Gill Munton

• Stories have been written using high-frequency words plus story-specific words which are clarified by illustrations, where possible• High-frequency words have been taken from the UK National Literacy Strategy and correlated with the Ladybird Key Words list and the words most commonly used by L1 children in their own writing• Phonetically-regular words are included in a meaningful and contextualised way• Each Reader contains one complete story with some of the characters reappearing at higher levels, providing a sense of continuity and familiarity to the reader• Contains a word list and language structure section at the back of the book

Photos and illustrations combine to give a detailed picture of the fascinating life that goes on underground. We meet animals who live underground, see trains that travel underground and follow pipes, wires and cables from houses deep into the ground. Blue/ Band 4 non-fiction books use children’s language patterns to give information which is supported by the illustrations and design.Text types – A non-chronological report.The cross-sectioned diagram on pages 14 and 15 allows children to recap and discuss the text.Curriculum links – Geography: the local area; Science: light and dark.This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery.

Easy Starts consolidate the vocabulary of the existing core books and reinforce work on phonics. They are intended to precede the core books at each level of Pink, Red and Green as they gently introduce core vocabulary with very few new words. At White level, they follow the Six Little Books with words. Easy starts maintain a strong series identity by including stories about the original animal characters.

New Way Heads and Tails aim to help children to establish phonological awareness at the very beginning of their school career. Each Tails book introduces a rhyme and gives practice in recognising that word ending through rhyming text.

Full punctuation - Now with full punctuation including speech marks, to be found right through from White to Blue levels. Offers a series of simple stories with phonic reinforcement which is consistently strong. A high degreee of phonic reinforcement in the earliest stages. Supports phonic teaching as specified in the National Literacy Strategy. Clear phonic support.