The Pup Speaks Up

Anna Jane Hays ∙ Illustrated by Valeria Petrone

Paperback

Published on May 27, 2003 | 32 Pages

Amazon Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop.org Target Walmart

Grades Preschool – 1
Ages 4–6

This Step 1 Phonics Reader can start your child on the road to reading success!

Pal is a pup who’s a bit on the quiet side. But after some gentle prodding and encouragement from a few “talkative” friends, the pup finds the courage to speak up and take his final bow-wow!

Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

The Pup Speaks Up reviewed with Hide-and Seek Words (Heling, Hembrook). PreS-K.

"These effective new books from the Step into Reading series are labeled "phonics—ready to read." In Pup, this means using rhyme and repetition. A small, black-and-white dog greets his new owner, but unlike the other animals, who quack, honk, and oink with impunity, Pal says nothing. When a cat meows at him, Pal finally speaks his piece: "Bow wow wow." Prereaders can use their skills to match the animals with their sounds. The book extends the concept by introducing sounds made by inanimate objects such as trains and tugs. The colorful pages feature sprightly, simply shaped characters and animals." —Ilene Cooper, Booklist Reviews

ISBN 9780375812323 (Paperback)
Published on May 27, 2003
Published by Step into Reading
Pages 32
Dimensions 6 x 9
Age Range 4-6 years
Grade Preschool - 1
Reading Level Lexile: 200L | Fountas/Pinnell: F

Anna Jane Hays

Anna Jane Hays has had firsthand experience with seven preschoolers–her own two children and five grandchildren–as well as over 30 years experience in creating educational picture books, storybooks, and print activity books for preschoolers. She joined the Children’s Television Workshop in 1970 and used her creativity and expertise to help develop publishing based on Sesame Street, the then-new, innovative, PBS preschool educational television series. She was first managing editor of the Sesame Street magazine start-up and developed original Sesame Street Book publishing in partnerships with Golden Press and Random House. After 29 years at Sesame Street, she retired as Vice President/Editor in Chief of Book Publishing at Children’s Television Workshop. Hays continues her work in children’s publishing and has since published several storybooks and picture books with Random House, including "Silly Sara," "The Pup Speaks Up," and several other Step Into Reading and Sesame Workshop titles. Hays received her AA at Stephens College, Columbia, MO, and her BA in Honors English at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. She then pursued a variety of post-graduate academic studies, including writers workshops at New York University and Columbia University. The author of numerous books for both US and European publishers, Hays continues her work in children’s publishing as an editor, writer, and consultant. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Valeria Petrone

Valeria Petrone is an award-winning illustrator. Her numerous picture books include Red Truck, Blue Boat, and Yellow Copter (all by Kersten Hamilton) and a series by Gianni Rodari (Edizioni El). She does editorial illustration for newspapers and magazines as well as advertising and anima- tion. She also pursues a career as a painter, and her artworks have been exhibited in Italy and abroad. She lives in Milan, Italy.