Reading Sage: Your Trusted Reading Community: A Short 'a' Decodable Reader - Book 1 FREE PDF Luna and Leo's Caring and Sharing World BOOK 1

Luna & Leo: Orton-Gillingham Decodable Books for Dyslexia

A Short 'e' Decodable Reader - Book 4 sample FREE PDF

Luna's BOOK 1 FREE DECODABLE PDF BOOK

Free PDF Printable Decodable Book Teaching the 44 Phonemes

Luna & Leo's Sharing and Caring World: Orton-Gillingham Decodable Books That Make Reading Magical

Teaching Phonics, Building Character, Celebrating Neurodiversity

Revolutionary Decodable Readers for Children with Dyslexia

Luna & Leo's Sharing and Caring World is a groundbreaking 44-book series combining rigorous Orton-Gillingham phonics instruction with captivating storytelling, beautiful coloring pages, and meaningful character education. Each book teaches one of the 44 English phonemes while featuring Luna—a neurodivergent first grader with wild hair full of butterflies—as she navigates adventures that teach reading skills AND virtues like kindness, courage, and compassion.

What Makes Luna & Leo Different?

Evidence-Based Orton-Gillingham Methodology

Every book in the Luna & Leo series follows the proven Orton-Gillingham approach—the gold standard for teaching children with dyslexia and reading difficulties. Our carefully controlled decodable texts ensure children practice only the phonemes they've learned, building confidence with every page.

Authentic Neurodivergent Representation

Luna isn't a character who needs to be "fixed." She's on the autism spectrum, and her unique way of seeing the world is her superpower. Children who learn differently finally see themselves as heroes in stories that celebrate neurodiversity while teaching essential reading skills.

Character Education Integrated Seamlessly

Inspired by the McGuffey Readers, each Luna & Leo book teaches a core virtue—kindness, perseverance, honesty, courage, gratitude, and more. Children don't just learn to decode words; they learn to be good humans.

Interactive Coloring Book Format

Every story includes beautiful, detailed illustrations designed specifically for coloring. This multisensory approach engages children's hands and minds simultaneously, making learning more effective and enjoyable.

Dual Reading Levels

Each book contains a simple decodable section for children to read independently AND an enriched version for parents to read aloud, providing vocabulary development and comprehension practice.

Teaching Short 'a' Sound | Character Value: COMPASSION

🌵 CHILD'S DECODABLE SECTION (For Child to Read)

Page 1 Luna had a map. She put the map in her bag. Honey, her teddy bear, sat on her lap.

Page 2 "Tap, tap," went Luna's hat in the hot sun. "Snap!" went a twig.

Page 3 Luna saw a rabbit dash past. A fat cactus cast a big, flat shadow.

Page 4 Luna sat and had a snack. Honey sat and had a nap.

Page 5 Luna saw a small rabbit. The rabbit was sad. The rabbit sat.

Page 6 "Hello, little rabbit," said Luna. Luna had a bit of her snack. She gave it to the rabbit.

Page 7 The rabbit ate the snack. Nibble, nibble, nibble! The rabbit was happy!

Page 8 Luna was happy too. Sharing made her heart feel warm and full. Luna and Honey walked home, smiling all the way.

🦋 PARENT ENRICHMENT SECTION (Parent Reads Aloud to Child)

The Full Story: Luna's Desert Discovery

Page 1 - Setting Out Luna tucked her precious map carefully into her knapsack—the little canvas bag her grandmother had given her for adventures. Her faithful companion, Honey the teddy bear, sat securely on her lap, his button eyes watching the world go by. Luna's wild hair was especially magnificent today, with three butterflies and two tiny bees nestled among the tangles, as if they too were excited for this desert exploration.

"Today," Luna whispered to Honey, running her fingers over the map's crinkly surface, "we're going to find the big saguaro cactus that Grandpa told us about." The map showed a winding trail through the Sonoran Desert, and Luna had studied it so many times she could almost see the path in her mind.

Page 2 - Into the Desert The Arizona sun blazed overhead, making everything shimmer and dance in the heat. Luna's wide-brimmed hat went "tap, tap, tap" against her shoulders as she walked, keeping rhythm with her steps. She liked the sound—it was like a little song just for her.

