Book reviews - learning to read

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Siddhartha and the Swan (White Wolves Fiction) by Andrew Fusek Peters

Rama and Sita (White Wolves Fiction) by Malachy Doyle

Noah's Ark (White Wolves Fiction) by Annie Dalton

The Feathered Ogre (Early Readers - Monster Stories)  by Fran Parnell

Early Readers Monster Stories is a series for 6-11 year olds, with simple sentences and carefully selected vocabulary. Along with this there are carefully chosen stories which children will really enjoy reading and which offer a really satisfying read. The delicately coloured illustrations by Sophie Fatus are an integral part of each story - exceptional in stories of this type - and the coloured backgrounds are most attractive.
This story is from Italy and it tells how Pírolo sets out on a quest to find a special feather which is the only thing that can cure the king. He steals the feather, there is a romantic ending and the ogre gets his come-uppance  - all the ingredients of a good story are here!

The Mother of Monsters (Early Readers - Monster Stories) by Fran Parnell 

The Abominable Snowman (Early Readers - Monster Stories) by Fran Parnell 

The Terrible Chenoo (Early Readers - Monster Stories) by Fran Parnell

This is a tale from North America - the variety of countries make this series especially interesting and addresses the requirement of the Literacy Strategy for children to read stories from different cultures. A Chenoo is a savage and terrible monster whi terrifies most people. But what is he to do when he is greeted by a warm hug, fed, clothed and taken into a home? A delightful tale about friendship with a sad twist at the end.

 The Snow Queen (Confident Readers - Classic Fairy Tales) by Sarah Lowes

Winter Shadow (Confident Readers) by Richard Knight 

 Boys on Safari Slipcase (First Time Storybooks) by Roger Priddy

A brightly coloured set of early storybooks, based on things that really happened (well, sort of) to the Priddy family. Follow the adventures of a boy, his teddy bear and his dog in this set of five colourful books. Heroic adventures in the park, a missing teddy bear, the first day at school, an over-eating dog and a naughty dog. Simple, bright and clear pictures and plenty of clues to help early readers. Children will readily relate to these stories with familiar settings and they will be encouraged to read through the series as they get to know the characters. All in a carry-along slipcase, which children will love.

Peek-a-Boo Penguin: Ready for Reading by Ruth Owen

Designed to help children take their first steps towards reading, this is a well thought out book, which parents can use as a basis to develop their own ideas, once they have shared the ideas in the book with their child. Matching, spot the difference, shapes, route finding, looking at labels, putting pictures in order...... the list goes on. These are just the sort  f ideas which parents will find valuable and there is plenty of fun here to engage children's interest. The page of notes for parents and teachers is very practical, too. Peek-a-Boo Penguin is an engaging character - spot him on every page.

 Easy Phonics Words from Usborne Books

This is a colourful and fun way for children to learn those all-important early phonic sounds. 43 of the 44 most common phonemes are included, with a selection of words for each sound. Each is pictured in a fun illustration which cleverly draws the sounds together. The clear font, bright colours and simple pictures are all perfect for early learners. There are notes to help parents with this sometimes confusing topic and a link to the website at www.usborne.com/veryfirstreading which is full of useful help.

Read with Biff, Chip and Kipper: Say and Spell Phonics Flashcards

Support your child's school learning with this fun and colourful set of 55 durable and generously sized flashcards.  Practising phonic sounds helps children match letters to words and pictures; match letter sounds to shapes; sound out letters, blend letters and start to spell. There are letters and words on one side of the card and pictures on the other. Some games are suggested - what games can you and your child make up?

Read with Biff, Chip and Kipper: Rhyming Games Phonics Flashcards 

This is a set of fun rhyming card games which help children to learn the sounds of the letters of the alphabet. It is a good way to help children become familiar with the characters they will meet at school if their school uses the popular Oxford Reading Tree series. The game format means children learn whilst having fun and the colourful selection of cards gives plenty of scope for developing your own games as well. The use of rhymes is always a good way to learn and this pack will provide good value and get plenty of use. 

 The Frightened Frog by Joe Hackett and Mike Spoor

Finlay the frog is frightened of the water, but Mrs Hooper knows just how to get him swimming. A reassuring story which demonstrates friendship. Plenty of pictures gives clues to the words, and the font is clear for early readers. A satisfying and enjoyable story. Start Reading is a graded series of reading books, which enable you to match your child's reading to the reading done in school. Here are some more at the same level in the series: The Spotless Pig (Start Reading: Animal School), The Speedy Tortoise (Start Reading: Animal School), The Cowardly Lion (Start Reading: Animal School).

