"Songbirds" is a new Phonics series from Oxford Reading Tree. It comprises real stories written by the best-selling author of "The Gruffulo", Julia Donaldson. All the stories are phonic stories that support the latest curriculum developments. "Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds provide": fully decodeable texts that build on pupils' phonic knowledge as they work through the 36 books over 6 stages; opportunities for segmenting, blending and matching sounds and letter blends; lively illustrations by a variety of artists; flexible activities that can be tailored to your phonic teaching; and, an exciting interactive CD-Rom to accompany Stages 1+ - 3. Stage 3 titles practise the sound made by the following letters: "The Big Match" - ck ng qu x; "The Shopping List" - This book introduces words with consonant clusters at the end; "Gran is Cross" - This book introduces words with consonant clusters at the beginning; "The Trunk and the Skunk" - This book introduces words with consonant clusters at the end and the beginning; "The Scrap Rocket" - This book practises words with consonant clusters at the end and the beginning; and, "Splash and Squelch" - This book practices words with consonant clusters at the end and the beginning.