Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat
The first book in a decodable series by Julia Donaldson. It uses only the sounds a child has already been taught, managing to pack in a joke and an ending despite the strict constraints.
Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat by Julia Donaldson is estimated to take about 1.5 minutes to read aloud (55 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 4-6.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 1.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Estimated word count
- 55Our estimate
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 1/5plain words
- Best for
- Ages 4-6Our editorial fit
Our review
This is a great bridge for children who love the author's other work and are beginning to move into formal decoding. It makes the transition to phonics books feel much more natural.
The humor helps keep the reading sessions light and engaging. It’s an ideal starting point for the Songbirds scheme.
Before you buy it
Since Level 1+ is for the very first term of Reception, confident readers will find this far too easy. Better to move up the Songbirds levels instead.
Themes
- phonics
- decodable
- cats
- humour
Books like Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Julia Donaldson's Songbirds Read with Oxford Phonics 36 Books Collection Set (Stage 1-4)about 34 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Read with Biff, Chip and Kipper: Floppy and the Bone and Other Storiesabout 4.5 minutes estimated · 3/5 re-read
The Gruffaloabout 8.5 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
Phonic Books Dandelion Launchers Stages 1-7: Sam, Tam, Tim (Bindup)about 4 minutes estimated · 2/5 re-read
Big Cat Phonics for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised: The Hide and Seek Squirrels (Phase 5)about 3.5 minutes estimated · 3/5 re-read
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat aloud?
About 1.5 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 55. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat actually for?
Ages 4-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 1 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (1 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
Is Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to the Songbirds Phonics series. It stands on its own, so you can start here without reading the others in order, then move to the rest if it lands.
What themes does Oxford Reading Tree Songbirds Phonics: Level 1+: Top Cat cover?
We tag it with phonics, decodable, cats and humour. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
