# Chinese Sight-Word Readers 1: 12 Little Books with Pinyin (Ages 5–8) Twelve little patterned books that build a first set of sight characters, with pinyin, pictures, check pages and read-along audio Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-sight-word-readers-1 ## At a glance - Level: Kids 5–8 - Format: Kids workbook · PDF · 32 pages · US Letter (prints on A4) - Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Nov 4, 2026 ## Download Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-sight-word-readers-1. SayMei emails a copy too. ## A line from the workbook 我喜欢看书！ (Wǒ xǐhuan kàn shū!) — I like reading! ## By the end you can - Read a first little book with 我有. Book 1 repeats one pattern seven times, so after 我 and 有 your child reads the whole book: a cat, a dog, a fish and, last of all, Bao the panda. 我有朋友。 (Wǒ yǒu péngyou.): I have a friend. - Name things with 这是 and say what they like with 喜欢. Books 2 and 3 add 这, 是 and 喜欢 over lunch and a walk home, and a Check page asks which of 喜欢 or 是 fits each gap. 我喜欢面条。 (Wǒ xǐhuan miàntiáo.): I like noodles. - Say mine, yours, big and small. Book 4 points at hands, noses and eyes with 我的 and 你的; Book 5 compares big and small dogs, cats and fish with 大 and 小. 这是我的手。 (Zhè shì wǒ de shǒu.): This is my hand. - Ask a yes-or-no question and answer it. Book 6 adds 吗 to make a question and 不 to say no, as Bao turns down fish and rice and smiles at noodles. 你喜欢面条吗？ (Nǐ xǐhuan miàntiáo ma?): Do you like noodles? - Ask how many and who. Book 7 counts apples with 几个, and Book 8 goes through a family photo album with 他 and 她, which sound the same and differ only on the page. 你有几个苹果？ (Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge píngguǒ?): How many apples do you have? - Say where someone is and what they eat and drink. Book 9 searches school, a shop and home for Bao with 在; Book 10 sets the breakfast table with 吃 and 喝. 宝在哪里？ (Bǎo zài nǎlǐ?): Where is Bao? - Say where we go and who we love. Book 11 takes a shop trip with 我们去 and 看, and Book 12 ends at home with 爱, 很 and 好. 我爱我的家。 (Wǒ ài wǒ de jiā.): I love my family. - Read back all 26 sight characters. Page 27 lists every sight character with pinyin and meaning, grouped by book, and the reading chart on page 28 has a tick for each book read aloud. ## What's inside - Book 1: Read: Book 1: I Have · Check: Find, Match and Say: I Have - Book 2: Read: Book 2: This Is · Check: Find, Match and Say: This Is - Book 3: Read: Book 3: I Like · Check: Find, Fill and Say: I Like - Book 4: Read: Book 4: My Hand, Your Hand · Check: Find, Match and Say: Mine, Yours - Book 5: Read: Book 5: Big and Small · Check: Find, Match and Say: Big, Small - Book 6: Read: Book 6: Do You Like Fish? · Check: Find, Answer and Say: Do You Like? - Book 7: Read: Book 7: How Many Apples? · Check: Count, Find and Say: How Many? - Book 8: Read: Book 8: Who Is He? · Check: Find, Match and Say: He or She - Book 9: Read: Book 9: Where Is Bao? · Check: Find, Match and Say: Where Is It? - Book 10: Read: Book 10: Breakfast Time · Check: Find, Check and Say: Eat or Drink - Book 11: Read: Book 11: Let's Go! · Check: Find, Match and Say: Let's Go - Book 12: Read: Book 12: I Love My Family · Check: Find, Build and Say: I Love - Sight words: All 26 Sight Characters - My reading chart: My Reading Chart ## How to use this book Each little book takes about 10 minutes: listen to it on the free read-along audio (2 minutes), read it together (3 minutes), do its Check page (3 minutes), then say one line about something real at home (2 minutes). - Week 1: Books 1 to 3. 我有, 这是 and 喜欢. Play each book once while your child points to each character, then read it together. - Week 2: Books 4 to 6. Mine and yours, big and small, and 吗 questions. Ask your child about a real food with 吗 at dinner. - Week 3: Books 7 to 9. Count real apples or toys with 几个, name people in a family photo with 他 and 她, and play hide-and-seek with 你在哪里？ - Week 4: Books 10 to 12. Say breakfast with 吃 and 喝, plan a trip with 我们去, and end with 我爱. Tick each book on the reading chart. - At the end: Read Book 1 again. Read back the 26 characters on page 27, then ask your child to read Book 1 without the audio, so they hear how easy it has become. ## Who it's for Children aged 5 to 8 taking their first steps in reading Chinese characters, with a parent at home or a teacher in class. The words come from YCT 1. Before you start: Nothing. Every sentence has pinyin above it and an English meaning, and grown-ups don't need to speak Chinese: the free read-along audio reads every book, and the answers to the Check pages are at the back. ## What is a sight-word reader? A short book that repeats one sentence pattern, so a child can read a whole book after learning two or three new characters. Each of the twelve books here adds a few characters, 26 in all, and the pattern does the teaching. ## Should my child read the pinyin or the characters? Both, in that order. Pinyin sits above every character, so children can read each book with it first, then try reading from the characters alone. The Check pages ask them to find and circle the new characters. ## What if my child gets a word wrong? Say the word for them and keep going. The book's own advice is to praise the reading, not the speed. Each book's Check page has its answers at the back, so you can check without knowing Chinese. ## Is this workbook free? Yes. The whole 32-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay. ## Do I need a SayMei account? Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor. ## How do I print it? The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too. ## Can I print copies for my class or my children? Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy. Version 2026-11, updated Nov 4, 2026.