Zed's Big Fib

Short A Kindergarten CVC Foundations
Zed's Big Fib
Zed's Big Fib, page 1
1Fen sat by the pond. Zed had a map. "Dig at the red dot," said Zed. "You will find a big box!"
Zed's Big Fib, page 2
2But that was a fib. Fen dug and dug, but she just got sand. Fen was sad. Zed did not like that.
Zed's Big Fib, page 3
3He got his best tin cap from his nest. He hid it in the pit. Fen dug in the pit.
Zed's Big Fib, page 4
4Tap! "A cap!" said Fen. "The box was a fib," said Zed. "But the cap is for you." Fen put it on.
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. What did Zed have?
  2. What did Fen get when she dug at the red dot?
  3. What did Fen find in the pit at the end?
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.

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Zed's Big Fib 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)

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

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 →
← June's Tin Plate Tune Max and the Big Red Sock →

About This Decodable Reader

“Zed's Big Fib” 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.