madteaparty Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I don't remember from DS but it looks like we will be mired in "Bob" land a while. I hate all these books. I mean obviously I'm not expecting Wittgenstein but there are some cute ones, namely, Fat Cat. That's just one, where is the rest? Am I missing the trove of decent super early readers? Please let me in on it! :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Nope, that's it. I am so glad I don't need to do Bob Books ever again in my life. I thought life got better once we hit Frog and Toad books. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Have you seen the AAR 1 readers? You can see samples on these pages to see if they would work. Run, Bug, Run!, The Runt Pig, and Cobweb the Cat. Sonlight's Fun Tales came out just when my dd was at the tail end of that phase, and she enjoyed those. They're kind of Bob-bookish but a little cuter I thought. We liked the DK Flip the Page Rhyme and Read books: Pat the Cat, Jen the Hen, Mig the Pig, Tog the Dog, and Zug the Bug. If you don't mind Christian, there's also the Christian Liberty Press K readers, (It Is Fun to Read, Pals and Pets). Fairly simple stories but they had full color pictures. Progressive Phonics – Free phonics books that can be read online or downloaded and used right away. The I See Sam books--you can print these for free from online too. The Nora Gaydos books Hope you find something you like to get through this phase! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Big Bug Dug by Mary Surfozo https://smile.amazon.com/Big-Bug-level-Hello-Reader/dp/0439179335/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489708587&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Early+reader+big+bug+dug Big Egg by Molly Coxe https://smile.amazon.com/Big-Egg-Step-Into-Reading-Step-1/dp/0679881263/ref=sr_1_66?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489708753&sr=1-66&keywords=Early+reader+books+level+1 Hot Dog by Molly Coxe https://smile.amazon.com/Hot-Dog-Step-into-Reading-ebook/dp/B003IN4AOI/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489708802&sr=1-9&keywords=Early+reader+books+level+1+step+into+reading I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown https://smile.amazon.com/Like-Bugs-Step-Into-Reading-Step/dp/0307261077/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489708802&sr=1-6&keywords=Early+reader+books+level+1+step+into+reading Drop It Rocket by Tad Hills https://smile.amazon.com/Drop-Rocket-Step-Into-Reading/dp/038537254X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489708802&sr=1-1&keywords=Early+reader+books+level+1+step+into+reading 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) Oh, some more: Usborne Very First Readers or My First Library We Both Read books. On the left hand pages there is text for the parent to read and on the right is text for the kids to read. Here’s an example. Edited March 17, 2017 by MerryAtHope 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Another vote for the Nora Gaydos books, and then Arnold Lobel as soon as you can get there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I remember reading an article about a woman who worked with teens who couldn't read. She made a set of early reader phonic books for them. So instead of cat, red, bin, frog,... it had car, gas, .... Not what you are looking for, but with youngest I went through so many phonic books, for so long, that I thought I would end up needing the easy readers for teens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blendergal Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 We really like the "I Like to Read" series from Holiday House. The GRL info is listed here: http://www.holidayhouse.com/reading-levels.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I don't know what's wrong with you. Sam, Mac, and Dot are THRILLING reads. I mean, serious page turners. How can you not agree? ;) j/k of course- we are deeply mired in Bob Territory over here too. I think I have at least one more year of it to look forward to, so reading this thread with interest. I have the Fun Tales books too, but my son is upset there aren't more dog stories in them. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I'm working on my French reading skills. So I try to read a French book or two every day. As in a French easy early reader book. The last book I read was, "I don't like to share". It had great character development. The dog Sam learned that life can be better if you share. ;p it was a page turner. I wasn't sure if he would end up not sharing his toy. But (spoiler alert) he did share his toy, and had fun with his friends. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squawky Acres Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Elephant and Piggie are really fun early readers -- although not as basic as Bob books or the Sonlight Fun Tales. I agree that the AAR stories are actually quite entertaining. It is a tough stage, though. I remember my four-year-old reading from her early readers: "Mat sat. Sam sat. Mat sat on Sam. etc.," and remarking that "everyone seems to do a lot of sitting in these books!" 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Usborne has some better ones. There is a collection called Ted and Friends that is a pretty early reader. Your child probably needs to at least be through the first set of Bob Books before they are ready for those though. I found a few very beginner books when my daughter was learning to read and held onto them for when my youngest finally learns, most early books are so boring! