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A guide for grown-ups

A first book of real stories for a child who knows a few letter sounds and is just starting to blend them into words.

Is my child ready?

Try this: can your child say the sounds of s, a, t, p, i and n, and slide s-a-t together into sat? Then they can start on story 1. They do not need to know the whole alphabet. The book introduces each new sound just before the stories that use it.

How the six stages work

The 25 stories are split into 6 stages. Each stage opens with a page of its new sounds, then 3 to 5 stories that use only those sounds and the ones before, plus 6 tricky words (a, the, is, to, and, I). After each stage there are two quick games: a word chain and a "Did it happen?" check. Stage 1 has just six letters, and the last stage reaches ch, sh, th and ng.

A 10-minute reading time

1. Ask the Talk first question at the top of the story and look at the pictures together.
2. Your child reads the story pages. There are only one or two short sentences per page, in big type.
3. If they get stuck, point under each letter and let them say the sounds, then slide them together. Wait before you help.
4. Color a circle on the reading trail. Read the story again tomorrow before starting a new one.

Something to spot

A sneaky gray cat wearing a red sock keeps turning up in the pictures. Finding it is a nice reward at the end of a page, and a chance to talk about what is happening in the story.

What comes next

When the last stage feels easy, your child is ready for Tap! Tap! Tap! The Storybook (Level 1), then Flap! Flap! Flap! (Level 2, blends) and Whee! Whee! Whee! (Level 3). See the reading levels guide.

Quick answers for grown-ups

Is it easier than the Tap! Tap! Tap! storybook?

Yes. It starts with only 6 letter sounds and adds the rest a few at a time, with 1 or 2 short sentences per page. It is a good first step before the Tap! Tap! Tap! storybook.

Does my child need to know the whole alphabet?

No. Knowing s, a, t, p, i and n, and being able to blend them into a word like sat, is enough for the first stories. Each stage opens with a page of its new sounds.

How long will the book last?

With one short story a day, plus a day for the games after each stage, it takes about 5 to 6 weeks. Many children like to read their favorite stories again after that.

Does it come as a Kindle book too?

Yes. It comes as a paperback (6 x 9 in) and as a Kindle eBook. For a brand-new reader, the paperback is easier for pointing under the words.

A peek inside

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