Suddenly—"SNAP!"—a dry creosote twig broke under her foot. The sharp sound startled her, and her heart beat fast for a moment. Luna took three deep breaths, just like her mom had taught her. In, out. In, out. In, out. The desert was full of surprising sounds, but that was okay. Surprises could be good.

The creosote bushes around her smelled like rain, even though there wasn't a cloud in the bright blue sky. Luna noticed everything: the way the shadows were getting shorter, how the sand was the color of honey (like her teddy bear!), the tiny lizard doing push-ups on a rock.

Page 3 - Desert Neighbors A flash of movement caught Luna's eye—a jackrabbit, long-eared and swift, dashed past in a blur of brown fur and powerful back legs. Luna gasped with delight. "Did you see that, Honey?" she asked her bear. "He was SO fast! Like he had springs in his feet!"

A little further down the path, Luna discovered a magnificent barrel cactus, round and fat like a giant pincushion. It stood as tall as Luna herself, covered in golden spines that caught the sunlight. The cactus cast a big, flat shadow on the ground—a perfect spot for a rest.

Luna had been walking for quite a while, and her legs were feeling tired. She arranged herself carefully in the shade, making sure Honey was comfortable too.

Page 4 - Snack Time Luna opened her knapsack and pulled out the snack her dad had packed: apple slices, crackers with peanut butter, and a small box of raisins. The first bite of cool, crisp apple tasted wonderful after their hot walk.

Honey "ate" his snack too (Luna held a cracker near his mouth and made tiny munching sounds). Then Honey decided he was tired and flopped over for a nap, his fuzzy brown head resting against Luna's leg.

Luna sat very still, enjoying the peaceful moment. A butterfly—was it one from her hair?—landed on her knee, opening and closing its wings slowly. Orange and black. Open and close. Open and close. Luna matched her breathing to the butterfly's wings.

Page 5 - A Small Discovery That's when Luna noticed something that made her heart squeeze tight in her chest.

Behind a small palo verde bush sat a very young jackrabbit. Not a big, strong one like the rabbit that had dashed past earlier—this was a baby, no bigger than Luna's two hands put together. Its ears were large but floppy, and it sat very, very still.

Luna knew that animals often freeze when they're scared. She'd learned that in her nature book.

But something seemed wrong. The little rabbit's breathing looked fast, and it didn't hop away when Luna slowly stood up. Luna took one careful step closer. Then another. She moved as slowly as a cloud drifting across the sky.

The baby rabbit watched her with dark, frightened eyes. It was trembling.

"Oh," Luna whispered, so softly the word was almost just a breath. "You're all alone, aren't you?"

Page 6 - A Gentle Connection Luna's eyes grew hot with tears. She knew exactly how it felt to be scared and alone. Sometimes at school, when there were too many loud voices and too much confusion, Luna felt just like this little rabbit—frozen and afraid, wishing someone would notice and help.

She crouched down, making herself small and non-threatening. "Hello, little rabbit," she said in her gentlest voice, the voice she used when talking to her goldfish at home. "My name is Luna, and this is Honey. We won't hurt you."

The rabbit's nose twitched. Once. Twice.

Luna had an idea. She reached into her knapsack and broke off a small piece of her apple—just a tiny bit, not too much. Slowly, slowly, slowly, she stretched out her hand, offering it to the frightened creature.

"Are you hungry?" Luna asked. "It's okay if you don't want it. But I'd like to share with you."

Page 7 - The Gift of Caring For a long moment, nothing happened. The desert was so quiet Luna could hear her own heartbeat.

Then—miracle of miracles—the baby jackrabbit took one wobbly hop forward. Then another. Its little pink nose reached out, whiskers quivering, and touched the apple piece in Luna's outstretched palm.

Nibble, nibble, nibble!

The rabbit's tiny teeth made the softest sounds as it ate. Luna held perfectly still, barely breathing, watching in wonder. She could feel the tickle of the rabbit's whiskers against her palm. She could see the way its eyes slowly became less frightened and more curious.

