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Pip's Birthday Pancakes

Compound Words 2nd Phase 5
Pip's Birthday Pancakes
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 1
1Today is a big day for Pip the pig. It is his birthday! His friend Kate the squirrel wanted to give him a sweet treat. She baked a tall stack of walnut pancakes.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 2
2Kate put them in her backpack and set off for the farm. She went past the red mailbox and the wooden sandbox. Soon, she reached the muddy pigpen. Pip was running in the mud. "Happy birthday, Pip!" Kate called out.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 3
3She stepped into the pen, but she slipped. The warm pancakes fell out of the backpack and into the dark, wet muck. "Oh no!" said Kate, looking down at the muddy mess. "Your birthday pancakes are in the mud!"
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 4
4"It is ok," said Pip with a kind smile. "We can make more." Pip and Kate went to Kate's house. They walked uphill to the hilltop where Kate lived. Kate unlocked the gate, and they went up to the house.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 5
5Inside the kitchen, they set to work. Kate got a big bowl and began mixing. Pip helped her stir the batter. They put it into a hot pan. "These will be the best," said Pip. They took turns flipping the pancakes.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 6
6Soon, the room smelled like sweet walnuts. When the pancakes were done, Pip wanted a special spot for the birthday meal. "We can eat out by the big tree," said Kate. By the big tree, they found an old bathtub in the yard.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 7
7It was turned over and flat on top. Pip used a brush to sweep off the dust and cobwebs. Now the bathtub was a perfect, clean table! Kate and Pip sat next to the bathtub table. They ate the warm pancakes together.
Pip's Birthday Pancakes, page 8
8"This is a perfect birthday meal," Kate said with a smile. Pip grinned. "This is a wonderful birthday," he said. "Next time, I will come out of the mud to get my pancakes!" They stayed on the hilltop and played games until sunset.
Circle or highlight all the compound words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Kate bake for Pip’s birthday?
  2. Why did Pip’s pancakes fall into the mud?
  3. What did Pip and Kate do until sunset?
Keep practicing
Practice Compound Words with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
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Download Mini-Book
Full-color picture book • Print, cut & staple • No signup required
Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)
Pip's Birthday Pancakes illustrated mini-book cover
Cover + 8 illustrated pages

Reader Details

Phonics Skill Compound Words
Grade Level 2nd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Compound Words Worksheets

Target Words

sunset backpack cupcake bathtub cobweb sandbox hilltop laptop hotdog pigpen sunfish catfish

Sight Words

the a and to was is it she he they said have with you are of for her there one

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About This Decodable Reader

“Pip's Birthday Pancakes” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 2nd students practicing compound words 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 compound words 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 193 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with compound words patterns, try our compound words phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.