The Alpha-Mania Adventures series of books was created to help teach phonics to children. They use five keys to teach reading that include phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. In Book One, Captain Ray and the Rhyming Pirates, the focus is on the first of phonological awareness, rhyming. Which makes this book a fun one to read with children of all ages.

This book is not only a fun rhyming story about pirates. It incorporates several activities to help reinforce phonics and rhyming. These include hidden letter and object searches throughout the book. There are bonus activities in the back of the book that help to reinforce rhyming, help teach proper letter formation, and a guide for learning letter sounds. 

I thought this would be a great way to help teach rhyming words for my preschooler, beginning reading for my kindergartner, and additional phonics practice for my third grader. They all loved the quirky pirates and thought it was funny that they spoke in rhymes.

We used the Rhyming Activities in the back of the book to provide additional rhyming practice. The kids loved the Pirate Rhymes game and trying to guess what word came next. We had a lot of fun with this book. I think it is a great resource for anyone needing addition help with phonics, introducing or reviewing rhyming, or to introduce phonological awareness.  

You can purchase a copy of Book One, Captain Ray and the Rhyming Pirates for $13.00. You an also purchase the complete set of five books that cover the five key parts of phonological awareness: rhyming, blending, alliterations, segmenting, and sound manipulation. The complete set is $65.00.

-Product review by Michelle Urdak, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2017

Another Reviewer’s Perspective:

The Alpha-Mania Adventures
Ruth Rumack, B.Ed. and Jennifer Makwana, B.Ed., ECE

Join Alpha-Maniacs Alex, Eddie, Izzy, Olly, and Umber in the book The Alpha-Mania Adventures Pirates: Book One Captain Ray and the Rhyming Pirates in Letter Lagoon. In this beautifully illustrated thirty-seven page book, the Alpha-Maniacs are playing a game of pirates when a pirate ship sails into the lagoon. Upon meeting the Pirates, the Alpha-Maniacs realize that the pirates speak only in rhyme and are in need of a little assistance with acting like pirates. Come join the Alpha-Maniacs and pirates on a fun adventure as the Alpha-Maniacs give pirate lessons.

The Alpha-Mania Adventures not only keeps children engaged throughout the entire story but they are learning one of the phonological awareness skills through rhyming. My kids enjoyed the book including looking for hidden objects throughout the story. When we were through reading the story there were rhyming and letter formation activities for us to complete and the girls enjoyed them.  There are also a pair of guides for letter sounds and formation and an answer key for the hidden pictures throughout the story.

-Product review by Jennifer Bowen, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2017