Free Read-Aloud Story for Kids Ages 5-8: Rocky and the Last Signal

Looking for a read-aloud story that builds your child’s love of reading? Adventures with Rocky follows a golden retriever and his kids on gentle adventures written for Kindergarten through Grade 3.

How to use this story at home

• Read one page aloud, then let your child read the next sentence.
• Pause and ask, “What do you think happens next?”
• Point to tricky words and sound them out together.

Read the opening: Rocky and the Last Signal

Adventures with Rocky, number 7. Rocky and the Last Signal. Chapter 1. The photo he deleted.

The first photograph Jacob took that morning was of a duck that just received a disappointing report card. The second was of his father. He deleted that one. But harsh, but harsh.

Jacob shoved the phone into his coat. He blinked. He blinked. His eyes were open.

Emotionally blinked. Rocky considered this from the passenger footwell of the pickup. The Golden Retriever had two black spots on his tongue. A bur already caught above his left ear.

And the expression of someone who had heard a great deal of nonsense before breakfast. Jacob had found him at the marsh trail sign when he was five. A wet, golden dog sitting there as if he'd been waiting. Rocky had come home with him and stayed.

Ah, ah. A technical problem. Outside the windshield. Marsh grass bent beneath the pale October sky.

Jacob's father checked the straps on a camera back beside his friend, Mr. Vail. The two adults had planned the luck hunting trip for months. Which was generous of them, since luck hunting was Rocky's invention.

Jacob had agreed to come. Back when Dad still lived at home. Now the trip felt like a promise somebody had forgotten to cancel. Rocky had explained the rules years ago.

Ducks are the best of friends. But only if you can catch them. And for that, you have to be lucky. Because ducks get scared of dogs sometimes.

And Rocky's rules, catching, catching, getting close enough that the duck didn't fly away. Nobody grabbed, nobody chased, nobody chased. You sat still and let the ducks decide. At 12, Jacob was old enough for people to ask what he thought and young enough for them to make the decision before he answered.

That was how the move had worked. That was how weekends worked. Even this morning, Dad had said, good to get out together, as if those five words could fix the whole summer. Rocky put his chin on Jacob's knee.

You can dislike the weekend without disliking breakfast. Jacob tore off a corner of his toast. I don't dislike breakfast. A promising start.

Dad opened the door. He wore his orange vest over a waterproof coat. We're going to the marked blind with Mr.

Talk about it

• How did the characters feel at the start?
• What would you have done?
• Retell the story in three sentences.

Is your child reading on track? Take Dr. Nancy’s free reading assessment and get a simple plan in minutes.