Wabi Sabi Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 My 6.5 y/o kindergartner ds is a very beginning reader. We've recently been reading our way through some of the books on the Sonlight first grade list (lots of Dr. Suess) but he really just isn't interested in the books at all. They're boring stories to him and babyish. Books such as the Biscuit series and Dr. Suess are a good level for him but they're just too juvenile. We've tried Henry and Mudge and it's a little better, but still not really his thing (and a tad bit advanced for him, but still doable.) He LOVES the Magic Tree House books and is very motivated to read them. He tries his best but truthfully they're just too hard for him. I also have some Stink and Commander Toad in Space on reserve at the library. I haven't seen them yet, but I'm suspecting that they still might be just a tiny bit too hard for him. He really needs something with no more than a couple sentences per page and larger type (again, think Biscuit or Dr. Suess.) Suggestions for other series, books or particular authors? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBoulden Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Try Magic School Bus or Let's read and Find out books in the meantime. These aren't as advanced or mature as chapter books, but the content makes them worth the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetic license Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Cynthia Rylant has another series called "Poppleton." There's Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad (and the other Lobel books), Little Rat by Monika Bang-Campbell, Dodsworth in London (also Paris and New York) by Tim Egan, and for less literary fare, the Star Wars readers. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Your son might consider them "babyish," but my son LOVES the Elephant & Piggie books, probably because 1) they're funny and 2) we take turns being each character when we read them. My son was a really strong reader but hated reading aloud and just never wanted to do it. At this point I don't make him read aloud to me any more, but in kindergarten and first grade I did want him to read aloud to me at least sometimes, and Elephant & Piggie were the only ones he was always eager to read. I second the Poppleton recommendation, too. My son loved those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I was going to suggest Frog and Toad as well to answer your direct question. He might find Nate the Great interesting and fun but its a bit higher in level as well. That said - I wouldn't be afraid to go ahead and read the higher level books with him at that age. The best thing I did for my daughter when she was six - was work through Charlotte's Web with her. Each day she read just enough to give her practice and not get frustrated and then I would read the reminder of the chapter. By the time we finished she had improved so much in her reading ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 How about the "Fly Guy" series? Or "Mercy Watson"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 My son really liked these: http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/products/details.cfm?series=2381M One of the main draws for him was that there was often a "bad guy" or a troublesome sort of character causing mischief! Like one of them had a man with a gun chasing a pig or something. Or a tin can would get stuck on someone, etc. They seemed to me that they would especially appeal to boys. I also thought it was a great phonics program - they have several sets (levels) as well as workbooks to go with them. As I recall, they are just sort of paper books with black and white drawings, but he really liked them. He was at school and each day they brought a book home. These were definitely his favorite of all he read during the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I don't know if they'd be considered "baby-ish" but the We Both Read series has some good non-fiction type books that we've enjoyed. I wouldn't consider them baby-ish at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running the race Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 The Pathways readers are good. My daughter enjoyed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I also suggest the We Both Read series. There are several levels and I know that my son enjoyed that I read along with him. We still read them together and he is in 2nd grade. The level 3 is more of a chapter book type of level. The same son has also enjoyed the Pathway readers, and didn't consider them babyish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Have you looked at the Books to Remember from Flyleaf Publishing? I heard about them through the WTM and we like them a lot. They are decodable and seem really appealing to kids, not babyish. I found a few through RR but I don't think they sell all of them. You can preview them on the Flyleaf site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I supplemented with old readers (many from Google Books). For example the primer and first reader from Treadwell. They have poems and short stories, many of them folk tales (e.g. Billy Goats Gruff). I also have this book: Fairy Tale Classics ETR Collection (Easy-To-Read Collection) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 We use the McGuffey Readers...I just print them from Gutenberg.org. They are pretty old-fashioned, but my DC love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschnee Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Again Cynthia Rylant...The Mr.. Putter and Tabby series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historymatters Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I second the Treadwell readers that are available for free at Baldwin Books or can be bought at Yesterday's Classics (anything at YC for any age group is awesome-love that company!). The other I would suggest are the Elson readers from Lost Classics. