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Rex and the Flute

R-Controlled — EAR and EER 1st-2nd Phase 4
Rex and the Flute
Rex and the Flute, page 1
1Early one day, Rex hopped up the hill to munch on fresh grass. Pete sat down at the gate with his flute. Rex was his dear pet, and Pete liked to keep him near.
Rex and the Flute, page 2
2Then a thick fog came over the hill. It was white and cold, and it hid the path. Rex wanted to go home, but he could not see the way.
Rex and the Flute, page 3
3He hopped one way and saw only fog. He hopped the other way and saw more fog. Rex sat still in fear. A tear ran down his nose.
Rex and the Flute, page 4
4Back at the gate, Pete could not see the hill at all. "Rex!" he called. "Where are you?" Rex did not come. "He did not hear me," Pete said.
Rex and the Flute, page 5
5"But he might hear my flute." So Pete played a tune, and he played it again and again. Up on the hill, Rex held up his long ears.
Rex and the Flute, page 6
6He could hear a tune, far away but clear. "That is Pete!" Rex thought. He hopped a little way and stopped to hear it again.
Rex and the Flute, page 7
7Rex steered by the tune, hop after hop, and it got more and more clear. Soon the fog started to clear. Rex could see the gate, and Pete could see Rex.
Rex and the Flute, page 8
8"There you are, my dear Rex!" Pete cheered. He picked Rex up and wiped the tear from his nose. "Now I know my flute can bring you home," Pete said.
Circle the words that say "ear" (like hear and deer). Underline the words where EAR says "er" (like earth).

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. Where did Rex hop to munch on fresh grass?
  2. Why could Rex not see the way home?
  3. What did Pete wipe from Rex’s nose at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice R-Controlled — EAR and EER with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
Get the R-Controlled — EAR and EER worksheets →
Rex and the Flute 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)
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Level 4 pack · $14All 42 illustrated mini-books, print-ready Or all 6 levels for $34 (best value)
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill R-Controlled — EAR and EER
Grade Level 1st-2nd
Phase Phase 4
Worksheets R-Controlled — EAR and EER Worksheets

Target Words

ear hear near fear year clear dear beard deer cheer steer peer

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be
← Ned's Red Patch Pip's Wardrobe Club →

About This Decodable Reader

“Rex and the Flute” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing r-controlled — ear and eer 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 r-controlled — ear and eer 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 r-controlled — ear and eer patterns, try our r-controlled — ear and eer phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.