When the apple was gone, Luna offered a second small piece. And then a third. The rabbit ate each one, and with every nibble, it seemed to grow a little stronger, a little braver.

"There you go," Luna whispered. "You're going to be okay."

The butterflies in Luna's hair seemed to glow with extra brightness, as if they approved of her kindness.

Page 8 - The Journey Home After the rabbit had eaten its fill, it sat for a moment longer, looking at Luna. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, it hopped away—not running in fear this time, but moving with purpose, heading toward a cluster of prickly pear cactus where Luna could see a hole that might be a burrow.

"Maybe that's your home!" Luna called after it. "Maybe your mama is there!"

She watched until the little rabbit disappeared into the shadows between the cacti. Her heart felt so full it might burst, like a balloon filled with warm light.

Luna carefully repacked her knapsack, making sure Honey was secure in her arms. As she walked back home, following her map in reverse, she thought about the baby rabbit.

She had shared just a little bit of her snack—nothing big, nothing fancy—but it had made such a difference. The rabbit had been hungry and scared, and now it had a full belly and enough strength to get home.

"That's what compassion means, Honey," Luna said to her teddy bear, using the new word her teacher had taught last week. "It means noticing when someone needs help and choosing to help them, even when it's hard, even when you don't have to."

The butterflies in her hair danced in agreement.

When Luna got home and told her parents about the baby jackrabbit, her mom hugged her tight. "You have such a caring heart, Luna," she said. "You noticed someone who needed help, and you were brave enough and kind enough to give it."

That night, as Luna drifted off to sleep, she smiled. Tomorrow she would draw a picture of the little rabbit for her nature journal. And maybe, just maybe, the next time she went on a desert adventure, she would bring extra apple slices—just in case.

💝 CHARACTER LESSON: Compassion

What Luna Learned:

Compassion means noticing when others are hurting or in need
Small acts of kindness can make a big difference
Helping others makes our own hearts feel full
We can be brave and gentle at the same time
Sharing what we have (even when it's not much) is a gift

Discussion Questions for Parents:

How did Luna know the baby rabbit needed help?
Why do you think Luna moved slowly and spoke softly?
Luna was scared at first (when the twig snapped), but she still helped the rabbit. What does that tell you about bravery?
Have you ever helped someone or something that needed help? How did it make you feel?
What are some ways you can show compassion at home? At school?

🎨 ILLUSTRATION NOTES FOR COLORING PAGES

Page 1 Illustration: Luna sitting cross-legged, studying her map, with Honey the teddy bear on her lap. Her wild hair flows around her with butterflies nestled in. Her knapsack is beside her. Background: edge of desert with saguaro cacti in distance.

Page 2 Illustration: Luna walking on desert path, her hat tilted on her head, one foot mid-step about to land on a twig. Motion lines around the twig. Sun rays visible. Creosote bushes around her.

Page 3 Illustration: Split scene—top half shows blurred jackrabbit dashing past (motion lines). Bottom half shows Luna discovering the barrel cactus with its long shadow. Detail on cactus spines.

Page 4 Illustration: Luna sitting in cactus shadow, eating apple slices. Honey the bear appears to be napping, flopped over. Luna's face is peaceful. A butterfly rests on her knee.

Page 5 Illustration: Luna crouched down, making eye contact with tiny baby jackrabbit hiding behind palo verde bush. Both characters' eyes clearly visible—showing Luna's concern and rabbit's fear.

Page 6 Illustration: Close-up of Luna's hand extended with apple piece, baby rabbit's twitching nose investigating. Luna's face shows gentle patience. The moment before connection.

Page 7 Illustration: Baby rabbit nibbling from Luna's palm. Luna's expression shows pure joy and wonder. Butterflies in her hair seem to glow. Everything feels magical in this moment.

Page 8 Illustration: Luna walking home, map in one hand, Honey under her other arm. Baby rabbit visible in background heading toward cacti/burrow. Luna is smiling, hair flowing behind her.

🎵 SONG: "Luna's Compassion Song"

(Tune: "The Wheels on the Bus")

Verse 1: Luna had a map, had a map, had a map, Luna had a map in her bag! (short 'a'!) Luna had a snack, had a snack, had a snack, She shared her snack and felt glad!