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I don't know, Fat Cat has raised the bar. I mean that cat persisted. Was it marking its territory in a power play owing to its bulk, OR was it because she just liked the mat, or was it because to the cat, it was just a mat, and it's just the way the cat carries itself in the world? So much nuance. We may never know. Edited March 17, 2017 by madteaparty 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 my library still has some Margaret Hillert books...A House for Little Red, Yellow Boat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I second (or third?) the Usborne Phonics Readers. At the very least I found them visually more interesting than Bob Books. Elephant and Piggie are absolutely a breath of fresh air once you hit about 1st grade reading level. I could listen to my kids read those all day! Mo Willems has the undying love of many-a-parent! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caayenne Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) Both of my sons loved the "Let's Read Together" books. These are phonics-based early readers with actual plots and the writing is quite good. My husband and I both liked the books a lot, which is important with early readers. My younger DS especially loved the stories, and they were requested as bedtime stories for several years afterwards. There are books for each short and long vowel sound, as well as a few for blending sounds. These books are what I feel really got my boys reading, and were a great gateway to Frog and Toad and other readers. http://www.kanepress.com/lets-read-together/ Edited March 17, 2017 by caayenne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceseeker Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 All the ones I saw were horrible, and I thought to myself, "Wow, what a wonderful way to make children hate books and think reading is the most boring activity on the face of the earth." I just couldn't do it. It was like a form of torture inflicted on innocent children and parents. We used Dr. Seuss instead at those stages, from the easiest ones to the longer ones. Because Dr. Seuss is awesome and no one will ever convince me otherwise. 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domestic_engineer Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Brian Cleary has 2 books with short vowels here and here. If nothing else, the pictures are colorful and entertaining. Also another vote for Nora Gaydos, Willem's Elephant and Piggie, and Lobel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Progressive Phonics – Free phonics books that can be read online or downloaded and used right away. We are working through these and my DD finds the stories engaging and funny. We also take the time to stop and talk about each illustration, a throwback from our speech therapy days, and that helps the amusement factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I don't know, Fat Cat has raised the bar. I mean that cat persisted. Was it marking its territory in a power play owing to its bulk, OR was it because she just liked the mat, or was it because to the cat, it was just a mat, and it's just the way the cat carries itself in the world? So much nuance. We may never know. :lol: :lol: :lol: I shall never read it the same way again.......... Edited March 17, 2017 by texasmom33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 We are working through these and my DD finds the stories engaging and funny. We also take the time to stop and talk about each illustration, a throwback from our speech therapy days, and that helps the amusement factor.These seem so cute. And there's an activity. I think I'll print a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) It's a hard time. Fortunately, 2 out of 3 of my kids flew through that level, so I didn't know the pain until my last sat solidly in Kindergarten reading level for 2 years (I think she was making up for her sisters!). She read (and I memorized): Bob books (I think she went through 3 levels) Progressive Phonics books (Sam?) Hop on Pop Biscuit books - these aren't too bad Jenny's socks A House for Little Red various holiday readers I would print off of the internet McRuffy readers Dick and Jane All About Reading readers Fat Cat Sat on the Mat The Day I Had to Play with my Sister Every early reader in the library that had only 2 words per page Edit: those readers with only 50 words - Can you Play? etc I just about sang the hallelujah chorus when she graduated to 10 Apples Up on Top. That was the first book that really clicked with her. ETA: I got so excited every other Tuesday because she could go to the library and "read" to the therapy dogs that day! Edited March 17, 2017 by beckyjo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I'd rather read the McGuffey Primer and readers than read BOB books. Ugh. Generally, we don't read any books at all until the child is ready for Lobel. We just work through phonics pathways and then I read aloud from something worth reading. