chapter books?

[sarahsthreads]

DD is a very advanced reader, already interested in, and reading, chapter books. We really like the Magic Tree House series, but I'm having trouble finding others. I haven't liked the other two series we've tried - a Ready Freddy book made her fret about other kids laughing at her for one reason or another, and Junie B. Jones has "wrong" words everywhere. (Don't mind the Junie B. books on CD, I just don't want DD reading them.)

Anyway, I'm looking for chapter books that DD can read but that won't be too old for her in terms of subject matter. I'd also love recommendations for a chapter book that might be just enough advanced that she won't finish reading it on her own after we put her to bed!

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Sarah :)

[babystuffbuff]

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins, and the sequel, Toy Dance Party. My mom, who is an early reading specialist, raves about those books and I have given them as gifts many times. They don't have any 'advanced concepts' or undesirable words, they are just fun. About 150 pages each.

Here is the starred review from School Library Journal:

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 3–In this utterly delightful peek into the secret lives of toys, three beloved playthings participate in a series of small adventures. StingRay is a plush stuffed animal who enjoys acting the know-it-all. Lumphy is a tough little buffalo who doesnt mind the occasional cuddle. And Plastic (whose physical appearance is kept mysterious for quite some time) is a sensible bouncy ball. They are the best friends of a little girl and they deal with the world around them in their own particular manner. From meditating on the scary unknown (washing machines) to understanding what makes an individual special, Jenkins gives readers an early chapter book with plenty of delightful insights, well-thought-out details, and loving affection for her characters. Here is a book bound to be a favorite with any child who has ever adored an inanimate object. Zelinskys beautifully detailed black-and-white illustrations are a lovely addition to this very special book.–Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library

[bubbaray]

Hijack.

OK, so how did you get your DD to read? My DD#1 is older than her and I've tried the BOB books, but she just gets frustrated. We've always read lots of books to her, but I have no idea how to "teach" her to read. We used to think she read, but then we figured out that she just has an amazing memory and would recite back to us the verse (sometimes that she hadn't heard in months). If you ask her to read isolated words, she can't/won't.

I was reading Nancy Drew books before I went to K, so this is all new to me having a child who can't easily read.

[AngelaS]

Pony Pals is a big hit here. So are the first 20 ish books in the Boxcar Children Series.

Some of the Dick King Smith books are good first chapter books. He's the guy that wrote Babe. A Mouse Called Wolf is a good first one. The Water Horse is by him too (and WAAAY better than the movie!).

[sarahsthreads]

Those sound cute, we'll have to check them out!

[sarahsthreads]

Hijack.

OK, so how did you get your DD to read? My DD#1 is older than her and I've tried the BOB books, but she just gets frustrated. We've always read lots of books to her, but I have no idea how to "teach" her to read. We used to think she read, but then we figured out that she just has an amazing memory and would recite back to us the verse (sometimes that she hadn't heard in months). If you ask her to read isolated words, she can't/won't.

I was reading Nancy Drew books before I went to K, so this is all new to me having a child who can't easily read.
Sorry, but we didn't really do anything special at all, she just wanted to read really badly and mostly figured it out on her own. The Leap Frog fridge toys, Letter Factory DVD, and the Starfall website all got her started, and eventually she could sound out short vowel sound words. Then shortly before DD2 was born, DD1 held us captive on the couch with book after book after book for hours and days on end, and then suddenly she could read chapter books. So I have no advice, because I can't take any credit for it!

Sarah :)

[lmintzer]

You could try the "Flat Stanley" books. They are pretty tame but funny. There are at least 4 of them: "Flat Stanley," "Stanley Flat Again," "Invisible Stanley," and "Stanley in Space."

What about the "Nate the Great" books? Again, pretty tame--nothing too scary happens even though he's solving mysteries.

[o_mom]

Hijack.

OK, so how did you get your DD to read? My DD#1 is older than her and I've tried the BOB books, but she just gets frustrated. We've always read lots of books to her, but I have no idea how to "teach" her to read. We used to think she read, but then we figured out that she just has an amazing memory and would recite back to us the verse (sometimes that she hadn't heard in months). If you ask her to read isolated words, she can't/won't.

I was reading Nancy Drew books before I went to K, so this is all new to me having a child who can't easily read.

We did a lot of letter sounds "B says Buh", Leap Frog Fridge Phonics are good for this. One of the best things we did was get the foam letters for the bathtub and I would make games with it, showing him how to sound out words.

