Olivia Goes to the Zoo
An Adventure with the Vowel O
From the Series Vowel Adventures
“In Olivia Goes to the Zoo, beginning readers learn about the many sounds and functions of the vowel O in a fun decodable story. Follow along as Olivia and her mom walk around the zoo, visiting animals such as lions, gorillas, and sloths. Vibrant illustrations and carefully leveled text will engage young readers in a supportive educational fiction reading experience and will enhance language arts, decodables, and phonics concepts.
Supplementary back matter helps readers review the story, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Olivia Goes to the Zoo also features reading tips for teachers and parents and a table of contents.
Grasshopper Books offers simple, fun fiction for emerging readers. Olivia Goes to the Zoo is part of Jump!’s Vowel Adventures series."
Reviews
Vowel Adventures - Reviewed by School Library Journal
This series presents short narratives highlighting different vowels and their uses. Each book follows a child doing an everyday activity, such as going to the zoo or grocery store, told with an emphasis on a particular vowel (“Ivan and Ivy pick up a pizza. It is big!”) By using vowels in an authentic and engaging way, these stories highlight their different applications and sounds in context. Vibrant illustrations depict a diverse group of children, and the pictures align with the text on the page to support comprehension. Before, during, and after reading tips are provided, along with a short activity reviewing several of the long and short versions of the vowel used in the text. These additional features would be most effective when used with a caregiver or teacher, though readers can also use these texts independently. VERDICT With short tales illustrating how different vowels are used, this series effectively delivers an active approach to phonics.
