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Books for a child that doesn't want to read "baby books"


momsuz123
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Hi all,

My 6.5 y/o dd does not want to read "baby books". Her words, not mine. We have the BoB books series. She of course would do well with those, some are easy, some are hard. She wants to read more advanced books like her close friend and cousin (and older sister), but just isn't ready yet. She is most definetely struggling with phonetic awareness/phonics in general. Any good ideas of a series or books, etc that might fit what she is wanting?

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Can you work through something from the early reader shelf at the library and pick out particular words for her to read? Would she be happy with you reading the harder words and stopping with your finger under the words she can read? We did this toward the end of the Bob book stage, but I don't see why you couldn't start as soon as a child can blend sounds. Just pick out the words at the challenge level you would be covering in the simpler books. Would she like that a little better?

 

I also like the Usborne readers where the adult reads one page, and the child reads the other page with simpler text. I like those stories much better than the ones in Bob books!

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Can you work through something from the early reader shelf at the library and pick out particular words for her to read? Would she be happy with you reading the harder words and stopping with your finger under the words she can read? We did this toward the end of the Bob book stage, but I don't see why you couldn't start as soon as a child can blend sounds. Just pick out the words at the challenge level you would be covering in the simpler books. Would she like that a little better?

 

I also like the Usborne readers where the adult reads one page, and the child reads the other page with simpler text. I like those stories much better than the ones in Bob books!

 

Ahhh, the Usborne readers, yes those are good. Thanks for reminding me! I have one series, but kind of forgot about those (I have been working so hard on phonics and other things with her I forgot.) I am going to go to their website and see if they have more like that.

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why not try the Magic Treehouse series? My kids loved those and they include historical information, information my kids retained like Shakespeare, Plato, King Arthur...the wording is not difficult -though I would not say all the words are easy-and the story is easy to follow.

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I'd try a series like Frog and Toad, a lot of the same words are used, and she can build fluency that way. I sometimes read the section aloud to DS or in chorus with him, and then he reads it aloud to me. And I help him whenever needed, any tough words (would and through for example) or if he hesitates a longish time.

 

He works during reading/spelling lessons, I try to make his read-to-Mom time fun.

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Neither of my girls had any interest in the Bob type books. They wanted a "real story". They preferred to struggle through harder books, picking out words they knew.

 

For my youngest, I found a hard back public school textbook at the used bookstore that had glittery fish on the cover. It was a big chunk of a book, and dd fell in love with the sparkly fish. She spent hours reading that book!

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I would suggest looking at Modern Curriculum Press phonics and phonics practice books...but, if that is still too "babyish", or if a more sequential program is needed, then consider what we used at age 9: http://www.highnoonbooks.com--using their Intervention Program from the beginning, plus their Sound Out Chapter Books, starting with CVC words book "The Red Cap" (featuring a vet, lab dog, and other CVC words.

 

The Sound Out Chapter books work with basic phonics plus high-frequency words, but longer and much more sophisticated looking than BOB or even MCP. They are also more advanced in subject matter. eg "Up the Hill", still with CVC pattern words, features characters who can already drive. My 8.5 year liked the more grown-up themes, characters, and look of the books.

 

I don't think they are meant for 6.5 year olds, but when we found them, it seemed to me that it was the way many children might learn to read, not just struggling older readers.

 

From High Noon, we then progressed (before even completing High Noon--suddenly it started to "click") to The Buddy Files and then Magic Tree House series.

 

I'd be interested in knowing what does work when you get to that point.

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If she's still struggling with phonics, Magic Treehouse or even Rainbow Fairies would probably just be frustrating so I wouldn't give her that. Ditto the Billy and Blaze books. But Fly Guy, Elephant and Piggie, and Frog and Toad are all great suggestions.

 

I'll add Mouse and Mole, Dodsworth, Amelia Bedelia, Poppleton, Henry and Mudge, Mr. Putter and Tabby... However, if she's still sounding out a lot of words, even those can be frustrating. Frog and Toad and Elephant and Piggie are the easiest, but Elephant and Piggie will be all sight words (just not that many of them).

 

My boys also liked the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You books at that stage.

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Are you looking for early phonics readers? The All About Reading series has nice, hardback books (so they look like real books) that have beautiful line drawings. You can see samples online here. Hope you find some books to your daughter's liking!

 

Merry :-)

 

Thanks Merry, I have volume 1 and 2. She is doing really well on volume 1, 2 is too much for her right now. I just need more like that.

 

(Love AAS and AAR!)

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  • 3 weeks later...

The very first level of "stepped readers" are great -- wonderful variety of non-fiction, fiction, fairytale, humor, etc. -- and they sure don't look like "baby books!" Some are even especially designed as VERY early phonetic readers. See current titles here to give you an idea of the variety of level 1 books, and then check out your local library for what is available locally:

 

Step Into Reading

Hello Reader

All Aboard Reading

I Can Read

Eyewitness Readers

DK Readers

Green Light Readers

Puffin Easy-to-Read Beginner books

 

 

The MCP phonetic reader sets are nice. Making your own books using words she knows on topics she likes can be fun too! Then she can illustrate each page. Below are some "Real Book" (LOL) titles to get you started. BEST of luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

 

LEVEL 1 "STEPPED READERS" -- phonetic readers

- Cat Traps (Coxe)

- Big Egg (Coxe)

- Jack and Jill and Big Dog Bill (Weston)

- Mouse Makes Words (Heling)

- The Pup Speaks Up (Hays)

- Mouse's Hide and Seek Words (Heling)

 

 

MORE EARLY READERS (not in a "stepped" series)

- A Fly Went By (McClintock)

- PJ Funnybunny books (Sadler)

- A Big Ball of String (Holland)

- The Big Jump (Elkin)

- The King, The Mice and the Cheese (Gurney)

- The Whale's Go By (Galdone)

- That Stump Must Go (Berenstain) -- Berenstain Bears Beginner Books

 

 

LEVEL 1 "STEPPED READERS"

- I Like Bugs (Brown)

- I Like Stars (Brown)

- Too Many Cats (Haskins)

- Too Many Dogs (Haskins)

- Watch Your Step, Mr. Rabbit! (Scarry)

- The Snowball (Armstrong)

- The Lion and the Mouse (Herman)

- Flying Horse: The Story of Pegasus (Mason)

- Johnny Appleseed (Demuth)

- Rockets and Spaceships (Wallace)

- Water (Neye)

- Apples and How They Grow (Driscoll)

- The Bravest Cat: The True Story of Scarlet (Driscoll)

- Animal Hide and Seek" (DK Publishers) -- on animal camoflauge-

- Dinosaur Time (Parish)

- Turtles (Huelin)

- Frogs (Driscoll)

- Spider's Lunch: All About Garden Spiders (Cole)

- Busy Bugs: A Book about Patterns (Harvey) -- book about patterns

- Cat Show (Harvey) -- book about sorting

- Shape Spotters (Bryant) -- book about shapes

 

 

DR. SUESS

- The Foot Book

- Hop on Pop

- Ten Apples Up On Top

- I Can Read With My Eyes Shut

- Wacky Wednesday

- The Cat in the Hat

- Dr. Seuss's ABC

- Green Eggs and Ham

- Thinks You Can Think

- Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You

 

 

P.D. EASTMAN

- Go Dog Go

- Fish Out of Water

- Snow

- Summer

- Are You My Mother

 

 

SYD HOFF

- Danny the Dinosaur

- Danny the Dinosaur Goes to Camp

- Sammy the Seal

- The Horse in Harry's Room

- Stanley

- Chester

- Thunderhoof

- Captain Cat

- Mrs. Brice's Mice

- The Lighthouse Children

 

 

FUN LEVEL 2 READERS (once she's made the transition into reading)

- Little Bear (Minarik)

- Frog and Toad series (Lobel)

- Mouse Tales (Lobel)

- Owl At Home (Lobel)

- Commander Toad series (Yolan)

- Fox series (Marshall)

- Three by the Sea (Marshall)

- Four by the Shore (Marshall)

- The Adventures of Snail at School (Sadler)

- Wizard and Wart series (Smith)

- Captain and Matey series (Laurence

- Aunt Eater series (Cushman)

- Nate the Great serise (Sharmat)

- Amelia Bedelia series (Parish)

- ".... Riddles" series (Hall and Eisenberg) -- Puppy, Ribbit, etc.

Edited by Lori D.
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You could also try syllable divided books, the syllables are divided up so you know whether or not the vowels are short or long. (Syllables ending in a consonant are short, those ending in a vowel are long.)

 

Here are some links to free syllable divided books online:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/syllabledividedb.html

 

Thanks Elizabeth B. You have an amazing site. I need to just schedule some time without my kids (at night) and really spend time looking and learning about your site. I love the link you gave me. I really do appreciate all the work you (and many others) put into your blogs/sites to help newbies like me. :001_smile:

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Thanks Elizabeth B. You have an amazing site. I need to just schedule some time without my kids (at night) and really spend time looking and learning about your site. I love the link you gave me. I really do appreciate all the work you (and many others) put into your blogs/sites to help newbies like me. :001_smile:

 

You're welcome. I get my best work done at night too... :001_smile:

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