Little Stories for Little Folks: Catholic Phonics Readers

by Nancy Nicholson

Catholic Heritage Curricula

Little Stories for Little Folks is an uncomplicated phonics program, affordably priced for the typical one-income homeschooling family. It can be used as a complete phonics program or as enrichment to other programs. A 22-page parent’s guide, Catholic flashcards, and 45 make-it-yourself readers are included. The readers are printed on 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of colored paper and are to be folded into four pages to form small booklets. The booklets are color coded to distinguish reading levels for pre-K through first grade levels. The stories are brief and plainly illustrated, much like the popular Bob Books. What separates these two products is the way that Little Stories weaves the beauty of the Catholic faith into each tale.

Little Stories uses word families to teach phonics, and it quickly allows children to read whole words in sentences. This is not an intensive phonics program, so if you feel you need more direction and assistance, you might want to use a more comprehensive program and use these readers as supplements. [reviewed by Maureen Wittmann and Cathy Duffy]