December 1, 2024
K-Gr 2-The stories and content in this set are fairly unstructured. While The Big Chew and its companion stories attempt to address the need for decodable books focusing on building phonemic awareness, the series is marred by awkward plots, confusing illustrations, and a lack of cohesion in the phonetic focus. The inclusion of teacher tips featuring questions to be asked before, during, and after reading is a nice feature but it is the same set of questions for each story, so none of the questions are specific to the narrative. Given the overall disjointed structure of the books, it may be challenging for educators to utilize these tips effectively. VERDICT With adjustments to the sequence, narrative clarity, and illustrations, this could better serve its purpose as a phonics practice tool.
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