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Hope's Swishy Brush

Vowel Team — AI 1st-2nd Phase 4
Hope's Swishy Brush
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 1
1Hope wanted to make Mom a nice plate. She laid a plain white plate on her bench and set out five pots of paint.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 2
2"I will paint a big red rose on it," she said. But Hope had a long tail, and it liked to swish. Each time she bent in close, her tail swished into the wet paint.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 3
3Soon there were red blots all over the plate. Hope tried to hold her tail still. She pressed it down with her back leg. She sat on it. Each plan failed.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 4
4The tail just slid out and swished again. "This is a pain," she said, and she felt glum. Then Hope had a plan. If her tail would not stop, she could put it to work!
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 5
5Hope washed the plate in the sink, and the mess went down the drain. She dipped the tip of her tail in green paint.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 6
6Swish, swish! Long green lines of grass grew up from the base of the plate. Then she used a brush to dab on a red rose.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 7
7When Mom came home, Hope held up the plate. "You made this?" Mom asked. "I had help from my tail," Hope said with a grin. Mom smiled. "It looks like grass after a rain.
Hope's Swishy Brush, page 8
8It is better than any plate I have paid for," she said. She put it on a nail by the door, right where the sun could shine on it.
Circle or highlight all the AI vowel team words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Hope want to paint on the plate?
  2. What kept making a mess on Hope’s plate?
  3. Where did Mom put the plate at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Vowel Team — AI with 10 more free worksheets

Picture worksheets to read, match and spell these words, plus this story's word sort, phrasing cards and word search.

Get the Vowel Team — AI worksheets →
Hope's Swishy Brush printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Vowel Team — AI
Grade Level 1st-2nd
Phase Phase 4
Worksheets Vowel Team — AI Worksheets

Target Words

rain main pain gain fail jail mail nail sail tail paid laid

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be

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About This Decodable Reader

“Hope's Swishy Brush” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing vowel team — ai 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 vowel team — ai 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 vowel team — ai patterns, try our vowel team — ai phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.