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Bev and the Wet Letter

Prefixes un- and re- 3rd Phase 5
Bev and the Wet Letter
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 1
1Rain fell on the village all morning. Bev put on her boots, went out to the lane, and used her tiny key to unlock her mailbox. She was hoping for a card from her mother. Instead, she found one wet letter stuck to the side of the box. Bev pulled the letter free.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 2
2The name on it was just a blur of blue ink. She opened it and read it. It was all about a wagon and a party. This letter was not meant for her! The mail worker must have made a mistake in the rain. "I cannot just toss this in the trash," said Bev.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 3
3"That would be unkind. Someone is waiting for it." But who? She stood under a tree to reread the letter slowly, looking for a clue. Near the end, she found one. "Please return my purple wagon at the party tonight. I need it to carry the cake. From, Jay." Now Bev had a plan.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 4
4She did not know who had Jay's wagon, but a purple wagon would not be hard to spot. She unzipped her jacket pocket, tucked the letter inside to keep it dry, and set off down the lane. The path was slick with mud. It was unsafe to run, so she walked with care.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 5
5Tall hedges grew around every yard in the village. Most people could not see over them, but Bev had a very long neck. She stretched up and looked over the first hedge. She saw a swing and a red bike, but no wagon. Over the next hedge, she saw only wet roses. Bev began to feel unhappy.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 6
6The party was tonight, and the lane was long. Then she looked over the last hedge, and there it was! A purple wagon sat beside the shed in Stan's yard. Bev reached down to undo the latch on the gate and hurried to knock on the door. Stan the rabbit hopped out, and Bev handed him the letter.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 7
7"A letter from Jay?" said Stan. "Oh no! I forgot I still had his wagon. Thank you, Bev!" He ran to untie the rope that held the wagon to the shed. Together they pulled it down the lane to Jay's house, just in time. At the party, Bev helped unpack the plates and refill the cups with juice.
Bev and the Wet Letter, page 8
8Jay asked her to retell the whole story for his friends, and everyone cheered at the part with the hedges. Then Jay got to replay his favorite song twice. "Next time I will write the name in pencil," said Jay with a laugh. "Pencil does not run in the rain!"
Circle or highlight all the words that start with un- or re- in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Bev find stuck inside her mailbox?
  2. Why could Bev not read the name on the letter?
  3. How will Jay write the name next time?
Keep practicing
Practice Prefixes un- and re- with 10 more free worksheets

Word work sheets for this skill to build, split, sort and write, plus this story's word sort, phrasing cards and word search.

Get the Prefixes un- and re- worksheets →
Bev and the Wet Letter printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Prefixes un- and re-
Grade Level 3rd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Prefixes un- and re- Worksheets

Target Words

unlock undo unzip unpack unfit unhappy unkind unsafe untie unwell redo refill

Sight Words

the a and to was is it she he they said have with you are of for her there one into what when out about

More Prefixes un- and re- Readers

Jane's Painted Box illustration
Jane's Painted Box
 A Wet Night illustration
A Wet Night
← Beth and the Wren Glen and the Silver Bell →

About This Decodable Reader

“Bev and the Wet Letter” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 3rd students practicing prefixes un- and re- phonics patterns. This mini-book uses phonetically controlled vocabulary so beginning readers can successfully sound out nearly every word in the story, building confidence and reinforcing the specific phonics skills they're learning.

The free PDF is a full-color illustrated mini-book: a cover, eight picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the prefixes un- and re- words, high-frequency words, and discussion questions. Print the five sheets, cut each one in half along the dashed line, and staple — your child has a real little book to hold. A read-aloud version with one large page per sheet is also included for projecting to the whole class.

This reader is part of our collection of free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with prefixes un- and re- patterns, try our prefixes un- and re- phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.