A despairing parent once told me that reading with her son was pure torture. He hated reading aloud, she hated hearing him struggle. Fortunately, parents can avoid this pain with a two-pronged pleasure approach:
How do you find books that are insure success for children learning to read? One easy, inexpensive plan is to reintroduce the board books you read to when your children were babies. These books are filled with patterns, picture and word connection, and the few, simple words are in a large, readable print. A bookstore owner I know calls these "now and later" books - they once helped babies learn language, and now they support early adventures in reading. A great example is Eric Hill's Where's Spot? (Puffin, $6.99, ages 0-6). Now available in paperback, this classic toddler book has only a few large words per page, and a pattern to help emerging readers. The story revolves around a mother dog's search for her missing pup. Each page focuses on a potential hiding place with a flap which opens. The text repeats a question focusing on that place ("Is he behind the door?"/ "Is he inside the clock?"). The use of questions and repeated words and the clear relation of the text and object make reading easy.
Independent reading success comes from lots of experience with print. Candlewick Press' "Brand New Readers" series has sets of four eight-paged books with strong stories and simple words, recurring characters and illustrations that lead to understanding. The latest set is "Ethan at Home" (Candlewick, $5.99, ages 4-6). Ethan cleans, sneezes, gets read for a snow adventure, beds down and quickly becomes an endearing character. Two other new additions to the series are "Brand New Reader: Blue Set" and "Brand New Reader: Red Set" (Candlewick, $12.99, each). Each volume brings together ten previously published books. They also include stickers, a chart to celebrate each book's completion, a guide for parents, and a blank book for in which children can make-up their own stories.
Many books which seem simple but don't provide the support new readers need are often perfect books to share. They deepen a child's reading experiences and strengthen skills without much work. Take, for example, Mo Willems' "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" (Hyperion, $12.99; ages 3-6). The book opens with a bus driver warning the reader: "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!" The driver leaves and a blue bird arrives. He begs, pleads, bargains, and threatens - he wants to drive that bus!
Though the pictures are static and don't provide clues about the text, the print is large and clear, there are repeated phrases, and an interactive text which make it an ideal shared read. As you point out familiar words and reread the overly-dramatic pigeon monologues, you'll build both reading delight and abilities.
Another perfect sharing book is Lane Smith's "The Happy Hockey Family Moves to the Country!" (Viking, $16.99, ages 5-8). Ten years ago, Smith published "The Happy Hockey Family" (Viking, $6.99) and its many fans will be happy that the funny family stars in a second I-Can-Read parody.The book is printed on paper that recalls old textbooks. The few words on each page are simple and repetitive. Again, there is no plotted story to help independent reading, but the book's comical vignettes make it an excellent book for the soothing humor of a shared read. For example, on opposing pages we see the same words repeated -- shoes, rattle and mower. The first page is labeled "city words" and illustrations show high heels, a baby rattle, and a push mower. The opposing page shows the same words, labels them "country words" and illustrations show sturdy boots, a rattle snake, and a tractor. The six characters in the Hockey family are amazingly well-rounded for stick figures and each page is filled with something to laugh at and lots to talk about.
Publishers are very aware of parent's desire to help their children discover the joy of reading. Many have sought expert opinions and then developed graduated series. These inexpensive paperbacks begin with the simple readers and become more complex, creating a path to proficiency. To make it easy for parents, reading levels are clearly defined and there are often hints and tips to help. Here are recommended series for early readers!
Ways to Set Up for Reading Success: