Nature Books for Kids
Race to the Sea!
Have you ever wondered what happens to a raindrop once it tumbles from a cloud? High above the hills, thousands of raindrops are lined up for the greatest race in the world - first one to the sea wins! But what is the prize, and does anyone actually know the rules? Tumble, splash, and roll along for a wild ride. This decodable reader practices ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words like ‘mission,’ ’location,’ ‘vacation,’ and ‘migration.’
Indlovu and No Rain
High on the plains of KwaZulu Natal lives Indlovu, the biggest, proudest elephant of all. When she boasts that she is stronger than the rain, the sky goes silent and the water stops coming. Can one small bird help her see what真正 matters before it is too late? What will it take to bring the rain back? This Bookbot level practices two syllable words split between consonants, with lesson words like ’thunder’, ‘puddle’, ‘gallops’, ‘summit’, and ‘challenge’.
Elephant Is Too Big
Elephant crashes through every garden on the veld, sure that no one can stop him. But quiet little Hare has a plan brewing. Can a small animal really teach the biggest creature some manners? And when the river floods and the harvest is at risk, who will carry the little ones across the deep water? Find out in this clever tale of wits and kindness. This Bookbot book practices the /ɔː/ sound with lesson words like ’lawn’, ‘dawn’, ‘straw’, ‘paw’, and ‘haul’.
Adhis Knows the Sky
The Ajwang family have always been rainmakers, and everyone in the village of Boro knows it. But when Father falls ill, the elders turn to loud, boastful Owino instead of his younger sister Adhis, who has quietly spent two days reading ants, birds, and the east wind. Can she convince the village to prepare before the storm arrives? And when the rain finally comes, will one hidden danger wash it all away? This Bookbot level practices the ‘kn’ sound in words like ‘knows’, ‘knew’, ‘kneel’, and ‘knot’.
Which Way Is Home?
Manta Ray is the greatest navigator in the sea - or so he likes to say. But when a sudden storm turns the bluish water to chaos, can the proudest ray in the ocean find his way back home? Who will help him when he finally spots that familiar neon lighthouse beam? Dive in and see! This decodable reader practices vowel team syllables in words like ‘bluish,’ ’neon,’ ‘quiet,’ and ‘react.’
Who Let the Fish Out?
What if a fish got tired of swimming in circles and decided to walk right out of the lake? Meet the climbing perch - a tiny, spiny troublemaker who munches bugs in the sunshine, hides from hungry birds, and naps in the mud when the water dries up. Can a little fish really march across the farmland on its fins? This decodable reader practices compound words like ‘sunshine,’ ‘raindrop,’ ‘footstep,’ ‘outside,’ and ‘daydream.’
Why Won't You Sing?
Ben loves the little brown bird that sings from its cage on the porch, filling his house with music sweet enough to curl his toes. But one bird means just one song - so what happens when Ben asks his father to catch more and more, until every ledge is lined with cages? Why won’t his new birds sing a single note, and can Ben figure out what they really need? This decodable reader practices soft g in words like ‘cage,’ ‘gentle,’ ’large,’ and ‘strange.’
Don't Chop the Bees!
Ned has a cozy farm, a magic Book, and fruit trees that suit him just fine - but what happens when a lone bee cruises past the yard and leads him deep into the woods? Can Ned resist chopping down the hive for one taste of that juicy, golden honey? And if he builds his own, will the bees be a sweet treat or a total nuisance? This decodable reader practices the ‘ui’ sound in words like ‘fruit,’ ‘suit,’ ‘cruises,’ and ‘bruise.’
In the Deep
Anika stands at the water’s edge, clutching her snorkel and feeling very unsure about this whole ocean thing. What if it tastes like pickles? What if something with tentacles is waiting? But once she dips below the waves, a secret world of glowing specks, baby turtles, flying fish and a color-changing octopus opens up. Will Anika find her courage in the deep blue? This decodable reader practices prefixes in words like ‘inhale,’ ’explore,’ ‘detect,’ ‘retreat’ and ‘debrief.’
Not One Drop!
Girl is thirstier than she has ever been, and there is not one drop of water left anywhere! The pump is dry, the tank is empty, and even the creek has cracked in the sun. Will she find a sip to drink? Can a single silent cloud in the open sky really hear her shouting? A decodable reader practicing 2-syllable open words like ‘baking,’ ‘open,’ ‘silent,’ ’tiny,’ and ‘water.’