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milknhoney Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 I struggled with that same problem this past year with my son, too. Everything on his reading level was too babyish! It's a struggle until they get over the hump and are ready for Boxcar Children. These were already mentioned, but I'm casting my vote for the Frog and Toad books and also the Mr. Putter and Tabby books. Those were his favorites. Also another one I was surprised he was able to read and enjoy early was My Father's Dragon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 The best 'readers' I have found that move forward in a incremental way are the McGuffy's Readers. I love them. *love*. Good reading, with harder words each chapter and not twaddle. They have served my children better than any other readers I've bought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Seconding some of the suggestions - Elephant and Piggie makes *me* laugh, so they are most assuredly not babyish. Fly Guy is another that is really good and not babyish. If he's still working through Seuss, he might or might not be ready for Poppleton or Rylant's other two series, The High Rise Private Eyes or Mr. Putter and Tabby, which are all great. I did this list for my blog of early readers for boys not too long ago. The one I would add is Ricky Ricotta's Giant Robot by Dav Pilkey, which is formatted like a chapter book but isn't *that* much harder than an early reader. Another one I mentioned was Andy Griffiths's two books - The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow and The Cat on the Mat is Flat. Both of those are really easy, but the formatting makes them look like chapter books instead of easy readers. It's clever marketing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caitilin Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 The best 'readers' I have found that move forward in a incremental way are the McGuffy's Readers. I love them. *love*. Good reading, with harder words each chapter and not twaddle. They have served my children better than any other readers I've bought. I agree with this. McGuffey readers are also a mini history lesson in each page. I think these are the best!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 Another one I mentioned was Andy Griffiths's two books - The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow and The Cat on the Mat is Flat. Both of those are really easy, but the formatting makes them look like chapter books instead of easy readers. It's clever marketing. Those look perfect- ordering on Amazon right now. The author has another books titled The Day my Butt Went Psycho. Sigh. Sounds right up my ds's alley, LOL. Literary he is not. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I struggled with that same problem this past year with my son, too. Everything on his reading level was too babyish! It's a struggle until they get over the hump and are ready for Boxcar Children. These were already mentioned, but I'm casting my vote for the Frog and Toad books and also the Mr. Putter and Tabby books. Those were his favorites. Also another one I was surprised he was able to read and enjoy early was My Father's Dragon. My son also loves Frog and Toad, but those are definitely far above Dr. Seuss and books with a few words per page. I think they are around reading level 1.7 and up. At least the ones my first grader brings home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Also another one I was surprised he was able to read and enjoy early was My Father's Dragon. Ok, I am a bit confused. I was excited to see that My Father's Dragon might be a beginning reader, but looked it up and it is reading level 5.6. Is there another version for beginners? I'd love to get this for my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 My ds6 has been doing really well with the Pathway Readers. It surprised me how much his reading improved once we began with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 (edited) Not sure if these have been mentioned or if they're the right fit: Syd Hoff books http://www.amazon.com/Danny-Dinosaur-Read-Book-Level/dp/0060224657/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304637471&sr=1-1 Ezra Jack Keats books http://www.amazon.com/Show-Picture-Puffins-Ezra-Keats/dp/0142300004/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3 Don Freeman books http://www.amazon.com/Mop-Top-Picture-Puffins-Freeman/dp/0140503269/ref=pd_sim_b_3 Edited May 5, 2011 by helena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milknhoney Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Ok, I am a bit confused. I was excited to see that My Father's Dragon might be a beginning reader, but looked it up and it is reading level 5.6. Is there another version for beginners? I'd love to get this for my son. I checked it out from the library after seeing it mentioned on a first grade reading post. When I got it home and looked at it, it did seem too advanced because it is long and there were so many words on a page. But I decided to give it to my son anyway just to see. And he read, understood, and enjoyed it. I think the language is simple enough for early readers, it just looks intimidating because it is a "real" chapter book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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