Just received your book!

Lindsay Kennedy

20 August 2021

…Just received your book! It’s wonderful can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren and will also use it at school. (primary school LSA)

Lindsay Kennedy

I've read a lot of the poems...

Marilyn Fisher

28 August 2021

I've read a lot of the poems in the book you sent. They are amazing and very clever, I do enjoy them.

A beautiful book...

Sue Robbins

Amazon UK - Top review from United Kingdom

Sue Robbins
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2021
Verified Purchase

A beautiful book very put together alot of thought put into it. It must have taken hours of research. I can not wait to share it with my 3year old Grandson.

I really like the idea behind this book...

Laura M, Educator - NetGalley

September 2021

I really like the idea behind this book and wanted to like it more. I will use some of the rhymes in the classroom, how I feel many of the originals do the job just as well. I am sure it will have a niche market and will be well used by those who love it. Thanks for the chance to review it.

Author note - a good review - and important as although we all love our familiar nursery rhymes, for success today we need to find new ways to teach the salient vocabulary for today

I can't evaluate this like a reading specialist...

L G, Educator - NetGalley

September 2021

I can't evaluate this like a reading specialist or SLP could, but, as a classroom reader, this comes across as more of a didactic tool than a recreational read. I would absolutely check in with the relevant professionals to see their thoughts on it and recommend it to caregivers with their approval, but I don't know if I'd bring it out for general classroom use at circle time or in small groups.

The rhymes seem to lean more toward form than function--there were words and expressions that I don't think my pre-K kids would understand that seem mostly to support the tune/meter rather than storytelling. This may well be an excellent resource for kids with language processing issues/delays, but unless recommended by a pro, I would probably defer to whatever interests the child for recreational reading purposes.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Author comment - Another good review although it again overlooks the need to re-evaluate oral vocabulary development before school. The creative teacher will be able to adapt the resource for small group and whole class but 1-1 sharing is the primary objective

This is a very helpful book...

Abe C - NetGalley

September 2021

This is a very helpful book to remind us to teach our children to read by reciting poems, teaching them rhymes, and having a lot of word play in their daily life. Our kids are all grown and are readers, so we've done well. But our family has always been readers and we are very verbal and we love to play word games. Wizzy's Words gives you tons of examples but, more than that, I think the best take away is to talk to your kids, read to them, sing to them, embrace nursery rhymes, both old and new, and just have a ball talking and playing with those fun things called words. I remember years ago Dr. Dodson had a similar book. While I am now a grandfather, and don't need the daily use of poems, we read to our grandkids all the time and they read to us. And we constantly play language games. So, this book will help you to see how easy it all is. And how useful it all is. And, most of all, how fun it all is.

Author comment - In line with Wizzy's Words, this reviewer sets the context and rationale for developing a language rich environment for children from birth onwards.

My grandchildren love this book...

Jude - BookBub

18 September 2021

My grandchildren love this book .This is for teaching the vocabulary that all children need to help them excel when they go school . It uses a traditional nursery rhyme format with original words that are quirky and funny and very engaging for small children from birth to early school years. It is appropriate for children from a broad range of culture and backgrounds.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Funny

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/761912362-d96f5880-e129-4e8e-a967-bc921a8cb439?source=link_share

So, this book will help you to see how easy it all is.

Abe Carnow

Amazon Top review from the United States

Abe Carnow
5.0 out of 5 stars A book chock full of examples of how to play with language and have fun
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2021

This is a very helpful book to remind us to teach our children to read by reciting poems, teaching them rhymes, and having a lot of word play in their daily life. Our kids are all grown and are readers, so we've done well. But our family has always been readers and we are very verbal and we love to play word games. Wizzy's Words gives you tons of examples but, more than that, I think the best take away is to talk to your kids, read to them, sing to them, embrace nursery rhymes, both old and new, and just have a ball talking and playing with those fun things called words. I remember years ago Dr. Dodson had a similar book. While I am now a grandfather, and don't need the daily use of poems, we read to our grandkids all the time and they read to us. And we constantly play language games. So, this book will help you to see how easy it all is. And how useful it all is. And, most of all, how fun it all is.

Wizzy’s Words by Jacqueline E. Alexander is a children’s book of 70 modern nursery rhymes with a difference.

W. Reid

20 September - Amazon UK

5.0 out of 5 stars The word is out - Wizzy leads the way in rhymes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2021
Verified Purchase

Wizzy’s Words by Jacqueline E. Alexander is a children’s book of 70 modern nursery rhymes with a difference. It is evidence-based and the author has carefully and painstakingly devised every rhyme with that evidence in mind. The aim is to ensure that by the time a child reaches school age, he/she will be fully equipped with an oral vocabulary that research has shown leads to competent reading skills and, eventually, writing ability. In turn, that early knowledge and competence translates into life-long achievement. Quite a claim from the author, but it is fully backed up with robust evidence.

The rhymes can be sung to the music of traditional nursery rhymes such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and many other familiar rhymes. While traditional nursery rhymes are the staple of young children, they contain the language of their time and this modern version updates that language, making it more relevant. Children need to hear words before they can say, read and write them and, used from birth to school age, these rhymes will encourage learning through fun.

The book is also beautifully illustrated and designed to catch a baby/child’s attention so that he/she can also contribute to the interaction that occurs through reading the book with another; a further advantage that can aid vocabulary learning. I already read it to my baby granddaughter and although there is obviously no understanding yet, the rhythmical sounds of the verses and the music associated with them are already filtering through to a young, developing brain.

