Skip to content
ReadRead
Log inFree
+Add a childSwitch reader
Who’s reading?
Grown-ups overview
Invite friendsGive a giftRedeem

Back to all books
Kick and Throw
Reading level 4 · First sentencesAges 3–5

Kick and Throw

by ReadRead · 90 sec

Kick the ball, Jun! Throw the ball, Dad! A very first book for very new readers: one short sentence on every page, and the picture always shows the word.

10pop-up spreads
17things to tap
2new words
Words in this book
kickthrowbackballbringseveryonehellohooray
Peek inside

Part of Family Shelf

Website price: $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, 7 days free. Every book, for every child.

About Family ShelfYou can also subscribe on iPhone or iPad. Confirm the App Store price shown in the app; it may vary by region.

Inside the book

Jun goes to the park with his dad, a fluffy puppy and a red ball. Kick! The ball flies into the little goal. Throw! Dad sends it high, and Jun catches it. Oh no, a big throw lands in the tree, and a big kick sends the ball over the pond. Woof! Splash! Each time, the puppy brings it back. At sunset everyone plays together.

Jun’s red ball is stuck in the big tree in Kick and Throw.
Jun’s red ball is stuck in the big tree in Kick and Throw.
Jun, his dad and a fluffy puppy in a sunny park with a red ball.
Jun, his dad and a fluffy puppy in a sunny park with a red ball.
The puppy swims across the pond to bring the red ball back.
The puppy swims across the pond to bring the red ball back.
At sunset everyone plays, and the puppy catches the ball.
At sunset everyone plays, and the puppy catches the ball.

The new words in this book

kick

Hit something with your foot to make it go. It comes up 7 times, and every time someone on the page really kicks: Jun sends the ball into the goal and over the pond, and Dad kicks a ball for the puppy.

throw

Send something through the air with your arm and hand. It comes up 8 times: Dad throws the ball to Jun, Jun throws it into the tree, and Jun throws it far for the puppy to chase.

Made for children just starting kindergarten. Each page has one short sentence (3 to 6 words) in one pattern: “Kick the ball, Jun!” / “Throw the ball, Dad!” and “Woof! Puppy brings it back.” Only a word or two changes, so a child can say the page with you by the third spread. Every other word is one a 4-year-old already knows, like ball, tree, pond, puppy, dad and woof.

Questions to ask while you read

Pause after each spread and ask one question. There are no right answers; the point is to get your child talking.

  1. 1What is Jun holding? Is it for kicking or throwing?
  2. 2Where does the ball go when Jun kicks it?
  3. 3Can you catch like Jun? Hold out your hands!
  4. 4Oh no! Where is the ball now?
  5. 5What does the puppy say? Woof!
  6. 6Where did the ball land?
  7. 7How does the puppy get the ball out of the pond?
  8. 8Throw a pretend ball for the puppy. How far did it go?
  9. 9Tap a ball. Is it a kick or a throw?
  10. 10What colour is the sky now? Who is playing?

How hard is this book?

4
Reading level · KFirst sentences

About 50 words, one short sentence at a time, one pattern that repeats.

51words in all
25different words
4.6words per sentence
5longest sentence
More books at this level
Words a child can sound out, by phonics step
Step 1 · short a, i, o39%
Step 2 · all short vowels43%
Step 3 · blends69%
Step 4 · magic e, ee/ai73%
Step 5 · ar/or, oo/ou94%
Step 6 · longer words100%
Grammar in this book
  • Questions × 2Tap! Kick or throw?
  • Commands × 6Kick the ball, Jun!
Words that may stop a reader
everyonehellohoorayorwoofovertree
All 22 words, most used first

throw 8 · kick 7 · the 5 · ball 3 · back 2 · brings 2 · it 2 · or 2 · and · can · everyone · for · hello · hooray · no · oh · over · pond · splash · tap · tree · woof

Names don’t count: the picture shows who it is.

Tips for parents

  • First time: use Read to me and just enjoy the pictures together. It takes about a minute and a half.
  • Act the words: swing a foot on “kick”, swing an arm over your head on “throw”.
  • Read it again and pause before “kick” or “throw”, so your child can say it.
  • Afterwards, go outside with a soft ball and take turns: kick, then throw.
Start reading