Words Are Magic!

Illustrated by Felicia Whaley

Save

Scripps National Spelling Bee champ Zaila Avant-garde shares her love of words with new readers in this level 1 Step Into Reading book.

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Words are magic! Have you heard? Pick a letter. Make a word!

New readers will find joyful encouragement in this level 1 easy reader that sings out about the magic of words. Encouraging kids to mix words, match words, shout and rap words, Scripps National Spelling champ Zaila Avante-garde takes readers along on a noisy and boisterous celebration of letters, sounds, and reading. It's the perfect first step for new readers, full of fun and energy, from one of America's most exciting and unique young voices.

Step 1 Readers feature big…

$7.99

January 2, 2024

Select a Retailer:

ZAILA AVANT-GARDE is a multi-talented powerhouse and a New York Times bestselling author, with success springing from all her endeavors. She was named SportsKid of the Year 2021 by Sports Illustrated Kids.

Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, she won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, making her the first African-American to win in almost 100 years of the competition. Avant-garde landed on her winning word, murraya—a type of tree—by associating the word with famous comedian Bill Murray, who surprised her by phoning in during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Avant-garde’s spelling triumph is just one entry on a very impressive resume. Along with competing in spelling bees for two years, Avant-garde holds two Guinness World Records for her basketball prowess. She…

More by Zaila Avant-garde

Sports Are Fun!

Zaila Avant-garde; illustrated by Felicia Whaley

Words Are Magic!

Zaila Avant-Garde; illustrated by Felicia Whaley

FELICIA WHALEY is a children’s book illustrator currently residing in Oak Park, IL. She obtained a BFA in illustration and design from the Art Institute of Chicago. It was there she found a love for illustrating for children, creating characters that she wished she had seen growing up. Learn more about Felicia's work at feliciawhaley.com and follow her on Instagram at @creativegal28.