What Plants and Animals Need

Children's Literature

Each of the titles in this series follows a standard format. After the table of contents page there is a letter directed to parents or caregivers. It explains the purpose of these early readers which is to teach specific phonic sound and words that kids would normally encounter. The opposing pages contains Mother Goose rhymes, many of which will be known, but some may be more obscure and difficult for kids to relate to, although they do contain the phonic sounds emphasized in the book. The simple text is printed in large type and most of the page is filled with a crisp, clear colorful photograph. The books are available in three levels (A, B, and C) and the complexity increases as you move along in the alphabet with longer sentences, multi-syllabic words and a decrease in rebus support. At the end of each title there is a word list, game that reinforces the learning objective (instructions provided), and a very short bibliography of at least three age appropriate and fairly recent titles that complement and or expand on the focus of the text. There is also an index. Plants generally need four things—light, soil, water and air (There is no mention of plants that do not grow in soil.) while animals need air, water, food and a safe home. It might have helped to note that plants make their own food. Part of the "Compass Point Phonics Readers" series, Set C. 2004, Compass Point, Ages 6 to 7.
—Marilyn Courtot