LONG VOWEL TEAM SERIES · BOOK 5
King Toad And Crow
Help your child learn 86 words containing oa and ow for the long /ō/ sound through one memorable story - with printable flashcards, games and step-by-step guidance included.
86 focus words containing oa and ow
Focused practice with oa and ow for the long /ō/ sound
Story, flashcards and printable games
Step-by-step guidance for adults
The Story
About King Toad and Crow
Kind King Toad rules a peaceful kingdom, but boastful Mr Crow schemes to take the throne. When Crow becomes a royal nuisance, the king arranges a grand lunch and quietly teaches him an important lesson.
The story gives children repeated exposure to 86 focus words using oa and ow for the long /ō/ sound, helping them connect the spelling pattern with characters, events and images they can remember.
Spelling focus
oa, ow
Target sound
long /ō/
Focus words
86
Example Focus Words
oa: coat, boat, loaf, loan, road, roam
ow: arrow, below, bowl, crow, glow, slow
The Challenge
Does your child recognise the long /ō/ sound - but still guess which spelling pattern to use?
sow
or
sough
or
so
or
sou
?
road
or
rode
or
rod
or
rowd
?
tow
or
to
or
tou
or
too
?
The long /ō/ sound can be represented by several spelling patterns. A child may hear the sound correctly but still be unsure whether a word uses o, oa, ow, o-e, oe, ough or another spelling.
King Toad and Crow gives children repeated, meaningful exposure to words in which oa and ow represent the long /ō/ sound.
The Solution
How This Book Solves It
Instead of asking children to memorise isolated word lists, King Toad and Crow places 86 words containing oa and ow for the long /ō/ sound inside one engaging and memorable story.
One Clear Spelling Focus
The story focuses on words in which oa and ow represent the long /ō/ sound. This gives children repeated exposure to the same sound-spelling connection without overwhelming them with competing patterns.
Words Connected to a Story
Each focus word appears in a meaningful context. Children can connect the word to a character, event or image from the story, making its spelling easier to recall.
Practice That Reinforces Learning
Included flashcards, games and activities help children revisit the focus words through reading, spelling and play - building familiarity, confidence and fluency over time.
Inside the Book
What's Included
An Engaging Story
A carefully written and illustrated story featuring 86 focus words in which oa or ow represents the long /ō/ sound.
Printable Flashcards
Story-linked flashcards featuring oa or ow words from King Toad and Crow, helping children connect each word with a character, event or image.
Games and Activities
Printable games using words from the story to provide repeated reading and spelling practice through play.
Complete Focus Word List
A full list of the words featured in the story, making it easy to review and practise the target spelling pattern.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Clear guidance showing parents, teachers and tutors how to use the story and companion resources effectively.
The Audience
Who Is It For?
King Toad and Crow is designed for school-aged children who need additional support recognising, reading and spelling words containing oa or ow for the long /ō/ sound.
It is especially helpful for:
Children who recognise the long /ō/ sound but are unsure which spelling pattern to use
Learners with dyslexia or other literacy difficulties
Children who find traditional isolated spelling lists difficult to remember
Learners who respond well to stories, illustrations and meaningful context
The story can be read independently, read together with an adult or read aloud, depending on the child’s current reading ability.
Feedback About Story Spellers
What Parents and Educators Say
I love the way the words are broken into syllables and how colour is used to highlight phonics patterns. The printable games and clear guidance will be very helpful for busy parents and educators.
I absolutely loved these books. It's such an interesting idea. Too often, instruction gets overlooked in schools. I am excited to see how the whole series pans out. This is definitely a unique way to teach kids.
I read the book to my son, and we played the games included with it. He enjoyed the story and completed the activities without complaining.
How to Use the Book
Instructions
Read the Story
Read King Toad and Crow to or with the child. Discuss the characters and important events so the story becomes familiar and memorable.
Recall the Words with Flashcards
Use the included flashcards to connect each oa or ow word with a moment from the story.
Example
Educator: (shows card ‘boast’)
Prompt: “Tell me a short sentence from the story.”
Student: “Crow liked to boast all the time.”
Practise Through Play
Use the included games and activities to revisit the oa and ow focus words through reading, spelling and play.
Practise Encoding and Decoding the Focus Words
If the student has difficulty spelling a word, remind them how the word appeared in the story to support their memory and reinforce learning.
Example
Educator: "Please spell road, as in 'I drive my car on the road'."
Student: “Is it rode or road?”
Educator: “Remember, oak trees lined the road to King Toad's palace?”
Student: “It's from King Toad's story, so I'll use 'oa' in the beginning and middle of words and 'ow' at the end.” (Writes: road)
Please refer to the book for detailed step-by-step instructions.
The Results
What Children and Educators Gain
With repeated reading and practice, children build a stronger connection between the long /ō/ sound, the oa and ow spelling patterns and the meaning of each focus word.
What Children Gain
Greater familiarity with 86 words spelled with oa or ow
Improved recognition of oa and ow representing the long /ō/ sound
Stronger connections between sounds, spellings and meanings
Increased reading and spelling fluency through repeated practice
A memorable story context for recalling oa and ow words
What Educators and Parents Gain
A structured way to reinforce oa and ow for the long /ō/ sound
Ready-to-use flashcards, games and activities
Less time spent creating supplementary materials
A resource suitable for individual, small-group or classroom use
The goal is not simply to help children remember a list for the week - it is to help these spellings become familiar, meaningful and easier to retrieve when reading and writing.
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