We have just received a wonderful review for four of our new Early Readers publishing this month from teacher Cathy at Chez L’Abeille:
‘These new books certainly deliver. One of the things I love about them is that they would be equally at home in the home or in a classroom – so as my day job takes me in and out of many classrooms, I’m going to consider them in that context.
There is a lot of discussion in education currently, about the need for reading books that are “decodable”; that is, closely matched to the phonics knowledge a child has mastered. The recently revised draft Ofsted Inspection Framework makes much of this viewpoint, so many schools I expect, will be looking closely at their reading book shelves and making big decisions about their content. Personally, I think all the Maverick books would be a good addition to any classroom collection.
Maverick have continued to bring children, parents and teachers some great stories which we can all enjoy in equal measure! Bravo!’
Mole in Goal by Amanda Brandon with illustrations by Giusi Capizzi (Orange Book Band/Phase 5 Letters and Sounds). ‘This is a great book in which disability is sensitively explored. The illustrations work well with the text and I particularly liked the way Mole’s point of view is demonstrated, so children can see how he experiences the world.’
The Oojamaflip by Lou Treleaven with illustrations by Julia Patton (Turquoise Band). ‘Given that I sometimes have to hear Year 2 children reading as part of my day job, I think this one may make its way into my work bag!’
Wishker by Heather Pindar with illustrations by Sarah Jennings (Purple Band). ‘The nice twist at the end also brings opportunities for considering what happens next. I also felt the language and structure of the text gave it a sightly more episodic feel – perfect for building up the reading stamina as children move into early chapter books.’
Scary Scott by Katie Dale with illustrations by Irene Montano (Gold Band). ‘I loved this story for it’s humour and pace.The tension builds gradually and there are some great Uh-Oh! moments and cliffhangers along the way. There is also another moral dilemma to discuss – how to do the right thing, even if you may lose out is an important consideration for most 6 and 7 year olds!’
Thanks, Cathy! Read the full review here and have a look at all our Early Readers and download free activity packs and audio files here