Age range 4 to 6

Come and meet the Phonobet, old Alpha Betty’s twin,

The set of all the sounds you use when waggling your chin.

Phonobet is a modern-day, Australian answer to Dr Seuss’s ABC. This very clever rhyming text takes an onomatopoeic romp through the 44 phonemes of Australian (and British) English, comparing sounds to trees, bees, trains, robots, monkeys, pirates and more. The text aligns with primary-school phonics programs and could be used by educators in this field, but is equally successful as a fun read-aloud book for parents of 4- to 6-year-olds.

Children will enjoy Kim Drane’s bold, colourful and fun-filled illustrations, which pop on the page.

So, once you know the Phonobet, I’m certain that you’ll find

A wacky world of wonder words with sounds of every kind,

The sounds are yours to say and sing and twist and taste and chew.

And then, what should you do with them? Well, that’s up to you.

Kathy Weeden is a Canberra-based music and learning support teacher, with experience in classrooms from K to 12. She is multilingual and proficient in classical guitar, flute and piano.

Kim Drane (kimdrane.com) is a 2D animator and illustrator based in Melbourne. Her designs are bright, colourful and full of happiness.