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 My DD loved Margaret Hillert, especially Dear Dragon. She actually kept working through those even after she was solidly reading Magic Treehouse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I scoured used book stores for the old scholastic leveled phonetic readers. They were so much better than Bob, and more actually phonetic than the readers you seem to find now. We liked Dick and Jane too, for fun, even though they're not necessarily phonetic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanalouwho Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I like the Progressive Phonics books. They're cute and a little bit silly. We actually have a good time with them Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I don't remember from DS but it looks like we will be mired in "Bob" land a while. I hate all these books. I mean obviously I'm not expecting Wittgenstein but there are some cute ones, namely, Fat Cat. That's just one, where is the rest? Am I missing the trove of decent super early readers? Please let me in on it! :) My daughter has really loved the Dick and Jane books. She occasionally branches out to other books (and is finally to the point she can read some Dr. Seuss --like the red Fish, blue fish book). But for the longest time, the only thing she happily read was the three Dick and Jane anthologies we got from Barnes & Noble. She did not read the ENTIRE book -- but it is broken up into short stories that build on the vocabulary, one to the next. So she didn't run into a lot of vocabulary she couldn't figure out. But she'd read 7 or 8 stories before she ran out of steam. In other books, every page she'd be trying to figure out some word that was a name, or didn't match the pattern, etc. And left me wondering how they could be level 1 books at all! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLife Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Mo Willems Piggie and Elephant are humorous. My son likes the Marley readers. They are not funny, but they are sweet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLife Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Mo Willems Piggie and Elephant are humorous. My son likes the Marley readers. They are not funny, but they are sweet. Although these may be too advanced if you are looking for mainly CVC readers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I actually got a bunch of blank books and have given this as a writing challenge to my 7 year old, who is an expert in the genre and is creating a subversive set of early readers for her younger siblings. (Subversive because I've taken a peek and Mom is a dimwit and Dad a bit bad, always in a fit; and there's copious spit and snot, which really make learning consonant blends worthwhile.) (Edited for mistakes because I evidently can't write as well as a 7 year old.) Edited March 17, 2017 by fralala 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 My favorites are the ones from Catholic Heritage Curricula, but they do have some religious content (the first one is titled "At Mass"). We've also enjoyed the small-format Hooked on Phonics books, which I haven't seen mentioned yet. There are a bunch of them at the early-early level: Pig Wig, Pop Fox, etc. They're less boring than the Bob books, and more straightforward than the Nora Gaydos books, which we found to be a bit confusing for younger beginners. I'm not sure if the HOP books are sold apart from the complete set, but I'd guess that they're easy to find used. I just gave away a bunch that we had floating around. This thread has me sort of regretting it already! :001_smile: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Thanks so much, everyone. I've ordered some and placed more on hold at library. I know Mo Williams is having a moment, and I keep trying, but we're not the biggest fans here. I think that's some sort of blasphemy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 What?! My kids roll on the floor over Mo Willems lol! That IS blasphemy :P Me and my oldest both died of boredom over Bob books I was literally falling asleep next to him on the couch! But that lead me to All About Reading Readers and I switched over the full program in level 2. Love those stories! (As do many others I see upthread) Another vote for Usborne early readers too. Both the phonics readers (Frog on a Log comes to mind) and the little ones in their reading program - Very First Reading maybe? It had a page for a more fluent reader and a page for a beginning reader to read, so they were a little more lively and interesting because of it. Pirate Pat is the only title I can come up with offhand. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Thanks so much, everyone. I've ordered some and placed more on hold at library. I know Mo Williams is having a moment, and I keep trying, but we're not the biggest fans here. I think that's some sort of blasphemy Oh my word, I'm so glad it isn't just me. I just don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I am deeply grateful I never have to teach another child to read. I experience frissions of excitement every time I am reminded of that fact. For those of you still stuck in the trenches... Neener neener neener 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I don't remember from DS but it looks like we will be mired in "Bob" land a while. I hate all these books. I mean obviously I'm not expecting Wittgenstein but there are some cute ones, namely, Fat Cat. That's just one, where is the rest? Am I missing the trove of decent super early readers? Please let me in on it! :) That's the reason that Spalding doesn't recommend the use of vocabulary-controlled basal readers. :-) You go to the library and let your dc check out books that look interesting and go for it. Here is a list of primary level books that might be helpful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I found the Oxford Reading Tree books to be bearable. There are some free samples on this site: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/starting-school/oxford-reading-tree-explained/ I also wrote books for Hobbes, based on his own life but using the phonics that he had learned. I only wrote about five or six, but it piqued his interest when things started to flag. