Don't Trip, Pip!

December 15, 2014
Grades K-1 These new books in the Word Families series present an updated take on the traditional reader. Each book emphasizes simple words with one ending (such as -ip, -ot, etc.), using as many word family words as possible in the context of a charming story with simple pictures. The educational aspect is clear but not overstated. Each book begins with a page of Ideas for Parents and Teachers and ends with a list of word-family words from the book. These words are also highlighted in color throughout the main text of the story. The stories themselves are a bit uneven, possibly because of space or word constraints. Oddly, Don't Trip, Pip! has no resolution to the central problem of the tripping dog. In the end, all of these books use stories in a fun way to help new readers learn word skills. Parents, teachers, and children will be grateful.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)