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Jade's Gnawed Yam

Silent Letters — GN, GH, ST, LF 1st-2nd Phase 4
Jade's Gnawed Yam
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 1
1Jade had a small grass plot with a stone gnome in it. By the gnome grew one big, fat yam. Jade tended that yam every day and whistled as she worked.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 2
2It was not always fun. The thistle by the gate stung her hand, and gnats buzzed around her face. But the yam would soon be ripe, and that made her glad.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 3
3Then one day Jade woke up and found her yam gnawed in half! "Who did this?" she said. She made a sign and set it up by the gnome.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 4
4The sign said, "Do not gnaw this yam!" But the day after, the yam had a new bite in it. When the sun sank, Jade hid by the shed to look and listen.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 5
5An hour went by. Then she heard a rustle in the grass. She jumped up and saw Chuck. He had yam on his chin. "I will be honest," said Chuck. "I gnawed it.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 6
6It smelled so good that I could not stop." Jade wanted to be mad, but Chuck looked so sad. She thought for a bit. "Can you gnaw down a thistle?" she asked.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 7
7"Yes," said Chuck. "And I can chase off gnats, too." So they made a trade. Chuck gnawed the thistle down to a stump. Then he flapped a rag until the gnats fled.
Jade's Gnawed Yam, page 8
8Jade dug up the rest of the yam and baked it. She split it with a knife, half for Chuck and half for her. The two new pals sat by the gnome and ate every bit.
Circle or highlight all the words with a silent letter (like gnat, ghost, castle and half). How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What grew by the gnome in Jade’s grass plot?
  2. Who gnawed Jade’s yam?
  3. What did Jade and Chuck do with the yam at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Silent Letters — GN, GH, ST, LF with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
Get the Silent Letters — GN, GH, ST, LF worksheets →
Jade's Gnawed Yam printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
Full-color picture book • Print, cut & staple • No signup required
Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)
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Level 4 pack · $14All 42 illustrated mini-books, print-ready Or all 6 levels for $34 (best value)
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Silent Letters — GN, GH, ST, LF
Grade Level 1st-2nd
Phase Phase 4
Worksheets Silent Letters — GN, GH, ST, LF Worksheets

Target Words

gnat gnome gnaw gnash sign design ghost hour honest rhyme castle whistle

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be
← Jim's Little Knock Scott and the Phantom Dolphin →

About This Decodable Reader

“Jade's Gnawed Yam” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing silent letters — gn, gh, st, lf 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 silent letters — gn, gh, st, lf 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 221 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with silent letters — gn, gh, st, lf patterns, try our silent letters — gn, gh, st, lf phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.