Family Books for 3rd Graders

One plum towel, one windy day, and suddenly it is sailing off into the sky like a ghost with places to go! Who will grab it first as it drifts across the yard? Will a splashing neighbour claim it, a horn player use it as a cushion, or will our little hero ever get that perfect towel back? Hold on tight and find out! This decodable reader practises the ‘ph’ sound in words such as ‘phew,’ ‘phantom,’ ‘megaphone,’ ‘symphony,’ and ’triumph.’

Summer holidays are finally here, and Bon has BIG plans - water balloons, games, and no homework! But when Mum is busy, Dad rushes off to work, and Su ignores him completely, is this going to be the most boring summer ever? Just when Bon’s about to give up, a wild idea sparks involving the family parrot, a polka-dot hat, and a very special party. This decodable reader practises the ‘gn’ sound in words like ‘sign,’ ‘gnaws,’ ‘assigned,’ and ‘designing.’

High in a sunny tree, Mother Crow sings to the whole neighbourhood - but her three hungry chicks need breakfast right now! Can she spot something tasty from the sky? When she sees a lady strolling by with a basket full of silver fish, Mother Crow makes a bold decision. But two rival crows have spotted the prize too, and they want it just as badly! This decodable reader practises si making /zh/ in words like ‘decision,’ ’treasure,’ ‘vision,’ and ‘precision.’

The rains have not come for months, and Njoki must find water each morning for her sick mother and hungry brothers. Then she digs up a strange gourd in the dry riverbed, warm in her hands, with water that never seems to run out. But what happens when a greedy neighbour learns its secret? Can Njoki mend what has been broken? This Bookbot book practises the ‘ui’ sound in words like ‘fluid’, ‘fruit’, ’nuisance’, ‘pursuit’, and ‘suits’.

Dr Can Do has the world’s best Christmas joke tucked away, and he can’t wait to share it at dinner. But what happens when his cheeky daughter Jill keeps beating him to every punchline? Will his secret joke survive the crackers, the pavlova, and one very splashy Minx bobbing through the summer sun? A warm, giggly holiday tale that practises the augh phonogram in words like ‘caught,’ ‘daughter,’ ’taught,’ and ’laughter.’

It’s Khushi’s tenth birthday, and she’s dreaming of the biggest, shiniest presents ever. But when Dad hands her a stubborn little clay donkey with a slot in its back, she’s distraught! What on earth is she meant to do with a money bank? And when her sister comes begging for a loan, will Khushi’s savings survive the week? This decodable reader practises the ‘augh’ sound in words like ‘caught,’ ‘daughter,’ ’laugh,’ and ’naughty.’

Gran can juggle anything - pans, onions, even Pop’s pocket watch goes spinning through the air! But when her flipping and tossing causes a very ripe mango to go SPLAT on a grumpy shopkeeper’s head, what will Gran do next? Can she find a new pursuit that won’t leave anyone with a bruise? This lively decodable reader practises the ‘ui’ phonogram through words such as ‘fruit,’ ‘juice,’ ’nuisance,’ ‘pursuit,’ and ‘suitable.’

Three naughty children cannot wait to peek at their father’s magic mirror - but what happens when the glass shows ugly, weird monsters instead of their own faces? Is the mirror broken, or is something stranger going on? Can a feisty brother outsmart it with a fancy hat, or will his sister outrun it? Join the farm children as they try to lift the veil on a very peculiar reflection. This decodable reader practises the ’ei’ phonogram in words like ‘being,’ ’either,’ ‘weird,’ and ‘veil.’

Otieno’s family needs the best fishing spot on the lake, but sly old Musa never loses his one-day contest. What secret trick lets Musa win every time, and can a clever boy uncover it before the sun goes down? Race out onto the water and find out whether thinking can beat pulling! This Bookbot book practises the ‘kn’ sound with words like ‘knack’, ‘knot’, ‘knocks’, ‘kneels’, and ‘knuckles’.

Opio is ten, and he’s sure he’s old enough to paddle the family canoe out past the village all by himself. He knows the shallows, the bird calls, the way the water turns grey before rain. But what happens when a thick fog rolls in and the shore vanishes? With his father’s lessons whispering in his mind, can one small boy find his way home across the wide, open lake? This Bookbot story practises the soft ‘g’ sound in words like ‘village’, ‘courage’, ‘gently’, and ‘change’.