Engaging with New Phonics Storybooks
In the Cozy Book Corner, we talk a lot about reading books, but in truth, most of the time we do a lot more than read them. We do what the experts call engage with them. That means we connect with what we are reading in such a way that the story becomes more than words on a page. We begin to care about the characters and predict and wonder what they are going to do next. We recognize their foibles and their triumphs, and we can even carry on conversations with our friends and family members about these characters, citing evidence from the book to bolster our arguments!
Recently, Pioneer Valley Books added On Our Way Set 3 to our Phonics Storybooks collection, and I got pretty elated thinking about all the ways readers will get to engage with them. The stories in Set 3 are smart and captivating, and as usual, the art is full of imagination and charm. Your students will find their fast favorites—maybe it’s Stan’s misadventure on the subway, or Glen and Ned’s hijinks with a slingshot even though Mom said no.
On Our Way Set 3 includes plenty of tales with animals; my favorites include a bear cub tumbling into a campsite for raspberry jam and creamy honey on the picnic table (oh, noooo, this has never happened to me) and a nail-biter involving a fox chasing a rabbit named Bun Bun. Will Bun Bun find a place to hide and elude capture? This set also includes two nonfiction titles, which can be perfect for older students needing practice with foundational skills.
We have a scope and sequence available for each of our Phonics Storybook sets, and you’ll find the On Our Way books provide the beginning reader with opportunities to practice decoding CVC words, words with initial and final digraphs, and simple words with initial blends. Your readers will be engaging with foundational skills as well as making meaning as they read.
As the wind whips around and the snow flurries continue to fly, teachers and students alike should engage in a good book or two! Your brains and imaginations will thank you. Thanks for visiting the Cozy Book Corner, and I’ll see you next month!
To learn more about Phonics Storybooks or any of our engaging decodable books, reach out to me (Colleen) or any of our account managers for more information!
