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Tim and the Baby Bird

Open Syllables 2nd-3rd Phase 5
Tim and the Baby Bird
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 1
1Tim the tiger was out in the garden. It was a beautiful sunny day. The hot sun was bright, and a red tulip grew tall in the dirt. Tim loved to look at every bug and plant.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 2
2He saw a big spider spin a sticky web. The garden was a happy place full of life. Suddenly, the sky went dark gray. A big storm was on the way. Tim felt a drop of rain.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 3
3Then, he saw something flap in the grass. It was a tiny baby bird. The baby had a bad fall from its nest in the oak tree. It was helpless in the strong wind. Tim was a big tiger.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 4
4He had huge paws. He did not want to hurt the baby. Tim was silent and still. He did not make a sound. He held a big, open leaf over the baby to keep it dry.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 5
5The leaf was as thin as paper, but the baby was safe and dry. Just then, Rob the robin flew down. Rob had a blue shirt and a bow tie.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 6
6He was a brave bird in the strong wind. "That is my little brother," Rob said to Tim. "He needs to get back up to the nest right now!" Tim had to stop and think of a plan.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 7
7"I can help," said Tim. "I will lift him." He held the tiny baby in his soft paws. He got up tall by the trunk of the oak tree. Then he could reach up high to the branch.
Tim and the Baby Bird, page 8
8Rob flew by Tim to show him the way up. "A bit more to the right," Rob said. Tim set the baby in the nest. The baby was safe and dry. Rob said a big thank you to Tim!
Circle or highlight all the open-syllable words (like ti-ger and ro-bot) in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What kind of animal is Tim?
  2. How did Tim keep the baby bird dry?
  3. Where did Tim put the baby bird at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Open Syllables with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
Get the Open Syllables worksheets →
Download Mini-Book
Full-color picture book • Print, cut & staple • No signup required
Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)
Tim and the Baby Bird illustrated mini-book cover
Cover + 8 illustrated pages

Reader Details

Phonics Skill Open Syllables
Grade Level 2nd-3rd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Open Syllables Worksheets

Target Words

tiger robot begin music hotel paper pilot zero tulip silent spider pupil

Sight Words

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

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About This Decodable Reader

“Tim and the Baby Bird” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 2nd-3rd students practicing open syllables 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 open syllables 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 open syllables patterns, try our open syllables phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.