Verse 2: The rabbit was sad, was so sad, was so sad, The rabbit was sad and afraid, But Luna gave help, gave some help, gave some help, Luna's kindness saved the day!

Verse 3: When someone needs help, someone needs help, someone needs help, When someone needs help, what do you do? You share what you have, what you have, what you have, That's compassion, through and through!

Actions:

"Had a map" - pretend to hold and open map
"In her bag" - pat side like patting bag
"Rabbit was sad" - make sad face, droopy ears with hands
"Luna gave help" - reach out hands in offering gesture
"Share what you have" - arms spread wide then bring to heart

📝 ACTIVITY PAGES

Activity 1: Short 'a' Sound Hunt

Directions: Color all the pictures that have the short 'a' sound. Listen carefully!

Pictures to include:

✓ Map (color it!)
✓ Bag (color it!)
✓ Hat (color it!)
✓ Cactus (color it!)
✓ Rabbit (color it!)
✗ Bee (no short a - leave uncolored)
✗ Sun (no short a - leave uncolored)
✗ Tree (no short a - leave uncolored)

Activity 2: Build Luna's Words

Cut out the letter tiles and build these words from Luna's adventure:

[Letter tiles: m-a-p | b-a-g | h-a-t | s-a-t | h-a-d | n-a-p | f-a-t | s-a-d]

Words to build:

Activity 3: Compassion in Action

Color the pictures that show compassion—caring for others who need help:

6 small scenes to color or not color:

✓ Child sharing toy with another child (COLOR)
✓ Helping someone who fell down (COLOR)
✓ Giving food to a pet (COLOR)
✗ Taking a toy away from someone (DON'T COLOR)
✓ Hugging someone who is crying (COLOR)
✗ Laughing at someone who is sad (DON'T COLOR)

Activity 4: Luna's Feelings

Draw lines matching Luna's face to how she felt:

Luna's expressions to match:

Luna startled (wide eyes) → "When the twig snapped"
Luna peaceful (eyes closed, smiling) → "Eating her snack"
Luna concerned (eyebrows together) → "Seeing the scared rabbit"
Luna joyful (huge smile) → "When the rabbit ate from her hand"

Activity 5: Rhyme Time with Short 'a'

Help Luna find rhyming words! Draw lines connecting words that rhyme:

map → lap, tap, cap, nap
bag → tag, sag, rag
cat → hat, mat, sat, pat
sad → mad, bad, had, dad

Activity 6: Desert Coloring Meditation

A detailed, intricate coloring page:

Full-page illustration of desert scene with:

Large barrel cactus in foreground (lots of spines to color)
Saguaro cacti in background
Baby jackrabbit
Butterflies
Creosote bushes
Patterns in the sand
Small hidden details (lizard, bird, stones with patterns)

Parent note: This page is designed for calming, focused coloring time. Let your child take their time and color however they wish!

👪 PARENT GUIDE

About This Book

Phonics Focus: Short 'a' Sound This book introduces the short 'a' sound (/æ/) in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) pattern words. Your child is learning to:

Recognize the letter 'a' in written words
Hear the /æ/ sound in the middle of words
Blend sounds together: /m/ /æ/ /p/ = "map"
Read simple short 'a' words independently

Target Words in This Book: map, bag, lap, tap, hat, snap, dash, past, fat, cactus, cast, flat, sat, had, snack, nap, sad, rabbit

Sight Words Introduced:

New: "she," "her," "saw," "the," "went," "a"
Review: N/A (first book)

How to Read This Book Together

Part 1: Child Reads the Decodable Section

Preview the story: Look at the pictures together first. Talk about what Luna might be doing.
Sound it out: Encourage your child to point to each word and sound it out. If they struggle, say: "Let's sound this out together: /m/ /a/ /p/. Now blend it: map!"
Celebrate success: Every word they read is an accomplishment! Be enthusiastic.
Don't correct every error: If they misread but it makes sense, keep going. You can gently correct after.
Take breaks: If your child is getting frustrated, stop and come back later. Reading should be enjoyable!

