’though,’ ’thought,’ and ’through.’

The cursed emerald is finally going down - into a lava pit, no less - but how do you throw something that turns you to stone the moment you touch it? Our hero has a wild plan involving a mine cart, a fire resistance potion that tastes suspiciously like nothing, and one very brave best friend named Jake. Will the rails hold? Will the potion work? Can anyone really outsmart a whispering gem? This decodable reader practices the ph sound in words like ‘phantom,’ ‘morphed,’ ‘symphony,’ and ‘phew.’

Long ago, the Ituri forest was quiet in the wrong way, for there was no drum and no music at all. Elephant owned the only drum, and she would not share it with anyone. So when young Boma, a boy who hears music in everything, longs to learn to play, what could he possibly offer a giant who already has all she needs? Can a clever trade turn one drum into a gift for the whole forest? This story practices the /ʒ/ sound in ‘pleasure’, ’treasure’, ‘decision’, ‘occasion’, and ‘casually’.

When Tembo the mighty elephant plants his feet at the only waterhole and declares it his own, every thirsty animal on the parched plain goes without. Who could possibly out-muscle the biggest beast on the savanna? Watch clever little Sungura the Hare hatch a plan so bold it just might work. Will his trick be enough to make Tembo share? This Bookbot level practices the ‘ph’ sound with words like ’elephant’, ‘pheasant’, ‘phase’, ’triumphant’, and ’epiphany’.

Indlovu is the biggest, boldest elephant anyone has ever seen, and she wants everyone to know it. But when she dares to shout that she is stronger than the rain, the sky falls silent and the waterholes crack dry. Can a tiny hornbill teach the mightiest creature on the plain that even the greatest must learn to ask? Will the rain ever return before it is too late? This Bookbot level practices the ‘ph’ sound in words like ’elephant’, ’triumphant’, ‘prophecy’ and ‘phew’.

Deep in the rainforest lives an Elephant so sure that nothing small could ever matter to him. But when his careless feet crush a tiny weaver bird’s nest, will Pili simply fly away, or find a way to make a giant listen? Can a creature no bigger than his toe truly stand up to him? This warm, clever tale about courage and respect will delight young readers. This Bookbot level practices the ’ei’ phonogram with words like ‘being’, ‘weigh’, ‘height’, ’eight’, and ‘seize’.

Meg is the best vet in the whole forest, and today her most important jar of medicine is nearly empty! Can she trek deep into the woods, cross slippery rocks, and gather the rare herb she needs? And what will she do when a scratchy monkey, a hurt bird, and one very hungry little fawn all cross her path? This decodable reader practices the wr phonogram in words like ‘wraps,’ ‘wriggles,’ ‘wrist,’ and ‘write.’