The Elves and the Shoemaker is part of the Reading With Phonics series, which is designed to develop the reading confidence of young children. The books are aimed at children who can read a little, but who need lively, structured books to help them develop their skills further, focusing particularly on phonics. Using a familiar tale, the entertaining, rhyming text complements the child's more formal learning. A page at the beginning of each book helps adults to understand how best to use the book with the child. At the end of each book, a number of different activities reinforce the key phonic sounds from the book.