Part 2: Parent Reads the Enriched Section After your child reads the decodable section, read them the fuller, richer version of the story. This:

Builds vocabulary (words like "knapsack," "magnificent," "compassion")
Develops listening comprehension
Shows them what fluent reading sounds like
Deepens emotional connection to the story

Multisensory Learning Tips

Visual:

Point to the letter 'a' in words
Show your mouth: Open wide for /æ/ like at the dentist
Use colored pencils to highlight all the 'a's in the story

Auditory:

Exaggerate the /æ/ sound when you say words
Play "I Spy short 'a'": Take turns finding objects around your house with the /æ/ sound (lamp, fan, can, hand)
Clap for each sound: c-ap (two claps), m-a-p (three claps)

Kinesthetic:

Write words in shaving cream, sand, or with finger paint
"Skywrite" words with big arm movements
March in place while saying words: "map" (step), "bag" (step), "hat" (step)

Tactile:

Use magnetic letters to build words
Create words with playdough letter snakes
Trace words cut from sandpaper

Extending the Learning

Real-World Short 'a' Hunt:

At the grocery store: Find labels with short 'a' (ham, jam, snack)
In the car: Spot street signs with short 'a' (Gas, Fast Food, Park)
At home: Label items with short 'a' (lamp, pan, trash can)

Creative Extensions:

Draw your own map of your neighborhood
Create a "compassion jar": Each time your child shows kindness, add a pebble or button to the jar
Pack a "nature bag" like Luna's and go on a nature walk
Make up silly sentences with short 'a' words: "The cat sat on a flat hat!"

Discussion Prompts

Before Reading:

"Have you ever seen a jackrabbit? What do you think they eat?"
"Why do you think Luna brought Honey the teddy bear on her adventure?"
"What would you pack in your bag for a desert walk?"

During Reading:

"How do you think Luna felt when the twig snapped? Have loud sounds ever surprised you?"
"Why do you think Luna moved slowly toward the rabbit?"
"What do you notice about Luna's hair?" (accepting of differences)

After Reading:

"Why did Luna share her snack with the rabbit?"
"How did helping the rabbit make Luna feel?"
"Can you think of a time when someone was kind to you? How did it feel?"
"What's one way you could show compassion this week?"

Understanding Luna's Neurodivergence

Luna is on the autism spectrum, which means her brain works a little differently than some other kids' brains. This is part of what makes Luna special! In this story, you might notice:

Luna's Sensory Experiences:

She notices EVERYTHING: sounds, smells, textures, details others might miss
Sudden sounds (like the snapping twig) can be startling
She uses calming techniques (deep breaths, rhythmic sounds)

Luna's Strengths:

Extraordinary observation skills (she noticed the baby rabbit when others might have walked past)
Deep empathy (she understood the rabbit's fear because she's felt that way)
Focus and patience (she held still for a long time to help the rabbit)

What You Can Say: "Luna's brain notices lots of details, which helped her see that the baby rabbit needed help. Everyone's brain works differently, and that's what makes us all special!"

This representation helps ALL children:

Neurodivergent children see themselves as capable heroes
Neurotypical children learn about accepting differences
Everyone learns that "different" doesn't mean "less than"

When to Seek Additional Support

Most children learning to read need time and practice. However, if you notice several of these signs, consider talking to your child's teacher or a reading specialist:

Difficulty hearing/identifying individual sounds in words after repeated practice
Struggling to connect letters to their sounds
Reversing letters frequently (b/d, p/q) beyond age 7
Reading frustration leading to tears, anger, or refusal
Family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties

Early intervention makes a huge difference! There's no shame in getting support—in fact, it's one of the most loving things you can do.

Preparing for Book 2

Next Phoneme: Short 'i' (/ĭ/ as in "sit") Next Virtue: Perseverance

Preview Activity: Start listening for short 'i' words in everyday life. "Oh, I hear short 'i' in 'kitchen'! Can you hear it?"

A Note to Parents

Teaching a child to read—especially a child who struggles with reading—can be challenging. Some days will feel like victories. Other days will feel impossibly hard.

Please remember: