Read with Oxford: Stage 5: The Sand Witch
Read with Oxford: Stage 6 Series
What’s inside...
The Sand Witch is an enchanting tale of a young girl named Eliza who embarks on a magical adventure to save her seaside town from the mischief of a mischievous witch made entirely of sand. Along the journey, Eliza learns about courage, friendship, and the power of clever thinking. Drusilla the Sand Witch is a friendly witch, but not when it comes to greedy Hagbag. In this magically funny story, Drusilla and her cat, Peg, must come up with a good spell to get rid of their unwanted visitor. Books with short chapters are a great way for children who are becoming independent readers to extend reading stamina and progress to the next step of their reading journey. This Read with Oxford Stage 5 book has short chapters, an engaging story and humorous colour illustrations. Tips for parents and fun after-reading activities help you to get the most out of the story. Featuring much-loved characters, great authors, engaging storylines, and fun activities, Read with Oxford offers an exciting range of carefully levelled reading books to build your child's reading confidence.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-9
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What would you do if you met a sand witch on the beach?
How do you think the characters felt when they encountered the sand witch? Can you relate to those feelings?
What lessons can we learn from the way the characters interacted with the sand witch?
If you could create a magical sand creature, what would it be and why?
What are some ways the characters could have solved their problems differently?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive voices for different characters to make the reading session more lively and engaging.
Ask your child to draw their favorite scene or character from the book. This helps them connect visually and emotionally with the story.
Encourage your child to predict what might happen next in the story before turning the page. This builds anticipation and engagement.
Relate the story's themes or situations to your child’s own experiences to help them draw personal connections.
After reading, ask your child to summarize the story in their own words, enhancing their comprehension and recall skills.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding
Explanation: The story portrays characters who learn to understand the Sand Witch’s feelings and motivations, rather than judging her from afar.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to consider the perspectives of others around them, fostering empathy and reducing conflicts.
Example Lesson: Importance of Teamwork
Explanation: Characters in the book collaborate to solve problems, highlighting how working together can lead to successful outcomes.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to cooperate with peers during group activities at school or in play, teaching them the value of teamwork.
Example Lesson: Creativity and Problem Solving
Explanation: The plot involves characters using imaginative solutions to challenges they face, demonstrating creative problem solving.
Real-World Application: Children can be inspired to think creatively when faced with obstacles, applying innovative thinking to everyday problems.