Animal Books for 3rd Graders

How heavy is an elephant, really? When one stubborn elephant refuses to budge from a little red cart, Child sets off counting everything in sight - two warm eggs at the neighbor’s, four wheels that won’t neigh, a spider with eight wiggling legs, and a pheasant dressed in dazzling colors. Can counting all the way to ten give Child the strength for one more giant push? This decodable reader practices the eigh phonogram in words like ’eight,’ ‘weigh,’ ’neigh,’ and ‘sleigh.’

Ned’s shed is finished, but something feels missing - can a trip to the beach, a shovel, and a bit of squishy blue clay really turn a plain little shed into something special? And when Ned reaches for a fistful of flowers, why do the bees suddenly want them back? Join Ned and The Book on a colorful, buzzing adventure. This decodable reader practices the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘oomph,’ ‘phenomenal,’ ‘phew,’ and ‘spheres.’

Jack is stuck in the grumpiest funk ever, and nothing - not sunshine, not flowers, not even a perfectly nice butterfly - can shake him out of it. But when his pals Skel and Zom drag him into a bamboo forest, they spot something big, furry, and black-and-white munching in the grass. Can a hungry panda mom, a cake-crazed baby, and one enormous sneeze do what no friend has managed? This decodable reader practices the wr phonogram in words like ‘wrist,’ ‘wriggled,’ ‘wrinkled,’ ‘wrestled,’ and ‘wry.’

What happens when Zom spots a rainbow rabbit hopping in the grass - and discovers it gives rainbow milk? With a bucket, a recipe, and a head full of big ideas, he decides to bake the most dazzling cake pops the villagers have ever seen. But will his sparkly treats be the hit he dreams of, or will things get a little messy? Join Zom for a silly, sugary adventure! This decodable reader focuses on the ‘kn’ sound in words such as ‘knelt,’ ‘kneads,’ ‘knocks,’ and ‘knew.’

Hen has five precious eggs in her cozy nest, and she is determined to be the best mom in the whole wide world. But what happens when the shells start to tap and crack? Can Hen keep up with five wiggly, giggly chicks who will not sit still for a single second? Settle in for a warm, funny farmyard adventure. This decodable reader practices the ‘ph’ sound in words like ‘phew,’ ‘photograph,’ ’telephone,’ and ‘phenomenal.’

Rex is the bounciest, zoomiest dog on the whole street - and the moment Benny opens the door, WHOOSH, Rex is gone! Can Benny catch him before Rex chases a flyaway umbrella over every hill and hedge in town? And what happens when Uncle Bruce zips by on his scooter with a warm, delicious surprise? Race along to find out! This decodable reader practices the soft c phonogram in words like ‘race,’ ’nice,’ ‘chance,’ ‘place,’ and ’twice.’

Jack loves playing with Bones and Starfang, but they aren’t really his pets. He wants an animal of his very own! While walking through a snowy land, Jack discovers an adorable polar bear cub all alone on the ice. The friendly cub comes right up to chat with him, and Jack feels an instant connection. But then a terrible smell fills the air and something BIG is coming. What will Jack do when he discovers who the cub really belongs to?

Ting the mouse loves books more than cheese - but his little brother Tang loves to EAT them! When their mother assigns Ting the job of teaching Tang to read, can two tiny mice stay quiet enough to finish the lesson without waking the house cat? And what happens when one sneeze changes everything? A decodable reader practicing the gn phonogram in words such as ‘assigned,’ ‘design,’ ‘gnawing,’ ‘sign,’ and ‘reign.’

One cold season, the rain drowns every campfire and the forest people shiver through long, dark nights. Only selfish Old Chimp keeps a living flame, high on his ridge, and he shares it with nobody. Can a small, quiet boy named Kele outsmart fire itself and carry warmth back home? This story is retold for Bookbot readers who are practicing the ‘wr’ sound, with lesson words like ‘wraps’, ‘wren’, ‘songwriter’, ‘wriggling’, and ‘wrathful’.

Bop has been waiting for the Bantengan parade all year, and he’s determined to learn every single dance move before he gets there. But when he tries to twist his wrists and strike a pose like Big Brother, everything goes wrong! His legs wriggle, his arms flap, and he tumbles straight into the bushes. Can Bop find a way to make his feet finally listen? This decodable reader focuses on the ‘wr’ sound in words like ‘wrists,’ ‘wriggle,’ ‘wrong,’ and ‘wraps.’