Description
In this first book, the five Alpha-Maniacs are playing pirates when a band of real, but bumbling pirates, sail ashore. Speaking only in rhyme, the pirates ask the Alpha-Maniacs for help with a treasure map. The Alpha-Maniacs jump at the chance to train the clumsy buccaneers in all aspects of being proper pirates.
This book is based on rhyming, which is the first phonological awareness skill to develop in young children. Words that rhyme have the same middle and end sounds, such as cat and mat. Rhyming helps children notice similarities and patterns in words, which lays the foundation for both reading and spelling. In the story, Captain Ray and his pirate crew speak only in rhyme. Occasionally, they stumble on their words and the Alpha-Maniacs help them to complete the rhyme. Drawing children’s attention to the rhyme helps them to develop this skill more quickly. As you read, be sure to emphasize the rhymes and encourage them to repeat the rhymes along with you.
At the end of the book, you will find additional rhyming activities meant to be played at home or in a classroom. In addition to rhyming games, this book also includes activities to practice letter formation.
Lucy –
Great story that kept my 6 year old nephew engaged and interested from beginning to end. Even my 18 month old daughter loved to look at the pictures and listen to the story with us. We laughed at how silly the rhyming pirates were and learned how to become real pirates with them!
With a background in early childhood education I think it is fantastic to see books come with instructions for the parents and activities for the children. My nephew couldn’t wait to play the rhyming tower game and we have continued to play it since reading the book.
Great way to encourage learning in the home!
Bob –
Here’s a secret I’ve learned this year: If you want your kids to get their leafy greens, add aforementioned greens to a smoothie that’s loaded with berries. Here’s something I learned last week: If you want your kids to read something educational, make sure it’s a fun story that includes silly pirates and likeable kid heroes. My kids LOVE this book! Like another poster here, I have a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. Captain Ray and the Rhyming Pirates engages each of them at their own level. My 3-year-old daughter is learning the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds, and she loves to attempt the challenges that appear on each page of the book. My 5-year-old son enjoys the rhyming and the challenges, and he REALLY enjoys teaching his li’l sister when she gets stuck. 🙂 He is also solidifying his ability to sound out and spell words (and learning new vocabulary to boot).
Some nice bonuses: 1. As a parent and teacher, I really appreciated reading through the “How to Use This Book” section at the beginning; 2. The Additional Activities section at the end includes some really fun and creative ways of reinforcing oral and written language skills.
Alex, Eddie, Izzy, Olly and Umber, we look forward to seeing you all in Book Two!
Bob Gardner, BEd, OCT
Katy –
A fun and playful learning-to-read resource.
The pirate theme immediately appealed to my 6 year old son. While he is not yet reading, he can identify letters, and quickly noted the letters on the Alpha Maniacs shirts and the letters in the background of The Letter Lagoon. He also picked up on the rhyming speech pattern of the pirates, connecting it to the title of the book. Halfway through, he became more interested in the story than the questions at the bottom of the pages, but we returned to that element in subsequent readings. My 9 year old daughter, an avid reader, enjoyed helping her little brother with the questions. The extra games and activities at the end of the book are a nice addition.