Fun!: The Sound of Short U (Wonder Books)

Simple text about playing and repetition of the letter "u" help readers learn how to use the "short u" sound.

PreS-Gr 1-Large, bold black type makes these books easy on beginner readers' eyes. The visuals are strong: brightly hued page borders, text set in stark relief on white against vivid background colors, and crisply reproduced, child-friendly photos depicting adorable animals and a cast of delightful multicultural kids engaged in familiar activities. Except in Cute! and Smiles, the text generally serves as captions for the images rather than as stories per se. Children won't mind, though. They'll meet with reading success here, as the simple, often rhyming sentences so closely correspond to the referent photos. Targeted vowel sounds are repeated often. Each title concludes with a list of words containing the specific sound and an identical "Note to Parents and Educators." VERDICT A fine introductory series for new readers.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.