Fantasy Books for 1st Graders

The Congo rainforest hides more than towering trees. When nine-year-old Amara chases a runaway hen past the tree her mother warned her never to pass, she tumbles into a world of shadows, glowing beetles, and a shimmering Forest Spirit named Moke. Why would the forest choose to speak to one small girl? And what will she dare to say when she returns to her village? This Bookbot SH story practises single-syllable words like ‘dash’, ‘push’, ‘bush’, ‘fresh’, and ‘shelf’.

The fish are gone, the market is empty, and Tano is only eleven when his digging stick strikes something buried in the sand: an old drum with a strange rule carved into its base. Three beats to ask, one to say thank you, and only one wish a day. But what happens when a bigger boy grabs the drum and refuses to follow the rules? Can Tano set things right before the magic turns sour? This Bookbot level practises the ‘wh’ sound in words like ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘whir’, and ‘whole’.

Sara loves to float in her cool, clear stream, dreaming of faraway seas. But what happens when a tiny, bossy fish bursts out of the weeds and begs her to follow? Where will the current carry her - and whose sparkling kingdom waits in the deepest, darkest part of the ocean? Could a girl from a little creek really become queen of the whole sea? This decodable reader practises the wh phonogram through words like ‘whales,’ ‘what,’ ‘whirl,’ ‘whose,’ and ‘whole.’

Zom has grown the biggest, best bunch of pumpkins ever, and he can’t wait to bake them into wonderful cakes. But one morning, a pumpkin is gone! The next day, two more vanish without a trace. Who - or what - is sneaking into the patch at night? Can Zom stay awake long enough to catch the mystery thief in the act? This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words such as ‘bunch,’ ‘catch,’ ‘chin,’ and ‘witch.’

Kojo has a reading test coming up, and his chest feels full of worry - until something magical happens. The moment he sounds out a word, it leaps right off the page! A chap with a cup, a hen with cheek, a cat dashing to lunch, and a monkey on a branch all spring to life. What other surprises will Kojo spy when he keeps on reading? This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘chin,’ ‘chest,’ ‘branch,’ ’lunch,’ and ‘march.’

Have you ever looked up at the clouds and spotted something that looked just like a person waving back? When Chip points at the sky, a puffy cloud man appears - then cloud chums jigging, singing, and banging drums in a huge sky band! But what happens when the music turns into thunder and rain smacks everyone on the cheek? This decodable reader practises the ‘ch’ sound in words like ‘chip,’ ‘chums,’ ‘catch,’ ‘bunch,’ and ‘watch.’

Long ago, the Sun and the Moon both blazed in the daytime sky, so bright that no one on earth could ever close their eyes and rest. But when the tired world begged for darkness, could the gentle Moon find a way to share the sky with her proud, burning brother? And what would it cost her to give the world its very first peaceful night? This Bookbot level practises the ‘wh’ sound with words like ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘while’, and ‘whole’.

Jack has never caught a fish - not once! But when he casts his wobbly branch-rod off the dock, what on earth tugs back? Something green, something grumpy, something that is definitely NOT a fish. Could a pumpkin boy and a mermaid really become friends? And what happens when the sun starts sinking on their silly, splashy adventure? This decodable reader practises the ‘wh’ phonogram in words like ‘what,’ ‘whirl,’ ‘whines,’ and ‘whale.’

Bob is the worst fisherman in town - but that suits him just fine, because Bob only comes to the dock to nap! So when something enormous tugs his line and a huge, sharp-toothed head rises from the waves, Bob is in for the shock of his life. Is this scaly giant a monster… or something else entirely? And what secret lies at the bottom of the sea? This decodable reader practises open syllables in words like ‘by,’ ‘cry,’ ‘me,’ and ’try.’

Ben’s cat has missed dinner - and that NEVER happens! When he follows muddy paw prints to a giant, googly-eyed pile of rubbish, he spots his furry friend perched happily on top like a queen. Then the pile WALKS AWAY with her! Can Ben outsmart a walking heap of junk before his cat vanishes forever? This decodable reader practises open syllables through words such as ‘go,’ ‘my,’ ‘sky,’ and ‘so.’