There is also a helpful list of words at the back of Wizzy’s Words that provides a comprehensive list of the important ones used throughout the book’s rhymes and this is an additional section that, hopefully, directs both adults and children to the words that should be mastered by school age. Although it has a specific goal, the book is meant to make learning oral vocabulary fun for children and informative for those involved in the developmental process of acquiring language.

For anyone interested in the research, the author has written an impressive literature review, which is referenced in the book, so that families, caregivers, nursery teachers, educational practitioners or anyone else involved in a child’s development can access the evidence. Briefly, the research suggests that nearly 25% of four to five-year-old children miss age-appropriate targets for oral vocabulary. This startling but, sadly, accurate fact shows the level of attainment disparity between different children’s school entry language skills that can result in many of them being left behind, which affects their educational progress.

If you want to ensure that your child has the best grounding in early oral vocabulary that can underpin successful literacy, this book should be on your child’s bookshelf alongside other favourite children’s authors.
W. Reid (Glasgow)

As a teacher I (somewhat arrogantly) ...

Carolyn

Posted on Matador website - 27 September 2021

As a teacher I (somewhat arrogantly) thought I wouldn’t need help teaching my son to talk however here I am with a two year old who won’t speak. I have been using whizzy’s rhymes with him and he tries to join in with me. We have a lot of fun and he claps along taking the stress and making learning fun. I would thoroughly recommend this book to all mums and I will be taking it into school with me to help some of my pupils.
by Carolyn

Wow what a fab book, instantly engaging and is well set out.

Caroline Ma

Posted on Matador site 20 October 2021

Wow what a fab book, instantly engaging and is well set out. Children can learn so much, expand their vocabulary and also practice phonetics sounds.

With each rhyme there are pictures that are related to it which helps make it fun for the child. Every page has many bright and colourful illustrations and at the. At the end of the book is an index of all the words.
The Wizzy's word book is a perfect way to get into rhyme & just have fun while leaning too.

by Caroline Ma

It is suitable for parents and all types of early years provider – childminders, nurseries and pre-schools...

Sarah Neville – Ofsted registered childminder/early years specialist

Posted on Matador website 22 October 2021

I recently received a review copy of this book and wanted to share as quickly as possible because it’s so good!

Wizzy’s Words is a book of rhymes for building children’s oral vocabulary, from birth upwards. It is suitable for parents and all types of early years provider – childminders, nurseries and pre-schools and for all children, whether they are learning English as a first, second or additional language.

Wizzy’s Words contains a series of short, catchy rhymes, all set to tunes we already know – on the facing page to the rhyme, you find the key words from the rhyme which you can focus on when you are, for example, reading books or singing other songs with the children.

Wizzy’s Words links wonderfully to the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in England and will help you to meet Ofsted’s inspection expectation of building children’s vocabulary through books, songs, rhymes, stories and conversation.

Sarah Neville - Manchester UK

Twitter Post

Mary Mountstephen MA(SEN) MA(RES)

Twitter review post - 17 November 2021

Super little book of nursery rhymes.

'Really catchy...'

Amazon Customer

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2021
Verified Purchase

The verses are really catchy for little ones to say and remember.

Listen to Wizzy's five-star way with words - Audiobook and book review

Amazon Customer

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 December 2021
Verified Purchase

‘Wizzy’s Words by Jacqueline E. Alexander is a children’s book and audio version of 70 modern nursery rhymes with a difference…While the rhymes can be sung to the tunes of traditional nursery rhymes, the whole point of the audio book is to provide clear and succinct dialogue so that children can pick up the words... The narrator has a very calm and clear way of delivering the rhymes and it is a very easy and entertaining listen… Whether you read Wizzy’s Words in book form or audio book, both of which I personally use for my grandchildren, you will be helping them from a very early age to acquire the oral language needed for them to progress well through the early years in their education.’

This is a delightful resource...

Mary Mountstephen - Reviews Editor SEN Magazine

Reviewed in SEN Magazine - January 2022

Jacqueline E Alexander is a primary school teacher, with postgraduate qualifications and a passion for developing early oral language skills, based on research and classroom observations.

The book consists of 70 illustrated modern nursery rhymes that provide a launch pad for language work beyond the pre-reading phase, with a focus on supporting those children in danger of being ‘left behind’. At the same time, the rhymes are designed to appeal to all children as part of oral vocabulary programs.
Each double page has an illustrated rhyme on the left side, and identified key words on the right. Some of the rhymes can be sung along to traditional tunes such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Rhymes include:
• There Was a Little Dog (There Was a Crooked Man)
• Read a Book Baby (Hush-a-Bye Baby)

This is a delightful resource that will engage young children in developing their vocabulary and the use of rhyme, rhythm and language structure.

Really lovely!

https://senmagazine.co.uk/content/support-advice/books/16118/wizzys-words-a-book-of-rhymes-for-building-childrens-oral-vocabulary-from-age-zero-onwards/

An absolute must for anyone who cares for young children!

Amazon customer

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must for anyone who cares for young children!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom by J Jacobs
Verified Purchase

As a Nursery teacher, SENDCo and mother this book is just wonderful! It is all the fun of traditional rhymes updates with today’s vocabulary! An absolute treasure to share with small groups or 1:1 before long these rhymes will be the ones everyone is singing! Highly recommend getting a copy of you have you children/grandchildren or work with children 0-5! They love the images and rhythms an absolute hit! My 12 year old loves reading it to her younger relatives!

Excellent book

Verified purchase on eBay - 0129jennifer

It's great for young children really pleased