Hi friends.
Popping on here to share some of our favorite early readers these days. W has been ever-so-determined to read chapter books herself, so reading practice has been a natural part of our days. Sometimes we do an All About Reading lesson (she’s working through level 2 now) or sometimes we skip the lesson and simply practice with a few books of her choice. It’s all at her pace and relaxed, which I truly believe is helping to keep her confidence and determination. Nothing is forced or a chore. We do a little bit every day and it adds up.
Aside from the below readers, she also loves to try reading the picture books we pick up from the library. Sometimes she will cut me off and ask to read a sentence if she sees one she feels confident in. Sometimes I read and then she stops and asks me to show her the sentence I just read. It is really something special to see those gears working constantly. As if I needed another reason to tell you to read aloud… but really. Even just you reading is helping your early reader to make connections and build their vocabulary in the process.
Reading aloud to your child in conjunction to a healthy library of early readers is a beautiful blend. I hope you find something new below.
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BOB books. We started with these for a few reasons. One, they are affordable. Two, they are short and sweet and the really early ones only have one line per page (which helps when they first get started). Three, they build on skills slowly and I find they work very well with the scope and sequence of All About Reading (the curriculum we use). Four, they are the perfect size for small hands and lightweight. Five, they have few pages, which helps your child build confidence that they read an ENTIRE book! I love that. I know the stories are not exhilarating to us adults but my daughter doesn’t think twice and actually finds some funny. I found a lot of 5 on eBay for a great price so keep an eye on used, if you are on a budget. Here are the ones we have and love.
All About Reading books. These come with our curriculum but I would definitely recommend them as readers in general because the stories and illustrations are engaging and again, slowly build momentum.
Frog and Toad. Our favorite of ALL time… really, both of us. These Arnold Lobel stories are a classic for a reason. They are laugh-out-loud funny (even to adults). My daughter loves to read from her Frog and Toad collection before bed (she feels very grown up with her book light and “staying up late”).
Biscuit. My daughter loves dogs, so these have been a hit.
Owl at Home. Another Arnold Lobel classic that has us all LOLing. My daughter loves Tear Water Tea in particular and practices this one a lot.
Mouse Tales. Ok, one more Arnold Lobel. Enough said.
Little Bear. The sweetest and most gentle stories. I grew up with Little Bear and am so happy my kids also enjoy. These are wholesome stories with a lot of comfort. If your child love stories featuring animals, this is a great choice. We love the TV adaption of these books, as well.
Elephant and Piggie. The perfect buddy-reading book! I am Gerald the Elephant and she is Piggie. The stories are so well done and so funny. They include lots of expression, which is great practice for when it comes to noticing punctuation, italics, font size, etc. We grab a new one from the library every week! “We Are in a Book” is one of the best early readers ever written, truly.
Dr. Seuss books. I know Dr. Seuss isn’t for everyone, but books like Go, Dog, Go!, Hop on Pop, Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, etc. have been easy for her to pick up and feel accomplished reading through. Sometimes we buddy read since they are a bit lengthier.
Sophie Mouse. These are not exactly early readers but an early chapter book series that my daughter loves. I usually read to her, but she has started to ask to read bits and pieces of it. I am including because I think this is going to be our next step up. She loves this woodland cast of characters so much. I love it, too. They stories are nature-based, gentle, with beautiful and positive messaging. I feel like these give modern-day Charlotte Mason vibes with all the nature and character-focus.
National Geographic Kids Pre-Readers/Early Readers. Some of the pre-readers and Level 1 National Geographic Kids readers have been great. My daughter loves anything animals and science, so whenever I grab one based off her interest from the library, she will sit and try to read herself and feels really encouraged.
