"Songbirds" is a new Phonics series from "Oxford Reading Tree".

It comprises real stories written by the best-selling author of "The Gruffulo", Julia Donaldson.

All the stories are phonic stories that support the latest curriculum developments. "Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds" provide: fully decodeable texts that build on pupils' phonic knowledge as they work through the 36 books over 6 stages; opportunities for segmenting, blending and matching sounds and letter blends; lively illustrations by a variety of artists; flexible activities that can be tailored to your phonic teaching; and an exciting interactive CD-Rom to accompany Stages 4-6.

Stage 4 titles practise the long vowel sounds: "Queen Anneena's Feast" - ee ea y e; "Spike Says" - igh y ie i-e i; "The Wrong Kind of Knight" - ee ea y e, igh y ie i-e i; "Moan, Moan, Moan" - oa ow o-e o; "The Snake and the Drake" - ai ay a-e a; and "Tadpoles" - ee ea y e, i-e i, ow o-e o, ai ay a-e a.