Animal Books for 1st Graders

Pep the bird has ENORMOUS plans for the village parade, and he is absolutely, definitely a genius - just ask him! But when a giant paint spill turns his wall into a masterpiece, Pep gets a dangerous idea. Why stop at one cart when he could paint every house in the village? Will his neighbours cheer, or will they chase him up the hill? This decodable reader practises the th sound in words such as ’this,’ ’them,’ ’these,’ ’they,’ and ’thinks.'

Poor Pokey just wants a snug spot to sleep, but everywhere he goes, the other cats shout “No room!” Can one soggy little cat find somewhere warm before the storm rolls in? And when lightning cracks the sky and those same grumpy cats come running for help, what will Pokey do? A cosy, rainy-night tale about kindness when it matters most. This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘jumps,’ ‘hut,’ ‘snug,’ ‘yelps,’ and ‘us.’

Clank! The school bell rings and every mum and dad in Animal Town starts to run - but poor Mama Bear is always, always last. Can she really learn to ride a wobbly red bike without tumbling into the river? Will Baby Bear ever be picked up on time? Hop on, hold tight, and find out how fast a brave bear can pedal! This decodable reader practises the nk sound in words like ‘bank,’ ‘blink,’ ‘honk,’ ‘pink,’ and ‘clunk.’

Dan the monkey is on a mission to find the perfect leaf - green, crunchy, and definitely not foot-flavoured! But when a daring jump ends in a crash, something enormous is waiting below with jaws full of teeth. Will Dan’s mum reach him in time? And once he’s safe, why on earth would he go back for more? Swing into this thrilling jungle adventure! This decodable reader practises the sh phonogram with words like ‘crash,’ ‘fish,’ ‘fresh,’ ‘rush,’ and ‘swish.’

Why is the rain so sad today? High in the sky, Beck’s flute is playing the loneliest song, and even the clouds can’t help crying along. Down in the garden, Bee, Bird, and two curious rabbits feel the drops on their noses and know something is wrong. Can a tiny team follow the music and find the girl behind the tears? This decodable reader practises the ‘ck’ sound in words like ‘back,’ ‘check,’ ‘flick,’ ’neck,’ and ’track.’

Meet Sam, a puppy who loves one thing more than anything else in the whole wide world: sitting. He sits on paths, on hilltops, even on the edge of cliffs! But what happens when Sam’s favourite trick lands him somewhere he really, really shouldn’t be? Will Sam ever learn the right place to plonk down? Grab your lead and find out why everyone keeps shouting, “Don’t sit there, Sam!” This decodable reader practises VC/CVC short vowels in words like ‘sat,’ ‘sit,’ ‘dog,’ ‘dig,’ and ‘can.’

Susy has a BIG dream - she wants to be a real magic queen, with a cape, a wand, and a crowd cheering her name! But what do you do when you have no stage, no top hat, and no rabbit? Luckily, Susy has Mak, her dog and trusty sidekick. Can a rice basket, an old sheet, and one brave puppy pull off the greatest magic show ever? This decodable reader practises open syllables in words such as ‘be,’ ‘go,’ ‘my,’ and ’try.’

It’s the hottest day of the whole summer, and Gilly the goat is MELTING. The stream is too wet, the shrubs are too small, and the shade she finds is never quite goat-sized. But what happens when Gilly spots a family building a house in town? Could a goat really build her own shelter from sticks and leaves? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘blaze,’ ‘shade,’ ‘hides,’ ‘home,’ and ‘smiles.’

Ray has the best hat in the whole wide land - it has googly eyes, teal horns, and a long pink tail made by Gran. But what happens when a gusty Cloud decides that flappy tail looks far too fun to blow? Can Ray and Bull race fast enough to catch a runaway hat as it glides into the sky? A decodable reader practising silent e words such as ‘brave,’ ‘close,’ ‘face,’ ‘race,’ and ‘ride.’