Are you familiar with the Joy Cowley books like Mrs. Wishy Washy? If so, you know the high quality instructional materials by Hameray Publishing are THE materials to have in your classroom library! During the last week of May, I want to encourage you to enter the Letter Buddies Classroom Contest still accepting entries.  The winners will be chosen June 2, so that means you need to make it your #1 priority when you get online!

I am fortunate enough to have been asked to review books from the Letter Buddies Starters collection by Libby Larrabee.  There are some really striking features in each book that every teacher would love! 

First, each book cover is made from stiff and sturdy laminated card stock that holds up very well over time.  I was able to use them only a week before my school let out for summer, but student wear and tear was not an issue at all.  The books still look brand new!

Each book features well known high frequency words with real world illustrations.  This set has one sentence per page in all 26 booklets.  It’s perfect for additional fluency practice.  

Finally, students are encouraged (prompts for the teacher on the last page of each booklet) to add a page to the book by choosing a picture that begins with the sound featured in the booklet, for instance, Q.  The student identifies queen as the picture with the same beginning sound.  The student is asked to find something from the booklet to finish a sentence:  We see the _________.  Then the student is asked to write his/her own sentence, then illustrate a picture to go with it.  The last page is a guided group lesson in itself! I would feel confident using this format with beginning readers in my own classroom as it implements strategies we use each day.  I will likely use the books as part of my RTI groups time next year.  

As you can see, there are a variety of topics, and the students will feel immediate success because they are presented in the alphabet format.  There are Aa-Zz books with topics that support the focus letter sound.  I love Hameray books because each set has been thoroughly researched to enhance your instructional time.  Students learn, and isn’t that what good resources are all about? 

Be sure to go enter! The set I reviewed is only about 60.00, so the price point isn’t bad either!

I hope you win!!!

  Click on the pic below to visit the contest page!

 

 

 

 

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