Educational books
(See also Plays)
Songbirds phonic reading scheme Other educational titles
Songbirds
A Phonic reading scheme of 48 books
Oxford University Press, 2006
Ever since I taught my sister to read by the phonic method, when I was six and she was four, I have been fascinated by words, sounds and spelling patterns. Combining phonics with fun 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. In the very first book, Top Cat, I could only use two short vowels and six consonants! Often the ideas for stories would spring from the sounds themselves: fifteen queens having a feast, or a mum moaning “Don’t mix soap with jam and coal”. I think my favourite characters are Spike who says he can dive, drive and feed wild lions, and a kleptomaniac kangaroo called Sue who comes to school and steals the glue and spoons. The books are part of the immensely popular Oxford Reading Tree, and are illustrated by a wonderful variety of artists.
For educational orders, visit OUP or phone OUP Customer Services: 01536 741171
The Songbirds page outlines the entire scheme and gives the phonetic contents of each book together with an Amazon link for individual puurchases.
Other educational titles
These are mostly stocked by a specialist children’s bookshop called Tales on Moon Lane (25 Half Moon Lane, London SE24 9 JU, tel. 020 7274 5759) or can be ordered from their website (www.talesonmoonlane.co.uk) Some titles can also be found on Amazon or bought directly from the publisher. A few titles are out of print but I have nevertheless included them, as second-hand copies can sometimes be tracked down.
Hamlet
Longman “Hilo Pelican”, 2002
isbn
0 582 551757
Prince Hamlet was in a black mood. He couldn’t rest until he had killed his father’s murderer, and yet
he couldn’t make himself do it. . . . A retelling of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in comic strip form,
suitable for reluctant readers
Midsummer Dream
Longman “Hilo Pelican”, 2002
isbn 0-582 551765
An adapted retelling of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in comic strip form, set in a 21 st-century rock festival. Suitable for reluctant readers.
I have always loved A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ever since at the age of 12 I understudied the fairies in a production at London’s Old Vic and drove my family mad by quoting non-stop from the play.
The Mermaid and the Octopus
illustrated by Anni Axworthy
Collins Big Cats,
Blue Band 4, 2006
isbn 0-00-718684-3
Under the sea, a mermaid is having tea. But a greedy octopus wants her for his tea. What can she do?
The Pot of Gold
illustrated by Sholto Walker
Collins Big Cats,
Purple Band 8, 2006
isbn 0-00-718696-7
Sandy and Bonny are always arguing, and nothing ever goes right for them. But one day a little man comes to stay. Will he change their luck?
A retelling of a traditional Scottish tale.
The King’s Ears
Oxford Literacy Web, Stage 7 pack A, 2000
isbn 0199158606
Why will King March never take off his crown? Only Owen, his hairdresser knows. But will Owen be able to keep the King’s
secret? A retelling of a traditional Welsh story, which is also available as a Big Book.
The Boy Who Talked to the Birds
Oxford Literacy Web, Stage 7 pack A, 2000
isbn 0199158622
A big, black bird tells Hamish a story. But will it come true? A retelling of a traditional Scottish
story
The Strange Dream
Oxford Literacy Web, Stage 7 pack A, 2000
isbn 0199158614
Kate keeps dreaming that an old man on London Bridge has good news for her. But what is the good news? Kate walks to London to find out. A retelling of a traditional English story
The False Tooth Fairy
Ginn “Pocket Tales”, Year 2, 2C, 2004 (first published 1998)
isbn 0602241022
A short story for newly confident readers, about the adventures of a fairy and a dentist.
Buy
from Ginn (phone 01865 888000)
The Magic Jigsaw
Rigby Star, gold level, 1998
isbn 0433028920
One moment Jenny is doing a jigsaw with Grandpa, the next she is travelling back in time to the scene of the jigsaw. Can she escape the nasty housekeeper and make it back to the present?
Buy from Rigby
(phone 01865 888044)
Jumping Jack
Rigby Star, purple level, 1998
isbn 0433046120
Jumping Jack is a character from Jenny’s computer game who decides to leap out of the screen and carry out
his quest in her house. But why is he collecting olive oil, bath oil and car oil?
Buy
from Tales on Moon Lane(pack of 6)
Cat Whispers
Rigby Literacy,
level 12; only published in the US, 1998
isbn 0763566594
Joe wants a cat for his birthday, but when his friends pass the message on in whispers there are some surprising results.
What will he end up getting?
I Don’t Want To
Rigby Rockets,
blue level, 2003
isbn 0433029579
A very short simple story for beginner readers. Lily is in a bad mood and won’t join in any of Tim’s games.
Who can Tim play with?
Buy from Rigby
(phone 01865 888044)
The King’s Porridge
Ginn “All
Aboard” Pattern and Rhyme Stage 5 set B, 1996
isbn 0602273056
Morag wishes she had more land. is surprised to see Robert the Bruce at her door. He wants a bowl of her delicious
porridge, but he ends up giving more than he gets. A simple retelling of a traditional Scottish tale.
Counting Chickens
Ginn “All Aboard” Pattern and Rhyme, Stage 3 Set B, 1996
isbn 0602268117
When a farmer gives Meg an egg, her head fills with plans about becoming rich. But will her plans or the egg hatch
out? A simple retelling of a traditional tale
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Ginn “All Aboard” Pattern and Rhyme, Stage 3 Set B, 1996
isbn 0602268109
A simple retelling of the traditional tale
Mr Snow
Ginn “All
Aboard” Pattern and Rhyme, Stage 2, set B, 1996
isbn 0602268052
A very short, simple rhyming story for beginner readers, about a girl and a snowman.
Spacegirl Sue
Ginn “All Aboard” Pattern
and Rhyme, Stage 2, set B, 1996)
isbn 0602268079
A very short, simple rhyming story for beginner readers, about a child who discovers a strange girl in the school dustbin.
Clever Katya
Ginn “All Aboard” Traditional
Tales, Stage 8, 1999
isbn 0602293928
A retelling of a Russian folk tale about a peasant girl who is a match for the Czar. There is also a Big Book version.
Buy from Ginn (phone 01865
888000)
The Noises Next Door
Ginn “All Aboard” Traditional
Tales, Stage 8, 1999
isbn 0602293901
What do you do when one neighbour has screaming triplets and the other one plays the drums all night? A retelling of
an old Chinese joke.
Waiter! Waiter!
Heinemann “Rhyme World”,
Stage 4, 1998
isbn 04350987481
A funny rhyming story set in a station café, bringing in lots of long “a” vowels:
“Oh waiter, waiter, come back here
And take these cakes away!”
The Brownie King
Heinemann “Rhyme World”, Stage
4, 1998
isbn 0435098861
“He had white powder on his face,
All floury, like a clown.
He had a flower in his hand.
He wore a tiny crown.”
A rhyming story bringing in lots of “ou” and “ow” vowels. Two children release the little brownie King from a teapot, and as a reward he turn he turns them into various animals.
Julia Donaldson: a biography
by Gill Howell
OUP Fireflies, 2006
isbn 0-19-919953
This book is not by me but about me! It is a very short book for beginner readers, part of the OUP’s Fireflies series of non-fiction books. It includes pictures of me as a child and acting in university plays and tells the story of how I became an author.
Order from OUP Customer Services, tel 01536 741171