Printable Scholar
Home/Reading/Decodable Readers/Level 1/Wes and the Sand Hill

Wes and the Sand Hill

Short A Kindergarten CVC Foundations
Wes and the Sand Hill
Wes and the Sand Hill, page 1
1Wes ran to the sand hill by the pond. "I can run to the top!" said Wes. But the sand ran down, and he fell down.
Wes and the Sand Hill, page 2
2He ran up and fell, then ran up and fell! Wes was sad. He sat by the pond and dug in the wet sand.
Wes and the Sand Hill, page 3
3It did not run down! Wes had a jug in his bag. He put the jug in the pond. Then he ran to the hill.
Wes and the Sand Hill, page 4
4Tip, tip! The sand got wet. Pat, pat, pat! Wes hit the wet sand. Wes ran up and got to the top! "I did it!" said Wes.
Circle or highlight all the short A words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. Where was the sand hill?
  2. What did Wes put in the pond?
  3. What did Wes say when he got to the top?
Keep practicing
Practice Short A with 10 more free worksheets

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

Get the Short A worksheets →
Wes and the Sand Hill 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, plus fold-and-staple versions for double-sided printers Or every reader (sight words + all 6 levels) for $39, best value
Every book stays free to print one at a time.

Reader Details

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

Target Words

cat bat hat mat sat tap cap nap map van can ran

Sight Words

the is a and to was it on his had her he my said

More Short A Readers

Pam's Red Hat illustration
Pam's Red Hat
 Kim's Jam illustration
Kim's Jam
 Max's Hiding Cat illustration
Max's Hiding Cat
 Tom's Lost Cap illustration
Tom's Lost Cap
 Dan Plays Tag illustration
Dan Plays Tag
 Gus and the Cap illustration
Gus and the Cap
 Sal's Big Bag illustration
Sal's Big Bag
 Hal's Big Fan illustration
Hal's Big Fan
 Jon's Bag illustration
Jon's Bag
 Dad's Lost Map illustration
Dad's Lost Map
 Sal and Pat illustration
Sal and Pat
 Pat in the Van illustration
Pat in the Van
 Tam at Bat illustration
Tam at Bat
 Meg Hops on the Mats illustration
Meg Hops on the Mats
 Deb's Yams illustration
Deb's Yams
 Liv and the Gap illustration
Liv and the Gap
 Tug, Tug, Pam! illustration
Tug, Tug, Pam!
 Zed's Big Fib illustration
Zed's Big Fib
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 →
← Rob's Ring of Bells Chuck's Long Teeth →

About This Decodable Reader

“Wes and the Sand Hill” 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 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 a 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 a patterns, try our short a phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.