Books
Year group
Ben's Halloween Bucket
Ben is a green dragon with a bucket of sweets so heavy he needs both hands. Mum says have a few and save the rest, and Ben says yes. Then he sits on his bedroom floor and the sweets start calling, just one more, and Ben says yes to them too. Twenty-two wrappers later, his best night of the year has a very sad ending. The new word is queasy.
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Ken's Rushed Robot
Ken gets a robot kit with ninety pieces and a big book of steps, and Dad says read every step. Ken wants to see the robot now, so he pushes the pieces together fast and shouts I am done. The robot looks good and does nothing. Taking it apart takes longer than building it, and building it properly takes two afternoons. The new word is careless.
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One Umbrella
It is raining cats and dogs. Tom has a big blue umbrella and Sam has nothing, and Tom says it is too small, which is not true. Then the wind cracks Tom's umbrella inside out and he is drenched in one minute. The feet running up behind him belong to Sam. The new word is drenched.
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Pam's Pocket Money
Every Saturday Grandpa gives Pam two dollars, and every Saturday she spends it all on sweets. Then she sees a purple scooter with silver wheels, and the price says twenty. Her pockets are empty, her tin is empty, and Meg rolls past saying she saved for eleven weeks. The new word is savings.
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Slow and Steady Bill
Bill reads slowly and the words look like little worms. Ken says hurry up and Tom laughs behind his hand. Then Miss Chan gives Ken a hard page, and a long word beats him twice in front of everyone. Nobody laughs, and Ken finds out exactly how Bill felt. The new word is cruel.
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FreeThe Dog Next Door
A new dog moves in next door, big and brown, with a bark as loud as thunder. Lily's hands go cold every time she walks past the fence, so she takes the long way past the bins instead. Then Dad walks her to the fence and says just stand here. The new word is courage.
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The Dripping Tap
Ted leaves the tap running while he brushes his teeth. It is only water, he says, and there is always more. Then Gran takes him to the village where she grew up and shows him the well she walked to two times a day with two buckets. Ted can hardly lift one. The new word is precious.
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The Losing Team
Bob's team has won every practice race for three weeks, and Bob says we cannot lose three times before the whistle. Then the blue team's last runner crosses the line half a step in front of him. Bob throws his baton, shouts that it is not fair, and sits under a tree with his arms folded. The new word is congratulate.
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The Race Against the Clock
Anne's clock says get up and Anne says five more minutes. Then it is ten past seven, the bus comes at half past, and the whole house turns into a race. She makes the bus with one sock on wrong and her hair in a nest, and her reading book is still on her desk. The new word is relieved.
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Who Made the Mess?
Mia knocks over the red paint and hears feet coming down the hall. When Mum walks in, Mia says her little brother did it. Mum can see Mia's red fingers and Dan's clean hands, and she says nothing at all. The new word is innocent.
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