Don and Pat Play Ball
(Little Blossom Stories)

PreS-Gr 2--This series offers engaging content with charming illustrations. However, these books would not be classified as truly decodable. The series incorporates multiple syllable types and higher-level vocabulary, making it unclear how they are leveled. The publisher may have used its own metric, but the categorization does not align well with a structured phonics approach. Several titles in the series focus on syllables, but their execution is inconsistent and sometimes misleading. For example, A Hiking Adventure is labeled as a syllables-focused book, yet the actual emphasis is on the suffix -ture, which creates confusion about its instructional intent. Similarly, Adell's Dance Class claims to focus on the schwa sound but reads more like a non-decodable text, making it difficult to use as a teaching tool. Overall, the syllable-focused titles lack the clarity and instructional strength needed to serve as effective phonics resources. On the other hand, some titles in the series do better align with what one would expect from decodable books. A Pill for Mugs effectively focuses on consonant digraphs, with words chosen to highlight patterns such as ck, floss, sh, and th, and the story is engaging, presenting a relatable real-world scenario. The book includes a list of "sight words," but three of the five words listed are actually decodable once phonics rules have been taught. VERDICT Though ultimately inconsistent with a structured approach, these titles have something to offer young readers.

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