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Flip-a-Word

Flip-a-Word: Crab Cab

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These unique, interactive early-reading books invite children to flip the pages andpresto-change-o!a different word and picture appear. The use of word families helps children grasp the connections between similar words, while Yukiko Kido's bright and inspired illustrations in a Japanese anime style set the Flip-a-Word series apart from other phonics books. Be sure to check out the rest of the series!

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 2009

2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read

About the author

Harriet Ziefert

682 books54 followers
Harriet Ziefert grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University.

For many years, Ziefert was an elementary school teacher. She taught most grades from kindergarten to fifth grade. "I liked it," she said, but she stopped teaching when she had her own sons. When her children were older, Ziefert wanted "a bigger arena" for her work. She went to work at a publishing company, Scholastic in New York City, developing materials for teacher's guides for kindergarten language arts and social studies programs.

"About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year.

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5 stars
40 (27%)
4 stars
49 (34%)
3 stars
36 (25%)
2 stars
12 (8%)
1 star
7 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Meredith.
4,193 reviews73 followers
July 20, 2020
This beginning reader teaches the word families -ot, -ab, and -it.

As a parent, I was disappointed that the word “snot” was one of the four words representing the -ot word family.

Bright, engaging, Kawaii style illustrations accompany rhyming words from three different word families. The book's format utilizing a cut-out construction at the bottom of the page cleverly changes the beginning letter to form a new word on the next page. Four words from each word family are given, followed by four phrases using the words.

A note to parents/caregivers is given at the front of the book. The word families, including bonus words, are listed at the back as well as suggested word family activities.

This is an excellent book to help beginning readers understand phonological awareness -- the ability to identify and play with individual sounds in spoken words -- and phonemic awareness -- the ability to recognize that spoken words are made up of individual sound parts.
66 reviews
March 6, 2019
(2019-03-05; 1-star; did not like it)
There's a baby in it. And little kids.
I really, really, really, really, really not like it. Because I do not like that babies make me do this: "Doop-doop". Okay, bye-bye.
10.8k reviews29 followers
June 26, 2019
A simple word family book featuring three word families and the combinations that can be made of those words. Preschool and up
Profile Image for Cathy | A Case Full of Books.
1,003 reviews37 followers
June 24, 2023
The "it" family has the words mitt and knit, one of which doesn't fit the criteria for the "it" family, and one of which is impossible for early readers to sound out. 🤦🏼‍♀️
Profile Image for Rochelle Sondae.
610 reviews8 followers
March 9, 2012
I like these clever little books. Especially in the paperback editions as they are the right price and trim size for our leveled reader spinner rack. Each page has a half circle cut out along the bottom that allows a "word chunk" to carry forward to the next page. For instance the title page "crab cab" would be presented on two facing pages. One with "crab" and the other with "cab". The cut out would contain the letters "ab" so that the child could see that both words contain the same ending sound.
Profile Image for jacky.
3,496 reviews92 followers
June 14, 2016
Aug 2014:
Natalie liked reading this. It is a mix of phonics because of the use of word families and picture clues. I would have preferred it focus on one word family.

June 2016:
William's first real reading experience! Snot and blab should not have been first in my opinion. The words tot and dab weren't super familiar either. But he really worked at the basics of sounding out, blending, and figuring out which sound for letters with muliple sounds. We talked about using a combination of letter sounds and picture cues. He did awesome for his first real try!
Profile Image for Sunnyvale Librarian.
265 reviews6 followers
Read
November 8, 2013
An excellent place to start for beginning readers, this book introduces the word families ot (as in hot & pot), ab (as in crab & blab), and it (as in sit & knit) decorated with cute, silly, Japanese-style illustration. If you like this book, check out Pig Wig, Snow Bow, Stop Pop, Snake Cake, Wet Pet, and Quack Shack.
Profile Image for Sarah A.
2,242 reviews19 followers
November 1, 2014
I delayed writing the review so we could read this a few times. This book's basic idea is wonderful. It is a very early reader book for the starter reader and my daughter loved trying to find out the words and the rhyming words especially. My limit to three stars is because of the choice of some of their words which are a bit inappropriate and spoil it somewhat. I'll look for more in this series and hope for better words..
Profile Image for Stacey.
700 reviews
March 3, 2011
The cover art alone rates this five stars. I may need to get it made into a tattoo.
Profile Image for Dona Gay.
164 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2012
Crab Cab is a fun change for children practicing their phonics. Flipping pages to change the word is reminiscent of Sesame streets segments on n...ot...not etc.
Profile Image for Ellen.
389 reviews
July 29, 2015
I like this series a lot for the earliest beginner readers. However, I don't think "knit" is a beginner reader word or any word for that matter that has a silent letter.
Profile Image for Memory Toast.
451 reviews18 followers
Read
August 10, 2021
The adorable illustrations and funny sentences themed around 3 word families per book make this series a great one for an emerging reader.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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