All About Grooming & Encouraging Good Reading Habits

[sean wife]

Hi,


Like to have some advice on how to transition to simple chapter books from picture books. My kids are going to 4 in Sep, and I am thinking of introducing some simple chapter books to them. So far, they have read many picture books from the library, but they don’t like those which are too wordy too. If they see just a few sentences on each page, they are willing to read, but if they see whole big paragraph, they will wait for me to read first, then I will leave a small part for them to read. If I keep quiet and wait for them to start, sometimes they lose the interest and wander off…especially my elder twin, so it’s really not easy to find the balance between sustaining the interest and insisting that they read everything…They enjoy funny and humorous plots though.

1)\tAny recommendations on the simplest chapter books to start off with? I am thinking of those chapter books with still some illustrations. So far, the only ‘chapter books’ they have are the Mercy Watson books. They like them because the story plot is quite funny.
2)\tFor most chapter books, it will be quite impossible to finish off in one seating right? So does it mean we read with them or they read out few pages each day and we continue another day? How to know that they can remember the whole plot then?
3)\tDo we move on to another book only after we have finished one chapter book?

Thanks.

[sleepy]

deardear07:

Hi mummies,what r ur kids reading for k2? And p1?


Those strong in english tend to be reading chapter books by 5-6 already?

My kids like E.B.White, Kate DiCamillo and Enid Blyton books at that age.

[sleepy]

jedamum:

Haha...didn't know that this thread was 'started' by me in 2008 when ds1 was in K2! Now he is in P3

See how time flies :lol:

[phtthp]

can read Enid blyton books - targeted at K1 / K2 level, like:-


a) The Careless Kitten
b) The Tale of Flop and Whiskers
c) The Mouse and the Squirrel
d) The Tale of Cluck and Clopper
e) He wouldn’t go to sleep
f) ButterCup and the Moon
g) Reynard’s wonderful plan
h) The Newspaper Dog

they are sold at ElmTree(Tampines).
you may choose to buy either individual book at $3.90 per copy, OR 1 big storybook costs $7 - but inside contain 3 stories, from the above listing.

[hquek]

sean wife:

Hi,


Like to have some advice on how to transition to simple chapter books from picture books. My kids are going to 4 in Sep, and I am thinking of introducing some simple chapter books to them. So far, they have read many picture books from the library, but they don’t like those which are too wordy too. If they see just a few sentences on each page, they are willing to read, but if they see whole big paragraph, they will wait for me to read first, then I will leave a small part for them to read. If I keep quiet and wait for them to start, sometimes they lose the interest and wander off…especially my elder twin, so it’s really not easy to find the balance between sustaining the interest and insisting that they read everything....They enjoy funny and humorous plots though.

1)\tAny recommendations on the simplest chapter books to start off with? I am thinking of those chapter books with still some illustrations. So far, the only ‘chapter books’ they have are the Mercy Watson books. They like them because the story plot is quite funny.
2)\tFor most chapter books, it will be quite impossible to finish off in one seating right? So does it mean we read with them or they read out few pages each day and we continue another day? How to know that they can remember the whole plot then?
3)\tDo we move on to another book only after we have finished one chapter book?

Thanks.

Hi Sean wife, I started reading chapter by chapter - stories by Dorothy Edwards (my naughty little sister), AA Milne (Winnie the pooh), Paddington Bear (can't recall author). Each chapter is a story in itself and is fairly humorous. You may want to check out Lois Lowry (her Gooney Bird Greene is pretty funny and kind of teaches the child about writing, she has a 'Sam' series about a little boy and his exploits); and Kaye Umansky (The Jealous Giant, Stepsisters' Story).

Then I went on the series type like Magic Treehouse, Shoo Rayner (he has a wide variety of series that's quite simple and action packed at the same time - Monster Boy, The Just So Stories), and Terry Deary (his are mainly fiction set in real historical situations).

I got all these from our NLB - so no cost, except transport.

On reading, I first started to read to DS1 - 1 chapter a night. Slowly I got lazy and he got antsy (want to find out what's the next story), he started picking up the book by himself and now he's onto independent reading. There were times when he wanted to pull back - too many words. So I tried to find those picture type chapter books instead to tide over that period.

[micollh]

just want to ask, should i get lady bird peter and jane series to start to teach my DD (4 in Sep) to read. she knows the phonics of the letters already. how many books altogether, anyone got the series already? can share?


she is reading lady bird story books (stage 1/2/3) as night time story. but she never been asked to read yet.

[micollh]

anyone can advise whether buy lady bird peter and jane series via amazon is cheaper or get from popular cheaper? thanks

[laughingcat]

Hi micollh,


My boy has completed P&J just before 4yrs old and I hope I can answer your questions.

P&J series are not a phonic books. It is more on teaching sight words that can be broken down with phonetic method. Also it progress to more words per page. There are 3 books per level and in total there are 12 levels. The "a" and "b" series are in the same level except that "b" series reinforce what has been learned in "a" series with a total different story lines. "c" series is more for comprehension and writing. You can choose not to buy it.

What is good about P&J is that it introduces loads of sight words and also a a good book to practise phonic. For instance, it introduces complex phonics words like "through", "thought", "ought", "dinghy" etc, which I have not seen in other phonics book. The bigger advantage is that it allows the child to progress to reading more words per page.

I wouldn’t advise to buy from amazon as the cost of the product plus shipment adds up with no difference as compared to buying in SGP. I bought it at $3.80 per book at the online spree provided you buy more. FYI the P&J series was sold in the last popular warehouse (20% discount).

[micollh]

laughingcat:

Hi micollh,


My boy has completed P&J just before 4yrs old and I hope I can answer your questions.

P&J series are not a phonic books. It is more on teaching sight words that can be broken down with phonetic method. Also it progress to more words per page. There are 3 books per level and in total there are 12 levels. The \"a\" and \"b\" series are in the same level except that \"b\" series reinforce what has been learned in \"a\" series with a total different story lines. \"c\" series is more for comprehension and writing. You can choose not to buy it.

What is good about P&J is that it introduces loads of sight words and also a a good book to practise phonic. For instance, it introduces complex phonics words like \"through\", \"thought\", \"ought\", \"dinghy\" etc, which I have not seen in other phonics book. The bigger advantage is that it allows the child to progress to reading more words per page.

I wouldn't advise to buy from amazon as the cost of the product plus shipment adds up with no difference as compared to buying in SGP. I bought it at $3.80 per book at the online spree provided you buy more. FYI the P&J series was sold in the last popular warehouse (20% discount).

Thanks so much for sharing.. can i know where can i join the spree at popular it's selling at 4.95 per book. im thinking of buying only a & b series.

[laughingcat]

Hi micollh,


The spree is at Singapore Motherhood. But so far, I only keep this contact by this spree as I bought ladybird books from her 2 times already and she is really trustworthy. Also the books come in quite fast. Her contact is 93633526 (Irene) or email at [email protected].

Oops paisei, per book of P&J is priced at $3.50 if you buy more lah.