By Yoshiko Nakamura, CRRL Children's Librarian
Do you have a reader who knows their ABCs, but is just figuring out how to put them together, sounding out words? Have you picked up a “Level 1” beginning reader book, only to return it to the shelf in frustration? If so, below are books and other resources perfect for your budding reader.
1. Bob Books and Early & Emerging Reader Kits
Bob Books, opens a new window are classic sets of books that help readers build reading skills from scratch. Bob Books Set 1, Beginning Readers starts with “Mat,” written beneath an illustration of a child. The next page has the child sitting down, with the words “Mat sat.” Readers are slowly introduced to new letters and words without being overwhelmed.
Early & Emerging Reader Kits, opens a new window are backpacks filled with Bob Books and fun phonetic games that match the Bob Books' themes. You can reserve and check them out for two weeks, just like a library book.
To skip the wait, check out Bob Books eBooks, opens a new window, available through the hoopla, opens a new window streaming service with no wait time.
2. Books with Very Simple Words
The Sounds Like Reading, opens a new window series is a hidden gem in the Juvenile Non-Fiction collection. The eight-book series starts with The Bug in the Jug Wants a Hug, opens a new window and proceeds to cover short and long vowels, along with various consonant sounds.
These books help children jump from sounding alphabets to putting them together to form words. Silly sentences and illustrations are a bonus. The author has a website, opens a new window with a teaching guide, opens a new window for the books.
Ready-to-read. Ready-to-go! Stellar starter!, opens a new window and Ready-to-read. Pre-level one, opens a new window series are two starter series that are written for readers before the beginning reader “Level 1” books.
Most have lists of sight words and word groups at the beginning of each book, so the reader can practice the vocabulary in a structured way and feel confident reading the actual pages.
The I Like to Read, opens a new window series--especially those marked with A, B, or C--are also good choices for new readers. For example, I Had Ten Hats, opens a new window has very simple, repetitive sentences, such as: I have a sun hat, and I have a snow hat.
Books in the I Like to Read Comics, opens a new window series are fun comics with short, easy texts. Readers can easily guess what is going on from the humorous pictures.
The We Both Read, opens a new window series encourages reading by alternating between pages read by adults and pages read by children. In My Car Trip, opens a new window, the children’s pages are single words, such as pup, cap, and sit.
3. Children’s Tablets
Why not play a game and learn to read? Did you know that you can check out Launchpad, opens a new window tablets from the library that are preloaded with educational apps? Many have excellent interactive phonics games, such as Letter POP!, opens a new window and Letters. Stories. Read!, opens a new window
4. Phonics videos
The Reading Wizard is a streaming video series available in Just For Kids Access Video, opens a new window, an online database full of high quality, educational videos with no ads. To access it through the library, first click on the above link, and then click again on the database name. Once in the database, enter “Reading Wizard” in the search box or use this link, opens a new window. There are approximately 60 short videos in this series, focusing on word groups, such as words ending in “an” or starting with “sp.” The first video introduces "ad" words, including lad, dad, and mad.
You can find more phonics DVDs here, opens a new window.
5. Portable readalongs (Book + Audio)
Portable Readalongs, opens a new window are picture books with a small audio player attached to the front cover. Children can listen to the book at the push of a button. Many children who are at the stage of sounding out words have been particularly happy with this because they can read and listen to the books by themselves. The Books + Audio, opens a new window collection has almost 200 titles, with books in multiple languages, including Spanish.
If you have any questions or problems accessing these resources, just let us know, opens a new window.
