Sal and the Three-Letter Spell — Rebecca Donnelly

04/01/2023K-Gr 2—Through the lens of fairy tales and magical creatures, this series presents different phonics concepts through short, narrative stories. Each book shares an original, fictional tale that focuses on one phonics area, such as word families and consonant blends. Readers are invited to look for these concepts throughout the story as they read, creating an interactive approach for exploring how they work. For example, one story features a boy who needs to bring a witch several items featuring three-letter CVC words to reverse a spell. The appealing illustrations are colorful and cartoon-inspired to appeal to beginning readers. A visual glossary is included at the end, along with a practice activity that invites readers to identify the phonics concept being shown. VERDICT With simple narratives, these books provide an engaging way to practice phonics skills in an authentic context. Recommended for early elementary collections.