Max had a cat. His cat was Pat. Max had a nap. But Pat was not on his lap. Max was sad.
Max had a sad look. Pat was not on his bed. Pat was not on his cap. Pat was not in the big bag. No Pat.
Max had a look at his mat. The mat had a big fat lump. Max had a tug on the mat. Pat ran!
“Pat! You bad cat!” said Max. He sat on the mat. Pat sat on his lap. It was a nap for Max and Pat.
“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 2-page PDF includes the reading passage on page one and a coloring page illustration on page two. Print both pages, staple together, and your child has an instant mini-book. The coloring activity reinforces story comprehension and makes reading practice feel like a fun activity rather than homework.
This reader is part of our collection of 50 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.