Alfie Takes Action by Karen Wallace

Alfie is a meerkat - meerkats are really popular, lovable creatures, so this is a great start to the story.
The meerkat family all have their own jobs to do - but Alfie is a daydreamer and one day all the little meerkats run away when he is supposed to be looking after them; the roof falls in  when he is digging and he faiuls to keep the predators away. Oh dear - what will happen? A lovely story and a great early reader.
This book is one in the Chameleon series of early readers by A&C Black. With full colour illustrations throughout, clear font and short chapters, these are the perfect books for 5 to 7 years olds just starting on the adventure of reading proper story books.

Heidi - Read It Yourself Level 4 from Ladybird Books

Heidi is a children's classic, which has perhaps become a little less known in recent years. It's good to see this abridged version, suitable for fluent independent readers, which will hopefully encourage them to read the original version once their reading ability has developed. The Read It Yourself series is carefully compiled to help new readers through the early stages of reading, with plenty of High Frequency Words included. The illustrations are bright and colourful, with plenty of clues to help children through the book. Questions at the end are a good way to evaluate your child's understanding and help with that all-important comprehension. A fun game ends the book.

The Adventures of Robin Hood adapted by Rob Lloyd Jones 

The well-known story is retold here in a way guaranteed to appeal to young readers. Short chapters, pacy action and masses of illustrations make this an easy but satisfying read and a great way to develop children's confidence in their reading. The language used in this retelling is perfect for the target audience, who will relate to it immediately. It is one in the series 'Usborne Young Reading' which has been compiled with the help of a reading consultant. The stories are graded into levels (this is Series Two - for young readers growing in confidence), making it wasy for parents to choose books at a suitable level for their children. The story is exciting and will hopefully encourage youngsters to look further into books about this popular character.

Pride and Prejudice adapted by Susanna Davidson

This is one in Series 3 of the Usborne Young Reading series, and is ideal for those who have developed confidence and are ready for longer stories. It is a delightful adaptation, which retains much of the feel of the original - although I do hope that readers don't think that they have 'done' Pride and Prejudice and miss out on the joy of reading the original. The illustrations, too, are a perfect reflection of the period and really convey the emotions of the characters. Young readers are introduced to the world of the Bennet family and share in the drama as the story unfolds. A lovely introduction to the world of Jane Austen.

 Alien Alby by Kaye Umansky

Alby and his family live on an alien planet. Alby, who is a very untidy little person, can play in his garden but must not go in the swamp - but he does. A likeable character, with whom children will readily identify, this is an ideal beginner book.
Get your child hooked on reading with this excellent series 'I Am Readiing' from Macmillan. Short chapters, simple sentences and fun stories by top authors make this an excellent introduction to chapter books. The helpful tips for beginner readers will be useful to parents, and I like the integral bookmark so the book is ready for next time.

Little Wolf by A H Benjamin

Little Wolf is determined to be good and help people, but everything he tries goes wrong. Poor Little Wolf - he is even misunderstood when he tries to rescue the woodcutter. Everyone chases him - but that turns out to be a good thing... A charming story about beoing helpful, perfectly pitched at the target audience who will enjoy the story and learn that reading is fun. Plenty of lovely bright illustrations capture the interset and provide clues to the words in the story.
The publisher (A&C Black) says Chameleons are 'Full-colour chapter books for children who are learning to read by themselves, Chameleons provide an ideal bridge between picture books and early readers.'

 Stop Thief! by Meg Harper

Poor Jed! How embarrassing - his father is a tap-dancing policeman. But never mind - nobody knows  -at least they don't, until he appears in the local paper, tp dancing in his uniform. Then the bullies start teasing him and Jed doesn't know what to do. Until the day of the burglary, and an exciting chase through the park, in which everyone joins....
Stop Thief and Don't Forget Lara are titles in the White Wolves Familiar Settings series. The publisher, A&C Black, says: 'White Wolves are brilliant stories that have been selected to mtch developing reading skills. Aimed at 5-7 year olds, these books have full colour illustrations throughout and short chapters ease the transition from picture books to young fiction' and that sums up this series perfectly.

 Don't forget Lara! by Juli Green

Another richly illustrated book for developing readers, with short chapters ideal to develop confidence and fluency. The story starts off with Lara's days at school and I like the way it is a reassuring story about school. Lara learns how to help herself remember everything, but on Friday she can't take her painting apron - but you have to read this comforting story to find out why! Perfectly written to both help reassure and as an erly reader.
This is a really attractive series of books and the stories are all great fun to read. More about the White Wolves series here.

 Jack and the Jungle by Malachy Doyle

Jack is bored but then he meets Abbie, a little girl with a VERY vivid imagination. Wolves, snakes, a giant - all in the garden? I wonder....Another excellent early reader from the White Wolves series, designed for readers in Year 2. These are a far cry from the old-fashioned reading books - they are super stories in their own right and a real pleasure to share with children. The stories flow beautifully and there is always a hint of suspense to grab the reader's attention.