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenecho Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I am basing this soley on ONE of their readers that I picked up used, but I thought the Usborn readers were really sweet. All of them (I've heard) have a duck hidden on every page. My son liked the story and I didn't mind the writing. It was simple, but good. There's a few living books that I like for stretching reading (you'll need to help them with some words, but they'll get most of them). Sheep on a Ship for the sh sound Sheep in a Jeep for the EE sound. James Goes Buzz Buzz for the Z sound (I don't like all the Thomas the Train readers, but that was was fun). And of course, many Dr. Suess books are good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I am basing this soley on ONE of their readers that I picked up used, but I thought the Usborn readers were really sweet. All of them (I've heard) have a duck hidden on every page. My son liked the story and I didn't mind the writing. It was simple, but good. There's a few living books that I like for stretching reading (you'll need to help them with some words, but they'll get most of them). Sheep on a Ship for the sh sound Sheep in a Jeep for the EE sound. James Goes Buzz Buzz for the Z sound (I don't like all the Thomas the Train readers, but that was was fun). And of course, many Dr. Suess books are good. We have one combined book of Usborne phonics readers. Ted and Friends or something like it. My daughter will read it and it is good from that standpoint. There are no words that become stumbling blocks - but she rarely chooses it. She seems to prefer Dick and Jane. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingMama1214 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I agree that Dr. Seuss is excellent. Although many are written at a 1st/2nd grade level. My daughter is seuss obsessed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 We ran into the same problem here. And why does it seem that there's such a huge leap between the CVC readers and the so-called "easy readers"? That said, Progressive Phonics has worked great for us. It's really our primary curriculum at this point. Also seconding Dick and Jane and Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series -- ds was literally in hysterics at We Are In A Book. (Curious for those who are Willems-averse: Are you Seuss fans? Because I can tolerate Willems, but put me within a quarter-mile of Seuss and I develop a twitch!) I also found this list helpful: List of Easy Readers That Are Actually Easy. See Me Run was a big hit here. It's actually very cute. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I am glad I don't have to do it again--I ended up making up some of my own little stories about the bad red ant that bit and so forth. But I admit I still have a certain fondness for the first three Abeka readers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingMama1214 Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 We ran into the same problem here. And why does it seem that there's such a huge leap between the CVC readers and the so-called "easy readers"? That said, Progressive Phonics has worked great for us. It's really our primary curriculum at this point. Also seconding Dick and Jane and Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series -- ds was literally in hysterics at We Are In A Book. (Curious for those who are Willems-averse: Are you Seuss fans? Because I can tolerate Willems, but put me within a quarter-mile of Seuss and I develop a twitch!) I also found this list helpful: List of Easy Readers That Are Actually Easy. See Me Run was a big hit here. It's actually very cute. I found the easy readers to be too sight word heavy. My daughter was reading on a second grade level phonetically before she could easily read most of the easy readers in the library. I hate that there's such a huge leap. We've had more success with British early readers such as Usborne. They have a more solid phonics approach to early readers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I found the easy readers to be too sight word heavy. My daughter was reading on a second grade level phonetically before she could easily read most of the easy readers in the library. I hate that there's such a huge leap. We've had more success with British early readers such as Usborne. They have a more solid phonics approach to early readers. That was my experience too. I actually introduced the Dolch lists just so we could move on to something beyond the most basic phonics readers, mostly for my own sanity. It turned out to work fine; in the end it has encouraged him to stretch to decode sounds he hasn't officially learned yet. I just fill in the gaps as we go, telling him the sounds he hasn't learned, and we pick up the lessons as we come to them in the phonics curriculum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 The I See Sam Readers. www.iseesam.com and www.3rsplus.com. You can Google them and get the first set or 2 to print off for free...Or read from the computer. They teach the ee (long e) right away and that opens up a lot more words 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 The I See Sam Readers. www.iseesam.com and www.3rsplus.com. You can Google them and get the first set or 2 to print off for free...Or read from the computer. They teach the ee (long e) right away and that opens up a lot more words 😀 I believe this is what her teacher sends home (printed out). They are certainly better than most of the leveled readers we've picked up. And she likes coloring them sometimes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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