Printable Scholar
Home/Reading/Decodable Readers/Level 1/Red the Hen

Red the Hen

Short E Kindergarten CVC Foundations
Red the Hen
Red the Hen, page 1
1Pip had a pet hen. The hen was red. Red got out of her pen. Her legs got wet. Pip had a big net.
Red the Hen, page 2
2Red ran and ran. Pip ran to get her pet. But she did not get Red. Pip set the net on the grass.
Red the Hen, page 3
3Pip had a good tip. She set a dry grass bed in the pen. “Rest, Red,” said Pip. The wet hen did not run.
Red the Hen, page 4
4The grass bed was not wet. Red got in the pen. Red sat on the bed. Pip fed her pet.
Circle or highlight all the short E words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What kind of pet did Pip have?
  2. What did Pip set on the grass?
  3. What did Pip do for Red at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Short E with 10 more free worksheets

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

Get the Short E worksheets →
Red the Hen 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)
Want the whole level?
Level 1 pack · $14Every illustrated mini-book in the level, print-ready Or all 6 levels for $34 (best value)
Every book stays free to print one at a time.

Reader Details

Phonics Skill Short E
Grade Level Kindergarten
Phase CVC Foundations
Worksheets Short E Worksheets

Target Words

bed red fed led wed hen pen ten men den jet net

Sight Words

the is a and to was it on his her

More Short E Readers

Pip's Ten Hens illustration
Pip's Ten Hens
 Ned's Wet Pet illustration
Ned's Wet Pet
 Ben's Red Jet illustration
Ben's Red Jet
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 →
← Kate's Cake Gus the Pup →

About This Decodable Reader

“Red the Hen” is a free printable decodable reader designed for kindergarten students practicing 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, four picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the short e 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 e patterns, try our short e phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.