ABC Fun Phonics by Lorraine Drogin and Barbara Panawa is a book created to help beginning readers become more confident in their recognition of letter sounds. Based on the belief memory skills are enhanced when combined with music, the book sets each letter sound to an easy rhyme and simple tune. The book covers all 26 letters in the alphabet including both long and short vowel sounds. At least three words that begin with the phonics sound can be found in each rhyme. Across from each rhyme is a simple and colorful illustration. The illustration helps students to recall the rhyme by creating a picture of the words or scenes it depicts.

The authors encourage having your child help create actions to go along with each rhyme and help commit it to memory. Actions also make it more interactive and appeal to more learning styles.

At the beginning of the book is a short script to explain how to incorporate the use of the book in teaching phonics sounds.

I found this to be a fun supplement to use with my preschooler to help her recognize letters and practice the letter sounds. We would learn a new rhyme based on what letter we were studying that week. It was easy to have her point out the letter we were learning in the words on the page. This format also prepared her to begin recognizing beginning letter sounds and rhyming words, preparing her for reading.

My daughter found the rhymes to be silly which added an element of fun to her learning. Each rhyme was only two sentences long, which meant she could pick it up after a few repetitions. She also loves to sing, so she looked forward to learning new songs and thus, new letter sounds.

I would recommend incorporating the use of this book along with your phonics program. Young students and struggling readers will both benefit from the easy rhymes set in song. ABC Fun Phonics will add an element of fun to an otherwise dry subject as students sing and dance their way into phonemic awareness.

-Product review by Destiny Mawson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November 2020