Once
kids can sound out simple words and know some sight words,
you'll want to keep the momentum going and offer some simple
books that will help build confidence and gently
challenge them. Of course, children learn
to read in different ways--some are most inspired by books whose
illustrations give them strong clues for what the text will be,
for example. Good books for this period incorporate some rhyme and
contain phrases that are repeated often.
Top Picks
for Budding Readers<
Top
Pick The
Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is a favorite for this stage in reading
development. The
reading level is rather simple, but the story is longer than
beginning readers like Bob Books. This one stands out because its
humor and developing story line makes it a joy to read. It
appeals to both boys and girls, uses rhymes and repeated phrases
to help build confidence in young readers, and contains attractive
illustrations. Children will be more than satisfied once they've
read the whole book, and it's sure to be read many times over.
[Read our review; Buy The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat : Level 1 (An...
at
Amazon.com (the paperback version is approximately $4 US]
Top
Pick Go Dog Go! is a classic story that has been
around for years. Budding readers will have a great time with it,
and their parents will enjoy it too! Key phrases are repeated just
enough times to build confidence in budding readers without boring
them. The text mixes easy words like "dog" and
"big" with common sight words. Best of all, it is a delightful, multi-topic story that
is filled with humor, a bit of whimsy, and plenty of activity (as
the title suggests). Colorful dogs demonstrate important early
learning concepts like up/down, in/out, etc. And, a running
story line, in which two dogs meet and one asks if the other likes
her hat, is arguably the one most likely to bring a smile to a
young child's face. Kids love it when the red dog frankly answers,
"I do not like that hat", and are delighted when he
finally does like the other dog's hat choice. This beginning
reader is topnotch.
[Read our review; Buy Go, Dog. Go!
at
Amazon.com (the hardcover is approximately $7 US]
Worth
Reading
Children who
are not quite ready for books with too many pages or words on each
page might try the Easy Words to Read series by Usborne. Ted in a
Red Bed, for example, is a cute book with simple lines like,
"Ted has a dream, he bobs down the stream". The books in
this series contain some flaps for extra interest, and they
feature adorable and playful illustrations. [Ted in a Red Bed (Easy Words to Read...
at
Amazon.com (the hardcover is approximately $7 US]
Kids who are
ready for just a little more will enjoy the gentle series of
Little Bear books. These are classic stories. The illustrations
are not colorful and bold like many of the new readers, but the
stories are written expertly for this age group. The first title
in the series, Little Bear, contains a few stories in one book.
Parents will enjoy helping their kids read these warm and loving
titles.
[Buy Little Bear
at
Amazon.com for approximately $4 US]
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