Ever wondered how to teach letter sounds and animal science in one swoop? V is for Vulture from the ABC Phonics series nails it—think The Very Hungry Caterpillar meets National Geographic Kids. Kate Slater’s collage-style art gives vultures unexpected charm, showing them gliding over savannas in sunset golds and storm-cloud grays (look closely—one bird’s patterned wings spell a tiny “V”).

The book kicks off with the “vvv” sound lesson: Kids mimic vibrations by humming like planes. Clever! By page 6, they’re sleuthing through context clues to decode “vertebrate” (spoiler: even vultures have backbones!). Missed trick? No “ick factor” about vultures’ eating habits—gross = gold for little learners.

Teachers will flip for the hands-on ideas:

1. Craft feathery letter Vs with coffee filters 🡨 bonus mess!
2. Play “Sky Spy” by spotting circling birds during recess
3. Pair with Stellaluna for a “winged friends” story hour

Parents, brace for questions: “Do vultures burp?” (Yes.) “Can I adopt one?” (Hard no.). The fold-out migration map steals the show—Slater hides a sneaky roadrunner in the desert scene. Nitpick? The “vulture facts” sidebar blends awkwardly with the story text, but hey, it’s a great chance to practice scanning skills.

Pro tip: Visit a bird sanctuary post-read for real-world connections. Just skip page 11’s glittery vulture craft idea unless you enjoy vacuuming sparkles for weeks.