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Ken's Feather Bed

Vowel Team — EA (Short E) 1st-2nd Phase 4
Ken's Feather Bed
Ken's Feather Bed, page 1
1The weather had turned cold, and Ken could not sleep. His bedspread was too thin to keep him warm.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 2
2He tucked it up to his chin, but his teeth still went click, click, click. After breakfast, Ken went to see his pal Jane.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 3
3"I am too cold to sleep in my bed," he said. "I wish I had a thick, heavy bedspread instead." Jane thought about it. Then she grinned. "I have a plan," she said.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 4
4"Get a big sack and come with me." They headed to the meadow. A flock of ducks had stopped there to rest, and they had dropped a lot of white feathers in the grass.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 5
5Ken and Jane picked up feathers until the sack was full. A cold gust came and made the sack shake. Ken held his breath, but Jane kept a steady grip on the sack.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 6
6Back at home, Jane cut a slit in the side of the bedspread. She pushed the feathers in until the bedspread was fat and puffed up.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 7
7Then she shut the slit with red thread. "It is ready," she said. "Hop in!" Ken got into bed, and Jane spread the bedspread over him.
Ken's Feather Bed, page 8
8He was snug and warm at last. "Thank you, Jane," he said with a big smile. Jane laughed. There was still one white feather stuck on top of Ken's head.
Circle or highlight all the words where EA says short E (like bread and head). How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. Why could Ken not sleep?
  2. What did Ken and Jane pick up in the meadow?
  3. How did Ken feel in bed at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Vowel Team — EA (Short E) with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
Get the Vowel Team — EA (Short E) worksheets →
Ken's Feather Bed printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Vowel Team — EA (Short E)
Grade Level 1st-2nd
Phase Phase 4
Worksheets Vowel Team — EA (Short E) Worksheets

Target Words

bread head read thread spread sweat breath health meant tread heavy ready

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be
← Pam's Beach Dream Tim's Honey Jug →

About This Decodable Reader

“Ken's Feather Bed” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing vowel team — ea (short e) 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 — ea (short e) 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 vowel team — ea (short e) patterns, try our vowel team — ea (short e) phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.