Family Books for 1st Graders

Bon’s summer holiday is off to the worst start ever. Mum is busy, Dad is busy, and Su won’t even look up from her paper pinwheels. Will anyone in this house ever play with him? Just when Bon is ready to give up, a brilliant idea pops into his head - and it involves Butter, the family parrot, a polka-dot hat, and a very big secret. This decodable reader practises the ’nk’ sound in words like ‘wink,’ ‘stink,’ ’think,’ ‘blink,’ and ‘prank.’

What would YOU do with hair big enough to block the sun, wrap you up in winter, or hide a whole dog inside? Every morning, it has a new plan - a puff, a twirl, a giant square for dress-up day! But when one big snip changes everything, will long hair ever come back? This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘clips,’ ’twists,’ ‘grins,’ and ‘swirl.’

Kara has the best idea ever: a surprise birthday party for Pip, her happy little pup! But what happens when Pip overhears the secret and decides he wants to help too? Can a puppy really plan his own surprise? From a finch on a branch to a bunch of bouncy chums marching up the path, this cheerful tale is packed with wagging tails and giggles. This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘branch,’ ‘bunch,’ ‘catch,’ and ‘march.’

High in a sunny tree, a proud mother crow has three hungry chicks yelling for breakfast - and nothing, not shiny buttons or sparkly beads, will fill their bellies! Can she swoop down and snatch a silvery fish before anyone notices? And when rival crows come screeching from the sky, will she hold on tight to her prize? A lively decodable reader practising CCVC/CCVCC blends through words like ‘grab,’ ‘snap,’ ‘flap,’ ‘spins,’ and ‘stop.’

The rains have not come, the goats are thin, and every morning Njoki must dig in the dry riverbed for water. So when she finds a strange carved gourd that pours clean water and even milk, is it a gift or a trap? What happens when a curious neighbour learns the gourd’s secret? A tender story of trust, mistakes, and mending. This book helps young readers practise the /ŋ/ sound with words like ‘sing’, ‘song’, ’long’, ‘strong’, and ‘spring’.

Little Snap is setting off on the biggest adventure of her life! What is the most amazing thing in the whole world? Can a small creature really find it in such a big, big sea? Swim along as Snap zigs and zags through rivers, meets new friends, leaps beneath the stars, and discovers something wonderful waiting at the end of her journey. This decodable reader practises CCVC/CCVCC blends in words like ‘quest,’ ‘snap,’ ‘swims,’ ‘grins,’ and ‘plans.’

Dr Can Do has the BEST Christmas joke in the whole wide world, saved up for Christmas dinner like a secret treasure. But what happens when someone keeps stealing his punchlines before he can say them? Who could possibly know every joke in his head? From the sunny beach to the sparkling tree in the town square, Dr Can Do is determined to land one perfect laugh. This decodable story practises open syllables in words like ‘go,’ ‘he,’ ‘me,’ ‘my,’ and ’tree.’

Jill races to Gran’s house, where books fill every shelf and a black cat blinks hello. Today Gran says Jill gets to choose the story - but will Gran read what’s actually on the page, or sneak in her own wild, made-up bits again? Can Jill catch her in the act this time, and what surprise might Jill add herself? Curl up and find out! This decodable reader practises the th phonogram in words like ’this,’ ‘both,’ ’thinks,’ ’three,’ and ’through.’

It’s Khushi’s tenth birthday, and she’s dreaming of the biggest, shiniest present ever - so when Dad hands her a stubborn little clay donkey with a slot in its back, her face falls flat. Can a silly money bank really be any fun? As coins pile up and her sister begs to borrow some, Khushi starts saving for something special. But then she meets a new friend at school, and everything changes. This decodable reader practises short u with j, v, y in words like ‘just,’ ‘yum,’ ’tucks,’ and ‘bugs.’

Mia spots Lily’s brand new jacket just hanging there - and it looks SO cool. What could go wrong with trying it on for one tiny second? But when art class ends in a splatter of red, green, and orange paint, Mia panics and hides the jacket in the strangest spot ever. Can she fix the mess before Lily finds out? This decodable reader practises silent e words such as ‘hide,’ ‘make,’ ’nice,’ ‘shape,’ and ‘smiles.’