At her age, you should focus on phonemic awareness. The idea that letters correspond to sounds. Rhyming games, nursery rhymes, thinking of words that start with a certain letter, etc. Find an object in the bath and put that letter next to it, grouping toys that start with the same sound, etc. Once you are to that point, start sounding out letters, point to b-a-t and say buh-aaa-tuh. The BOB books work best once they get the idea of sounding out a word.

Here's some other games to try: http://www.ndaeyc.org/docs/PAGamesNDAEYC.pdf

Start just doing them orally, then move to pointing out the letters as you do it.

[bubbaray]

We did a lot of letter sounds "B says Buh", Leap Frog Fridge Phonics are good for this. One of the best things we did was get the foam letters for the bathtub and I would make games with it, showing him how to sound out words.

At her age, you should focus on phonemic awareness. The idea that letters correspond to sounds. Rhyming games, nursery rhymes, thinking of words that start with a certain letter, etc. Find an object in the bath and put that letter next to it, grouping toys that start with the same sound, etc. Once you are to that point, start sounding out letters, point to b-a-t and say buh-aaa-tuh. The BOB books work best once they get the idea of sounding out a word.

Here's some other games to try: http://www.ndaeyc.org/docs/PAGamesNDAEYC.pdf

Start just doing them orally, then move to pointing out the letters as you do it.

Thanks.

I have a house full of LeapFrog stuff (Fridge Phonics, amongst many others, including the videos). I'm actually starting to wonder if she might be a "whole word" reader. I was going to talk to a teacher friend of mine about that....

[bubbaray]

Sorry, but we didn't really do anything special at all, she just wanted to read really badly and mostly figured it out on her own. The Leap Frog fridge toys, Letter Factory DVD, and the Starfall website all got her started, and eventually she could sound out short vowel sound words. Then shortly before DD2 was born, DD1 held us captive on the couch with book after book after book for hours and days on end, and then suddenly she could read chapter books. So I have no advice, because I can't take any credit for it!


Thanks -- I'd forgotten about the Starfall site.

Did you just use the website or did you order items/books online?

I really need to get a grip on this as it is our hope that DD#1 will do French immersion, so they won't be teaching her any English AT ALL until grade 3 IIRC.

[AngelaS]

Thanks.

I have a house full of LeapFrog stuff (Fridge Phonics, amongst many others, including the videos). I'm actually starting to wonder if she might be a "whole word" reader. I was going to talk to a teacher friend of mine about that....

Um, she's only 4. Give her time. ;)

[bubbaray]

Um, she's only 4. Give her time. ;)

Wait, are you my DH?? :hysterical: Sorry, but that is EXACTLY what he says to me allll the time. Guess I'm just a touch worried that I need to get her reading in English now because she won't get that in K next year, KWIM? But, yeah, what we/I've done so far has been very low key.

[egoldber]

There were a couple of recent excellent threads with chapter book recommendations.

Melissa, I would just let it happen. FWIW, Sarah could only recognize her own name (and maybe cat) at the beginning of K. By the end of K she was reading Magic Treehouse. Now she can read The Washington Post :wink2: . I've never done anything with her at home other than read to her. :)

[o_mom]

Thanks.

I have a house full of LeapFrog stuff (Fridge Phonics, amongst many others, including the videos). I'm actually starting to wonder if she might be a "whole word" reader. I was going to talk to a teacher friend of mine about that....

We do some of that as well - the Brand New Reader series is good for that. You can also do things like labelling things put a big tag with the word "chair" on a chair, for example. We have a book I made with one word per page where I just printed out the word in giant font and grabbed a picture off google of what it was. I asked DS1 what words he wanted to learn and made them for him. I printed them on cardstock and put them in page protectors. I did a few more with familiar words - dog, car, cheese, banana, etc.

You can use family members - print a picture of each girl with their name above it in giant font, mommy and daddy too. Names are some of the first words they tend to get. I was floored that DS1 could read the name of every kid in preschool by Valentine's Day last year, but I was told this is very common.

As long as you aren't pushing, I don't think there is anything wrong with providing materials or playing educational games. If she doesn't want to do it, then shrug it off and put it away until another time. She certainly isn't behind by any stretch and 20 years from now you won't be able to tell if she read at 3 or 6.

[egoldber]

Here are the threads I was thinking about, but if you Search on "chapter book" you'll get tons of threads.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=304063&highlight=rylant

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=303863&highlight=chapter+book

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=303778&highlight=chapter+book

[sarahsthreads]

Thank you all, both for the suggestions and the links to the other threads. I don't know why I didn't think to do a search first!

Sarah :)