Starfall.com
Starfall Education (2002-present)

Audience: toddlers, pre-K

Format: website

Starfall Education offers ABC games for children, “when learning to read, students who understand the basic sounds of the language can apply letter-sound relations with greater ease” (2011). The ABCs Let's Get Ready to Read is an introduction to letter sounds. This free tutorial full of interactive and audio-visual elements is a resource designed to help children gain letter knowledge and phonemic awareness in a playful manner. For instance, children can hear the variant sounds of letter “S” online or try learning letters using sign language. This ABCs Let's Get Ready to Read program is also available as a free iPhone or iPod app. Companies such as Starfall provide entertaining and educational electronic tools for this age group, but parents can also practice alphabet recognition in other ways using simple activities such as tracing letters in sand, identifying letters on signs, or playing “I spy” with children.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you like this resource you may like: Mr. Wee and Boo by WeeTeachIt

Other programs by Starfall Education: Learn to Read (early beginning reader), It's Fun to Read, and I'm Reading

Wombat Wallkabout

Carol Diggory Shields (2009), 32 pages

Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

Follow six of the cutest wombats on a walkabout. Deep in the Australian outback they start out on their journey as “six woolly wombats, walking one by one, passed a golden wattle blooming in the sun. The last little wombat, whose name was Clive, stopped to smell the flowers … then there were five.” Oops, now the group has gone from six to five! But his disappearance is not just due to distraction, there happens to be a hungry-eyed dingo tagging along. One by one, the group slowly dwindles down to just two, suddenly … the remaining pair Jen and Jack “thought it awfully quiet, so they looked back. No little wombats? That’s not good! They jumped off the track and hid in the wood.” What should they do? As the dingo approaches the hidden duo soon realize where their friends went … Dingo’s got their mates in a big swag bag. They think of brilliant plan to trick the dingo – and what do you know? Their friends survive … now “Six woolly wombats, good as new. Walked along together, two by two.” Shield’s text is rhythmic without being over the top (seamlessly integrating assonance, alliteration, and rhymes) into each verse. Creating a narrative rich with imagery and substance – she also includes a glossary of Australian terminology such as native wildlife (dingo, wombat, kookaburra) and flora (wattle tree, eucalyptus). Blackall’s illustrations are enchanting; she manages to create adorable characters with personality yet plays homage to the Australian landscape beautifully. This book is ideal for teaching counting, numbers, phonological awareness, and increase vocabulary. A great read-aloud book for kids and adults!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French, Koala Lou by Mem Fox, or Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles

Other books by this author: The Bugliest Bug, Food Fight!, and Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp

Other books by this illustrator: Ruby's Wish, Pecan Pie Baby, Edwin Speaks Up, and Big Red Lollipop

Between the Lions

PBS Kids (2000-2011), 30 minutes

Audience: Pre-K

Format: television show and website

Funded by the Corporation of Public Broadcasting and the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready to Learn grant, PBS Kids produces a variety of television shows for children with an emphasis on reading and early literacy skills, such as Between the Lions, a puppet show featuring a family of literate lions. Main characters Lionel and Leona (cubs) and their parents read a couple stories (examples include Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and I miss you Stinky Face) whilst intersected by other animated vignettes highlighting certain letters, words, and vocabulary from supplemental character skits such as Gawain’s Word, Information Hen, and Word Cup Masters. Using puppetry and simple animation –this show manages to be both educational and entertaining.

As an accompaniment or supplementary tool to their television programming, PBS Kids offers companion computer games that foster literacy skills. Kids can try several Between the Lions inspired games, examples include Fuzzy Lion Ears (kids can pretend they have fuzzy lion ears –listening to words they can match the missing sound to the correct letter and make the word whole again), Pounce! (children can practice word matching by “pouncing” or clicking on each appropriate word) or Word Play (where words are displayed and animated to act out their meaning –for instance the word “vanish” actually disappears or the word “pop” bursts off the screen). Combining clear instructions with a simple interface makes digital games easy to use and appropriate for young children. Although interactive games can be simulating for kids and engage their literacy skills, parental involvement cannot be circumnavigated; parents are still encouraged to model these skills.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this TV show, you may like: Reading Rainbow, Olivia, Sesame Street, or Toddworld

Other television shows by PBS Kids: Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Caillou, Sid the Science Kid, WordGirl, and The Electric Company

Super Why!

PBS Kids (2007-present), 24 minutes

Audience: pre-K

Format: television show

PBS Kids’ Super Why! stages a quartet of characters: Whyatt, Pig, Red Riding Hood, and Princess Pea who have adventures in Storybook Land. These friends transform into Super Readers with reading readiness powers: Alpha-Pig, Wonder Red (word power), Princess Presto (spelling) and Super Why (power to read) as they search out clues and solve problems using words, letters, and reading skills. This program asks for viewer participation using open-ended questions to add interactive elements, examples include “what letter comes after P?” and “what sound does “F” make?” These prompting techniques can be beneficial, helping to build a child’s vocabulary and phonemic awareness.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this TV show, you may like: Blue’s Clues or Dora the Explorer

Other television shows by PBS Kids: Word World, Martha Speaks, and The Cat and the Hat Know a Lot About That!

I’m All Ears: Sing into Reading

Fran Avni (1999), 46:39 minutes

Audience: All ages

Format: CD

Twenty-three songs feature rhythmic beats and lyrics that teach children early literacy skills. Each song helps children develop reading readiness skills. For example rhyming techniques are used in “Name Game” (rhyme recognition) and “Good for You” (rhyme completion). Alliteration is featured in numerous songs including “Chugga choo choo,” “Lily,” and “One Wet Windy Wednesday.” Phonemic awareness (sound deletion, isolation, and blending) is highlighted in several songs such as “Pineapple,” “Topsy Turvy” and “Fiddle Around with the Middle Sound.” This CD makes learning educational and fun at the same time!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this CD, you may like: Singing Sounds: Songs for Learning Early Speech Sounds

Other CDs by this artist: Little Ears: 27 Songs for Reading Readiness and Tuning Into Nature-Songs and Activities about the Earth

There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!

Dr. Seuss (1974), 36 pages

Audience: toddlers, Pre-K

Format: picture book

Dr. Seuss is famous for his ridiculous and tongue-twisting rhymes and this book is no exception! There's a Wocket in My Pocket features an entire narration of clever and entertaining nonsense words! These words are an excellent tool for teaching phonemic awareness … have children practice making up words and sounds by replacing the first or last letter of a word (a technique is know as phonemic isolation and substitution) For instance, wocket=pocket, wasket=basket, woset=closet, nink=sink, or yottle=bottle. The possibilities are endless! A great read-aloud book, parents and children will have fun making up words and listening to the rhymes.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Other books by this author: Hop on Pop, Foxs in Socks, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

What Rhymes with Eel? A word-picture flap book

Harriet Ziefert (1996), 16 pages

Illustrated by Rick Brown

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: picture book

Children and parents will love this interactive picture book! By removing one letter in the word and replacing it –new words are formed. For instance, remove the “C” in Carrot and replace with “P” … what do you get? Parrot; a perfect tool to teach phonemic-isolation and segmentation plus the rhymes are easy to sound out, allowing children to hear the blending between the sounds.

Use this book in addition to ReadWriteThinks' Construct-A-Word game to boost phonemic awareness; for instance, participants can try finding all the "ig" or "an" words. Parents and educators can practice this technique on their own (just remember to speak slowly and elongate sounds) by asking kids what certain sounds words make, such as b/at (bat), l/ate (late), or s/and (sand), a great way to learn onset rhymes!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Dear Zoo: A Lift the Flap Book by Rod Campbell

Other books by this author: Who said Moo? Lift the Flap Book and Where is My Friend? A Hide and Peek Book

Red Sled

Patricia Thomas (2008), 32 pages

Illustrated by Chris L. Demarest

Audience: toddlers

Format: picture book

“Red sled. Sad lad. Sad dad. Fat hat. Knit mitt.“… So begins the story of a family going sledding. Short staccato sentences form the basis of this book allowing children and parent an opportunity to sound out syllables and gain phonemic-awareness. The author used “rhyming pairs –one single, two doubles, and three triples pivoting on one single rhymed word pair before descending in reserve order” (Thomas, 2008). Take a cue from this book and build your own poetry ... choose a favorite activity (swimming) or subject (baseball) and create your own storyline using two worded rhymes. For example, commemorating a day at the ballpark might include ... May day. Glad lad. Glad dad. Fat bat. Hit mitt. Won done. Or perhaps, a summer's day of swimming might produce, the following ...Cool pool. Calm mom. Daughter water. Sun fun.

These activities will help children learn new words, rhymes, practice sounding out syllables, and explore seasons. Red Sled is a celebration of winter days, so double up on your winter fun and read Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer to further engage in a lively discussion of seasons.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: A Winter Day by Douglas Florian or Snow Day! by Barbara Joosse

Other books by this author: “Stand Back,” Said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze!” and “There are Rocks in My Socks!” Said the Ox to the Fox

Dr. Seuss’s ABC

Dr. Seuss (1963), 63 pages

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: board book

"BIG A, little a, what begins with A? Aunt Annie's alligator. A ... a .... a. BIG B, little b, what begins with B? Barber, baby, bubbles, and a bumblebee." This book is a great introduction to the alphabet, written almost entirely in alliterative words. Children are able to listen and gain letter awareness while being entertained by Seuss's wacky characters. A great introduction to the alphabet, even babies will enjoy the rhymes and children can practice making up their own amazing alphabet as they get older. Parents and educators can even download an iPhone eBook app for Dr Seuss’s ABCs!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: The Z was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts by Chris Van Allsburg

Other books by this author: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, The Cat in the Hat, and Horton Hears a Who!

Orange Pear Apple Bear

Emily Gravett (2005), 32 pages

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: picture book

The ultimate rhyming book! Through clever wordplay and smart illustrations Gravett relates an entire narrative using just five words. Deceptively simple, this book features many educational aspects such as phonemic-blending, colors, shapes, and counting skills. Wordplay includes using words as nouns and adjectives; for example bear is shown eating a pear and later being pear-shaped; or an orange is pictured and then used to describe bear as orange-colored. Gravett repeats these elements throughout the book, infiltrating even the book's endpapers (apples, oranges, and pears line the pages) and copyright statement/publishing information which forms the shape of pear. With such attention to detail, its no wonder this book is a delight to young children! A wonderful introduction to shapes, colors, and rhymes; build a baby or toddler's vocabulary by using real fruit (apples, oranges, and pears) while reading the book.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Andy That’s My Name by Tomie dePaloa

Other books by this author: Meerkat Mail, The Rabbit Problem, Blue Chameleon, Monkey and Me, The Odd Egg, and Dogs