Introducing Blending and Segmenting, the Basic Code - A CPLE Book List
From Centre for Literacy in Primary Education
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education is a UK-based children's literacy charity working with primary schools. Their work raises the achievement of children's reading and writing by helping schools to teach literacy creatively and effectively, putting quality children’s books at the heart of all learning. They offer courses at our literacy library in central London, deliver online training and provide a wide range of free teaching resources for Primary teachers. They also conduct research into all areas of primary literacy, using the findings to inform practice and contribute to national and international perspectives on literacy.
Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough
HarperCollins, 9780007302628
A rollicking rhyme reminiscent of ‘The House That Jack Built’. Duck’s truck
gets stuck in the muck and he enlists the help of other passing animals to get
him out of this sticky situation, featuring hilarious comic-strip style
illustrations.
Peck Peck Peck by Lucy Cousins
Walker, 9781406355475
An exuberant text with a clever die-cut design feature. Follow along as a
little woodpecker practises his new-found pecking skills, pecking holes in a
tree, a gate, a door, and into a house where he pecks at all the objects, food
and furniture inside. As he pecks, more and more holes appear in the book's
pages, adding another level of engagement to the reading experience. With
repetitive, rhyming text, and illustrated in Cousins' characteristically bold
and bright style.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Macmillan, 9781509804771
A witch takes several animals that have helped her find lost things up on her
broom as passengers. In a climactic moment, the frog jumps for joy and the
broomstick snaps in two, putting the witch in unexpected danger. With the
aid of the witch’s companions, a resolution is reached in this rollicking
rhyme.
There’s a Tiger on the Train by Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb
Faber, 9780571368341
A tender and charming tale by a debut author in which a child and his father
board a train, along with a cumulative parade of wild and wonderful
animals, but the father is too distracted by his phone to notice all the action
going on around them. Eventually, they reach their destination and enjoy
each other's company at the beach, where everything is alright because
"Dad's hand was in my hand". Dulak's rhyming and onomatopoeic text make
this a joy to read aloud, while the design makes dynamic use of font and
formatting. With shades of John Burningham in the narrative and
illustrations, this book has a classic feel to it, while also firmly located in the
contemporary thanks to the theme of mobile phones, and a reminder to
observe and engage with the world around you and the special moments it
has to offer.
Stanley’s Stick by John Hegley and Neal Layton
Hodder 9780340988190
Stanley’s stick is his constant companion, a toy with which he creates “game
after sticky game.” The endless uses to which he puts this natural object are
wittily and affectionately described in often alliterative and always playful
prose, the humour reflected in the collage illustrations. A tribute to
children’s imagination.
Clem and Crab by Fiona Lumbers
Andersen, 9781783449149
Clem’s encounter with a crab whose claw is caught in twisted plastic leads to
the realisation for her and her classmates that everyone can play a part in
protecting sea and shore and the wildlife that inhabits them: “Lots of small
actions added together can make a big difference.” This picture book’s clear
environmental message is reflected in the detail of the illustrations which
also incorporate some gentle humour.
The Cat and the Rat and the Hat by Em Lynas and Matt Hunt
Nosy Crow, 9781839941566
Expanding on the familiar rhyme 'the cat sat on the mat' and following a
similar cumulative pattern as 'The House That Jack Built', this book
nonetheless feels entirely fresh. A cat and a rat battle it out for ownership of
a garishly bright pink hat, until a bat flies by wearing a fancy cravat, which
the pair then directs their attention to - who will emerge victorious (and
best-dressed)?. Hunt's dynamic and slapstick illustrations are the perfect foil
to Lynas' tongue-twisting text.
Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss
HarperCollins, 9780008203900
In zany Dr. Seuss fashion, pairs and groups of rhyming words are introduced
on each page and then incorporated in crazy sentences, such as “HOP POP
We like to hop. We like to hop on top of Pop. STOP You must not hop on
Pop.” An effective tongue-in-cheek parody of an old-fashioned phonics
primer.
Shark in the Park by Nick Sharratt
Penguin, 9780552549776
In this inventive hole-in-the-page book, Timothy Pope takes his new
telescope to the park and seems to see sharks everywhere. However, when
the page is turned and the whole picture is revealed, the viewer gets a
different perspective. But is Timothy entirely wrong about there being a
shark in the park? A repetitive text and picture cues support inexperienced
readers.
Ruby’s Sword by Jacqueline Veissid and Paola Zakimi
Chronicle Books, 9781452163918
Ruby finds a stick that can be used in her imaginative games. The stick
becomes a sword that fulfils many functions from fighting dragons to
providing a prop for holding up a “magnificent castle” that Ruby constructs
with her brothers to whom she has “granted” swords. The alliterative and
onomatopoeic text is complemented by pictures which demonstrate Ruby’s
activities, including her use of the stick/sword for mark-making in the soil –
“The dirt needed decoration.”
Here are the other CPLE book lists in this series
Developing Early Phonological Awareness
Exploring Alternative Graphemes and Pronunciations, Complex Code