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Max's Hiding Cat

Short A Kindergarten CVC Foundations
Max's Hiding Cat
Max's Hiding Cat, page 1
1Max had a cat. His cat was Pat. But Pat was not on his lap. Pat was not on his bed.
Max's Hiding Cat, page 2
2Pat was not on his cap. Pat was not in the big bag. No Pat. Max was sad.
Max's Hiding Cat, page 3
3Max had a look at his mat. The mat had a big fat lump. Max had a tug on the mat. Pat ran!
Max's Hiding Cat, page 4
4“Pat! You bad cat!” said Max. He sat on the mat. Pat sat on his lap. It was a nap for Max and Pat.
Circle or highlight all the short A words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What is the name of Max’s cat?
  2. What did Max do to the mat with the lump?
  3. Where did Pat sit at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Short A with 10 more free worksheets

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

Get the Short A worksheets →
Max's Hiding Cat 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 Short A
Grade Level Kindergarten
Phase CVC Foundations
Worksheets Short A Worksheets

Target Words

cat bat hat mat sat tap cap nap map van can ran

Sight Words

the is a and to was it on his had

More Short A Readers

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Pam's Red Hat
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Kim's Jam
 Tom's Lost Cap illustration
Tom's Lost Cap
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Dan Plays Tag
 Gus and the Cap illustration
Gus and the Cap
 Sal's Big Bag illustration
Sal's Big Bag
 Hal's Big Fan illustration
Hal's Big Fan
 Jon's Bag illustration
Jon's Bag
 Dad's Lost Map illustration
Dad's Lost Map
 Sal and Pat illustration
Sal and Pat
 Pat in the Van illustration
Pat in the Van
Did they understand it?
One-page stories to read, then circle, color or draw

Free kindergarten reading comprehension sheets, built from the same short-vowel words as this book. Black and white, with answer keys.

See the kindergarten sheets →
← Kim's Jam Pip Gets a Fig →

About This Decodable Reader

“Max's Hiding Cat” is a free printable decodable reader designed for kindergarten students practicing short a 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, four picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the short a words, high-frequency words, and discussion questions. Print the three 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 short a patterns, try our short a phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.