Words Are Magic!

by Zaila Avant-Garde, Felicia Whaley (Illustrator)

Scripps National Spelling Bee champ Zaila Avant-garde shares her love of words with new readers in this level 1 Step Into Reading book.Words are magic! Have you heard? Pick a letter. Make a word! New readers will find joyful encouragement in this level 1 easy reader that sings out about the magic of words. Encouraging kids to mix words, match words, shout and rap words, Scripps National Spelling champ Zaila Avante-garde takes readers along on a noisy and boisterous celebration of letters, sounds, and reading. It's the perfect first step for new readers, full of fun and energy, from one of America's most exciting and unique young voices. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.Also available by Zaila Words of Wonder from Z to AIt's Not Bragging If It's True

Genres: Picture Books, Words, Childrens

33 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2024

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free from the Family Resources Fair | Grabbed this one because it had a child of color on the cover. Good opportunities for littles to participate in a read-aloud (sing, shout), but some of the things to do with words are either a bit amorphous (touch, build, mix), or not something the target age can do (find). And it was strange that the rhyme/rhythm just stops and the last two pages have none.

[Lorellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is charming, but it's not much of a story. More a small essay.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a darling kindergarten-level book about words. Written by the winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, it is a love letter to words. You can sing them, shout them, draw them, paint them, touch them, trace them, read them, spell them, rhyme them, rap them, write them. The illustrations are fabulous and have lots to talk about.

Review copy received from Granite Media

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s a cute little poem, but for it to be marketed as “step 1” because of its “big type and easy words” and “picture clues” lets us know that this company has no idea how kids actually learn to read. It also has a Fountas and Pinel level on the back, which is a “G”.

Get with the science of reading, Random House. Take all that nonsense out of here and you’re left with a sweet little text by Zaila Avant-garde.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaila Avant-Garde is killing the game with all of these books! Words Are Magic! is a love letter to words and the different things you can do with them. Simplistic text with fun illustrations and perfect for the earliest independent readers.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent for beginning readers. Like a legit level 1 reader...so many aren't these days

And I love how it highlights a lot of early literacy skills. Perfect for my Early Literacy In Action Classes!!

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great Step into Reading (Step One) written by National Spelling Bee award winner Zaila Avent-garde. It is a celebration of words. Besides the accessible text, words are embedded in the illustrations. Young readers will like reading this story and saying these words.

[SamSamSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this was great! Awesome action vocabulary and great for print awareness. I thought it was out of place that you could "mix" words? In test tubes? Like no you definitely can't. And "build" was also a stretch. I liked everything else, though!

[Cherish Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4☆ Would recommend)
My 6-year-old is an emergent reader. He read this book with very little help & he was so proud of himself. The illustrations are colorful & engaging. The storyline is simple & fun.

[Elizabeth- Librarian Account]

This is a quick and fun book that beginning readers would enjoy. I love that it was written by a Scripps National Spelling Bee champion! Helping children find ways to love engaging with text and written language from a young age is so wonderful.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the earliest of readers, this is a great title to build excitement for words and reading! Colorful illustrations of little Zalia, the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, complete the book.

[kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh

[Nanny B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the illustrations on this easy reader book.

[Kelsie Drake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book all about words and how to use them. I think it would be useful only in a kindergarten classroom but probably not in many other age groups above that.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many things to do with words! Beginning readers will enjoy all of the options, I think.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A toddler and up book about the magic of words and all we can learn to do with them.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, it reminded me a lot of Word Study from Daily 5. Sing them, shout them, paint them, trace them; these are only a few of the ways words are magic in this story.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute step into reading book is by one of our National Spelling Bee Champions! It is a cute story of ways to interact with and learn more words. Felicia Whaley's illustrations are darling.