Learning to read is an amazing process which involves many steps. I have found that children enjoy learning how others learn to read. It seems to help them realize how much they do know. Here are three books to share with young readers:
How Rocket Learned to Read
- written and illustrated by Tad Hills
- published by Schwartz & Wade, 2010
- picture book ages 4-6
Rocket is a little dog who loves to play, chase sticks and listen to the birds sing. Things change, however, when a little bird arrives to be the teacher and Rocket must be the student. Rocket isn’t interested in being a student. He wants to do dog things. The little bird proceeds by reading to Rocket who soon finds himself enjoying the story. The little bird is patient and soon Rocket is learning the alphabet and how to put letters together to make words, “Don’t forget! Words are built one letter at a time!”
Tad Hill’s illustrations are perfect for this story. This is one of the books that the kindergarteners choose over and over during quiet reading time. They actually use the book to “teach” their stuffed animals to read. This book shows children that reading is fun and that, with practice, they can read.
Lola Reads to Leo
- written by Anna McQuinn
- illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
- published by Charlesbridge, 2012
- picture book ages 3-6
Lola loves books as readers can learn in the first two books of this series (Lola at the Library and Lola Loves Stories). In Lola Loves to Read), Lola prepares for the arrival of a new sibling. She reads stories about brothers and sisters and chooses books that she wants to share. This is a celebration of family and of reading. It is calm and comforting book which illustrates the growing independence of a child and eases the transition when a new baby arrives.
Look, I Can Read!
- written by Susan Hood
- illustrated by Amy Wummer
- Grosset & Dunlap, 2000
- Penguin Young Readers level 2
With spare, rhyming text and spot on illustrations, Look I Can Read! shows how a girl (and young readers) can do just that. The girl looks at a carton and reads “milk” and a sign that says “stop.” She searches for word that begin with letters she knows and soon realizes that she can even read a book on her own.
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