Q & U CALL IT QUITS

In the world of the alphabet, letters work together as partners to make sounds and words.

“Q and U [are] quick friends. Just like T and H, who [are] thick as thieves.” More and more words are created by the Q-U team as they quilt together, play games (involving quests and conquest), and even go on field trips (encountering quacking ducks and squealing pigs on a farm). But though they are good friends, U sometimes feels a bit bothered and would like some time alone or with another letter. “Q needed her more than she needed him.” It is, of course, easy for the letter U to team up and be a part of words that do not include the letter Q, but that does not quite work for Q. As their separation continues, the other letters of the alphabet also begin to detach from their partners until a loud argument results in an overall inability to make words. “With S ignoring H, there was no way to SHHH! or HUSH the crowd.” This prompts Q and U to reconcile in order to shout the word “QUIET!!!!!!” Shocked, the other letters reunite and begin to create their cooperative words again. The witty text incorporates lots of pertinent examples with blends and digraphs highlighted in red. Martin illustrates the fun with colorful individual letter characters who all have eyes, mouths, legs, and arms.

An amusing and applicable story to enhance a reading lesson’s significance of letter pairs.