COVER to COVER 8 BOOK
This book is dedicated to young readers everywhere. May you thrive in your wondrous reading journeys.
Book 8 Skills
Story Title Sight Words New Phonics Skill Word Count The Tenth Month Beginning Readers 33 any every th 331 The Lunch Switch Beginning Readers 34 aren’t always ch, tch 356 The Lost Dolphin Beginning Readers 35 you’re been ph 337
Beginning Readers 33 The Tenth Month Yasmin Seth Mo 1
As Seth walked with Mo on the path, he ate a snack. “Would you like some?” Seth asked his friend.
“No thank you,” Mo said. “The truth is, I can’t because I’m fasting this whole month.”
“Oh I didn’t know that,” Seth said. “Can I ask you . . . what do you do when you fast?” Mo smiled. “Yes, I can tell you.”
2
In the ninth month, Yasmin and I fast every sunrise to sunset. When we wake up, the sun is not up. So we can have things to taste and drink like eggs, rolls, and milk. Then we fast, and we can’t have any drinks or anything to taste until sunset. But we thrive just fine.
3
At dusk, we taste dates. Then we drink and dine. Sometimes a dish is hot and spicy. We are thrilled to spend time with friends!
4
When the tenth month begins, everyone stops fasting.
5
“I can see it!” I yell. “That tells us it’s time to begin the big fest!”
At the big fest, we hug friends, give gifts, and dine. We sing, dance, and have lots of fun!
6
7
“I
“I’m glad you gave me all these facts,” Seth said.
“When I finish fasting, I’ll give you one of the best snacks we have,” Mo said.
8
would like that!”
The tenth month came. Mo, Yasmin, and their friends broke the fast. They made dumplings to bring to the fest. Some were thick, and some were thin. Mo held one up. “I think my friend Seth would like these.”
9
Mo met Seth on the path again. He handed Seth a bag with dumplings. “Here, I wanted to give these to you.”
“Thanks!” Seth stopped. “But I will not taste them if you are still fasting.”
“Oh, I’m not fasting at this time,” Mo said.
“I hope you like those.”
10
Seth had a bite and smiled. “Yum! These are very nice! I like them a lot.” Mo walked with Seth, and they ate snacks the whole path home.
11
Beginning Readers 34
The Lunch Switch
Chen Finch Mitch 12
Mitch, Chen, and Finch have such a fun time at camp. They stretch, then they toss and catch. As they chase up and over the hills, the bell chimes. Ching-a-ling-a-ling, chinga-ling-a-ling.
“It’s lunchtime,” Chen said. “Let’s go!”
13
As the friends sit on the bench, they chat and sip their drinks.
“Let’s see what lunch I have,” Mitch said. “Oh, it’s a bunch of grapes and a bag of crunch sticks . . . again. What did you bring?”
“I’ll check,” Finch said. They lift the latch and glance in their bag. “I have a sandwich and some chips . . . again.”
14
Chen sits with clenched fists.
“Why aren’t you munching on your lunch?” asks Finch.
“I don’t want it,” Chen said. “It’s always the same lunch—chicken and pickles with spicy snacks. Just once I would like to have something new.”
15
“I’ve got it!” said Mitch. “Why don’t we switch my lunch and your lunch? Then we can all get something new. Anyone like that?”
“I like that very much,” Finch said. “Why not?” Chen gives the lunch to Mitch. “Everyone can do it. Here you go.”
16
“Aren’t you going to have your lunch?” asks Chen.
“Thanks, but I can’t help scratching my neck,” said Mitch. “Chicken always makes me itch.”
“I don’t think this is the lunch I chose,” said Chen. “Can I please see that one?”
“Yes,” Finch said. “Let’s switch again.”
17
“Which lunch is which?” asks Finch.
“I think that one’s mine, but I can’t tell,” said Chen.
“I don’t know,” said Mitch, scratching again.
“What should we do?”
18
“We could put my lunch here and your lunch there. Then we can pick which one we want,” said Finch.
“Yes! Let’s do it,” said Mitch. The friends put their lunch on the bench and begin to think of which one to take.
19
Then the sandwich gets matched with Finch. The chicken gets matched with Chen, and the bunch of grapes and crunch sticks get matched with Mitch.
20
Mitch licks his lips. “I like my lunch so much!”
“This is the best lunch I’ve had!” said Finch. “Yum!” Chen said, smiling. “I could bring this lunch again and again.”
21
The Lost Dolphin
Beginning Readers 35
22
Sophia Ralph Phil Daphne
While Sophia and Ralph were fishing with Phil, they could see something pink sticking up from the lake.
“Is that a dolphin fin?” Sophia asked. Ralph said, “It can’t be. Dolphins are not pink.”
23
Just then, a pink dolphin stuck its nose up and splashed.
“Oh my!” Ralph said. “Has there always been a pink dolphin here?”
“Not at all,” Sophia said. She went to grab her phone. “I’m going to snap some shots.”
“Don’t stand up,” Phil said. “You’re going to tip us over!”
24
The dolphin came close. Phil could see that its skin was very scratched.
25
“Dolphin, you must be lost,” he said. “And you aren’t doing well in this lake. We have to find someone who can help.”
Phil, Sophia, and Ralph went to see Daphne at the cabin. Daphne and her friends had a big sling to pick up the dolphin. They all helped lift the dolphin into a tank that was in a big truck.
“You’re going to take the dolphin away?” asked Ralph.
“Yes, it should not have been in this lake,” Daphne said. “We have to ship it back to its home where the rest of the pink dolphins are.”
26
27
Sophia used a cloth to dab the dolphin’s skin so it could still be wet.
Daphne had a map and a graph of where the dolphin should live. “This place is its home,” she said. “These dolphins live in pods. But this graph tells us that there are not a lot of these pink dolphins left.”
28
Daphne waved. “When I get the dolphin back to its home, I’ll send you all a note. Thanks again. You helped save it!” And she drove away. They all waved back.
“I hope the dolphin will be fine,” Sophia said.
29
One month passed when . . .
Sophia got a chime on the phone. “It’s a text from Daphne!” she said. “The dolphin is going to be just fine.”
They could see snapshots of the dolphin.
30
31
32
At last, the dolphin was back home safe where it should be.
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ISBN: 978-1-63755-903-1 Printed
in
Cover to Cover
Illustrated by Denise Pelleriti
the United States
Book 8
About this book
The Cover to Cover series by Reading Partners was created for readers of all levels with a focus on instructional practices rooted in the science of reading. The stories include a commitment to diverse and affirming characters. Book 8 is for readers who know how to read long vowels and are now working on more complex phonics skills known as digraphs (ex: words that start and end with “th”). Comprehension skills continue to build for readers in this book.
About Reading Partners
Reading Partners is a national early literacy nonprofit that partners with schools, community-based organizations, local volunteers, and families to provide individualized tutoring and other evidence-based literacy support for students who are striving to read at grade level. The Reading Partners team recognizes that learning to read is a civil right, and we promote educational equity within marginalized communities by helping students develop lifelong literacy skills and confidence to actualize their limitless potential. We envision a future where every reader has the skills they need to read a book from and then reach for another!
COVER to COVER 8 BOOK
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