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Zed and the Flash

Digraph SH Kindergarten – 1st Grade Blends & Digraphs
Zed and the Flash
Zed and the Flash, page 1
1Zed had a nest on a post by Jill's shed. Zed liked things that flash in the sun. He grabbed Jill's tin dish. He grabbed a bit of her cash. He grabbed her brass bell, too. Jill ran to the shed.
Zed and the Flash, page 2
2"Zed, did you take my dish?" she said. "Not me!" said Zed. Then Zed spotted a big tin pan. It flashed in the sun. Zed had a wish. He had to have that pan! He tugged it and tugged it up to his nest.
Zed and the Flash, page 3
3But the nest was too full. It tipped off the post. Crash! The dish, the cash, the bell, and the pan all landed in the grass by Jill. Zed blushed. "That was a fib. I am sad I did that," he said.
Zed and the Flash, page 4
4"You can have it all back." Jill picked up a little brass clip from the grass. "You can keep this," she said. "It can flash in the sun for you." Zed was glad. He put his nest back on the post and set the clip in it.
Circle or highlight all the words with the SH sound (at the beginning or end). How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. Where did Zed have his nest?
  2. Why did Zed’s nest tip off the post?
  3. What did Jill let Zed keep at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Digraph SH with 10 more free worksheets

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

Get the Digraph SH worksheets →
Zed and the Flash printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Digraph SH
Grade Level Kindergarten – 1st Grade
Phase Blends & Digraphs
Worksheets Digraph SH Worksheets

Target Words

ship shop shed shell shut shin shag fish dish wish wash rush

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she her they

More Digraph SH Readers

Shelly and the Shag illustration
Shelly and the Shag
 Shad Washes Dishes illustration
Shad Washes Dishes
 Chad's Big Ship illustration
Chad's Big Ship
 Gwen's Pink Shell illustration
Gwen's Pink Shell
 Wes Washes Gus illustration
Wes Washes Gus
 Ben's Big Hush illustration
Ben's Big Hush
 Jill Hops on the Ship illustration
Jill Hops on the Ship
 Beth and the Little Crab illustration
Beth and the Little Crab
← Scott and the Class Clock Nan Yells Check →

About This Decodable Reader

“Zed and the Flash” is a free printable decodable reader designed for kindergarten and 1st grade students practicing digraph sh 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 digraph sh 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 digraph sh patterns, try our digraph sh phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.