What readers do you use?

[Pamela H in Texas]

I really want to stick with an ungraded phonics program. I want the child to move at his own pace and programs that cover phonics over 4 years just bug me.

 

But one good thing about phonics by grade level is that they often come with readers that directly match up with the curriculum.

 

What readers are you using if you are using an ungraded phonics program like Alphaphonics, Phonics Pathways, Ordinary Parents, Reading Reflex, Explode the Code, etc?

[Alison in KY]

My very first readers are from the Saxon Phonics K program. Then we start on Nora Gaydos books. I have been given several reading books that are from Bob Jones 1st grade, but they don't say Grade 1 on them, so my daughter, who is 8, has no idea she's behind (she's just reading on her terms ;))

 

Then we have some Sonlight readers like Frog and Toad. I liked Sonlight readers until I reached all of the Betsy/Tacy and Ralph S. Mouse stories...it just seemed like there were all alot of books that did not click with my son. So until that, the books are versatile and most of them are pretty good.

 

I also just switched to Heart of Dakota, and she has some great book sets. One is for emerging readers, then there are some books recommended for Drawn into the Heart of Reading. These you could either do with the program or without (I'm not using the program, but I might in a few years). I plan on using the level 2/3 books (which range from 3rd to 5th grades) with my 10 yr old after he finishes up some books we have now.

 

HTH

Alison

[AngieW in Texas]

You might enjoy the I See Sam readers. They start from the very beginning with just 5 sounds and 4 words and go all the way up to 3rd grade level. They teach new code gradually, nothing like the major ramp-up you see in Bob books, and the stories are better than in the Bob books as well.

 

link to my review:

http://www.thehomeschoollibrary.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1020

[sagira]

I started with the Nora Gaydos series: Beginning Reader, Now I'm Reading. Now we've moved on to Step Into Reading's 1-3 and ds is reading Level 3 readers fluently now, which makes me think he could tackle Level 4. Now he's reading Owl At Home, which is a Level 2 from the I Can Read series. It's a chapter book, but he reads one chapter a day. He's doing very well. I also have the Frog and Toad series standing by to try next. I like the I Can Read series. They're a bit more challenging for him, as are the Frog and Toad series. Then we can move on to Harry and the Lady Next Door, Sammy the Seal, Oliver and others. Oh yes, and I plan on checking out Billy Blaze when he's good and ready.

Edited May 8, 2009 by sagira

[Elizabeth Conley]

We got through the Bob Books, then we encouraged them to read what interested them and read Children's Literature together. We found our son read a great deal in order to use the computer effectively and build things. Our daughter read stories about characters she liked. I remember Amelia Bedelia, lots of DK books on various subjects, Sammy the Seal, Harry the Dog, a horrifying series about "Captain Underpants" and a few about the "Dumb Bunnies". (May my memory fail me on those last two!) Reading knock-knock joke collections, and indeed any collection of clean kids' jokes, seemed to be quite pleasant and instructive. In general, we encouraged them to follow their interests. Both children loathed phonics instruction with a passion, decrying it as cruel and unusual punishment. They would read soup labels with more enthusiasm. I'm afraid I let them win. They read constantly, so it seems they knew what was best for them.

[ElizabethB]

You could try the 1879 McGuffey series. The phonetic markings help them sound out words they have not yet learned as exceptions. I would print out a copy of the phonic chart to have for easy reference.

 

They are at Gutenberg (the larger pdf files) if you want to test them out.

[Jill- OK]

I started with the Nora Gaydos series

 

Those, Bob books, and CLP Nature Readers are about the only "readers" I use. (I do have a couple of McGuffey readers, though, and I've used them as an in-between type thing).

 

The Nature Readers are high-interest, for outdoorsy kids, but the last couple of volumes are pretty dense, with regard to vocabulary, and they aren't phonics-controlled.

 

But, you get some good science info in, with reading practice.

[Guest 4boys]

I start with Bob Books and then usually move on to the CLP phonics readers. They say they are for K but I think they are advanced for K so I just use them whenever the boys are ready. I also have some of the Starfall storybooks. After that I move on to McGuffey readers, lots of I Can Read books like Frog & Toad, Mr. Putter & Tabby, etc. I also use the Pathway readers but those are graded.

 

ETA: I just wanted to add that I read somewhere that the CLP phonics readers follow the same sequence as ETC so they can be used together well.

[sagira]

And I really like these free online readers by Threadwell at the Baldwin Project. They are recommended by Ambleside. Ds reads them straight from the computer.

[Aurelia]

We use BOB books, Nora Gaydos readers, McGuffey and Dick and Jane. I like the old-fashioned books personally, and try to keep a lot of variety in the readers so we both feel less like we're doing the same thing over and over again.

[akmommy]

With DS we started with Bob books and then moved on to I Can Read books and other similar beginning readers.

[walkermamaof4]

we also have an old and worn copy of I Can Read It! put out by Sonlight. It has been revised since our copy, and separated into multiple books instead of one big bound copy. But we don't mind the one copy. I like the lack of pictures so my kids don't "guess" at words. They have a few illustrations in black and white. I like the price. And the stories are a hoot! my ds(6) laughs out loud when he reads them. They slowly cover word families and we really like the slow and steady incremental approach. We have R&S and Pathway readers too.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Thanks y'all. We do have the McGuffey Readers and a good number of the first books of the Robinson Curriculum. And Dr. Seuss, Frog and Toad, and such.

 

we'll look at some y'all suggest :)

[skaterbabs]

We don't do readers at all - my DD finds them exceptionally boring, even when they feature a beloved character or topic (Little Bear, Barbie, fairies, princesses, etc.):glare:

 

We spend a lot of time in the library just checking out books to read. I'm of the opinion that the best way to teach a child to read (once the basic phonics are mastered) is to just READ. When DD comes across a letter blend she doesn't know, I explain that ____ makes the ___ sound, help her sound out the word, and off we go.