Book Info
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Paperback112 pages
Author's Website
www.juliadonaldson.co.uk/Publication date
5th January 2012ISBN
9780192792983Children's Author 'Like-for-Like' recommendations
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Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds: The Ox and the Yak and Other Stories
Julia Donaldson
This title is in stock
Lovereading4kids Price: £6.74
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The Lovereading comment:
The Children's Laureate and best-selling author of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson has carefully created the Songbirds Phonics series to support children who are learning to read. Julia Donaldson has captivated children all over the world with her lively and engaging stories. This series of books under the Songbirds name builds children's confidence through a clear phonics development with gradual progression to build reading confidence and success. This Stage 2 Songbirds collection contains 6 exciting phonics stories in 1! These are perfect for parents to read at home with their kids to establish a really strong love of reading.
Julia Donaldson says: "Creating the 'Songbirds' series was an enormous challenge of my favourite kind. Almost every word in every book had to be phonically decodable, and yet I wanted to write real stories which children would enjoy reading. I was determined also that the content and illustrations should be as varied as possible, as I know how children’s tastes differ and how monotonous some reading schemes can be. So some of the stories are in prose, some in rhyme, some are realistic and others fantastical."
Click here to see more books by Julia Donaldson, including other Songbirds collections.
Synopsis
Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds: The Ox and the Yak and Other Stories by Julia DonaldsonSongbirds Phonics have been carefully created by Julia Donaldson to support children who are learning to read and are used in schools to teach phonics and inspire a love of reading. This Stage 2 Songbirds collection contains 6 exciting phonics stories in one, with built-in progression to build reading confidence and success: 'Mr Zed', 'The Ox and the Yak', 'The Doll in the Bin', 'Animal Quiz', 'The Seven Kids', 'Ron Rabbit's Big Egg'. The Songbirds series offers a clear phonics development with gradual progression and lots of practice to help children gain reading confidence. It provides a fantastic breadth and variety of storylines, rhyme, rhythm and genres by the nation's favourite children's author, with vibrant and humorous illustrations to engage children and stimulate discussion. There are also useful tips and ideas for parents/carers.
Help your child's reading with essential tips, phonics support and free eBooks at www.oxfordowl.co.uk
Reviews
"An excellent full range of phonic usage for these stages of text. I feel children would benefit immensely from the scheme." - St Nicholas Primary School, Oxford
“Songbirds were an instant choice to support Early Reading in our school. Their colourful illustrations and variety of characters provide just the motivation our children needed. Julia Donaldson is a celebrated author which the children enjoy so an all round must. Worth every penny.” - Lydlynch Primary School, Hampshire
“Colwich has recently begun using Songbirds as part of our guided reading times. The children were immediately enthusiastic when they realised the books were written by Julia Donaldson as The Gruffalo is a big favourite of ours. In a short time we are already reaping the rewards with children being successful readers at a very young age! The colourful pictures, decodable text, and enjoyable storylines are adding up to a keenly anticipated reading time.” Colwich Primary, Staffordshire
About The Author
Waterstone's Children's Laureate 2012 - 2014.
Click here to read an article from The Telegraph where Julia outlines outlines her manifesto as the new Children’s Laureate.
You can also follow the Children's Laureate's blog - click here.
Julia Donaldson is the author of over 150 books for children and her 1999 book The Gruffalo, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is now a children's classic and publishing phenomenon, selling 3 million copies worldwide. She is also the Patron of Artlink Central, a charity which puts artists, musicians and storytellers into schools, hospitals, prisons and community spaces to work with children and adults and help them develop their talent and creativity.
Julia Donaldson was selected as the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013, and was awarded an MBE just days after the announcement. Julia lives in Glasgow with her husband, Malcolm, and their family. Below are the answers to some questions we asked Julia.
Q. When did you decide to be a writer?
A. For my fifth birthday, my father gave me a very fat book called The Book of a Thousand Poems. I loved it. I read the poems, recited them, learnt them, and then started making up some of my own. Although I wanted to be a poet all those years ago, I later decided I would rather go on the stage. That didn’t quite work out, so I did other jobs – teaching and publishing. But somehow I’ve ended up doing what I wanted to do when I was five years old. I have a theory that this happens to quite a lot of people.
Q. When did you start to write books?
A. In 1993, when one of my songs, ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ was made into a book. Before that I wrote songs for children’s television.
Q. Your book Tiddler is coming out in paperback. What gave you the idea for that story?
A. I’ve been snorkelling a few times and love the colourful underwater world of fish and coral. Also, I often used to be late for school and was quite good at making up excuses, like Tiddler.
Q. How many books have you written?
A: I’ve just counted, and I make it 152! That sounds a lot but 60 of those are very short phonic reading books for schools, called Songbirds.
Q. Have you written any longer books?
A. Yes. I’ve written three chapter books about naughty Princess Mirror-Belle, who comes out of a mirror, and a novel called The Giants and the Joneses, about three children who are captured by a girl giant.
Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Walking, cycling, playing the piano, singing. I’m also interested in wild flowers and fungi.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I have three cats. Campsie is female, and Gizmo and Goblin are her big tough sons. Their favourite hobby is going in the garden, getting their paws muddy and then walking all over whatever I have just been writing. (And they gave me the idea for yet another book, Tabby McTat.)
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