Free Reading

[MomtoJGJE]

Julianna is difficult for me to figure out what books to get her for free time reading. My older two are pretty easy, the hard part for them is finding books that interest them.

Julianna wants a book that is longer... that she can read for 15 minutes or so at bedtime and it take at least a week to get through it. However her reading level isn't that high yet. She can read the first part of the ERs pretty easily. Probably up through Buffalo Bill. (We are still in The Beginners Bible but just as far as her level goes) She can read any of the earlier books in maybe two "sessions" of 15 minutes each.

I don't want a book to challenge her too much during her free reading simply because I don't want to have to answer "what's this word" during this time But I'd like to try to find something that has a fairly simple vocabulary but lots and lots of words within that vocabulary

For instance, Magic Treehouse is too difficult, Frog and Toad is the right level, but not nearly long enough.

[twoxcell]

What about the supplemental titles from the ER list? You could have her read those in order during her free time along with the ER's for school time. I own pretty much all of those along with the ER's and some other books of similar level that are really good. If you need some more ideas I have a list of all my early readers that I could message you.

[MomtoJGJE]

well, because they are all just as short.

She's at an early reader reading level as far as vocabulary, but she needs/wants longer books. Like Magic Treehouse length with easier words.

ETA: She doesn't want to read one book at night all the way through. She wants to have a book to last a week reading at night.

[twoxcell]

Hm, I guess I miss understood you. I still think the supplemental titles would work well for this purpose the Step Into Reading and An I can Read Books are really not much shorter than Magic Tree house they are just in a different format. Most of these still have chapters. My dd reads one chapter at a time which is quite a few pages. She just finished the Frog and Toad ones which have about 5 chapters each and cover a week of reading for her. It does get hard at that age when they want to read harder books than they can actually handle. I don't have my early readers read independently really. I prefer to sit with them while they read so I can correct mistakes as they come up and remind them of phonic rules. It sounds like your dd is a pretty fast reader for her age if she can get through those type of books so quickly.

[MomtoJGJE]

Just for an example, she just read a level two reader the length of Henry and Mudge books in less than 10 minutes. I just can't be with her at the time she's reading these to help her out.

I don't do phonics

[twoxcell]

Just for an example, she just read a level two reader the length of Henry and Mudge books in less than 10 minutes. I just can't be with her at the time she's reading these to help her out.

I don't do phonics

Is she reading these in her head or out loud? I'm wondering how well she is actually reading each word or is she skimming and guessing? How well does she do when reading aloud to you as far as mistakes and guessing? I don't have my kids read alone or in their head really until they are reading fluently unless they just happened to pick a book up and do it on their own. Maybe I'm weird though but I sit with them when they read to me and correct as we go. I'm not saying that is the right way that is just what I do.

[StephanieU]

How about a storybook collection? We have Berenstein Bears one that my daughter can read some of (she is almost an ER -= reading level 1 readers mostly). It is a book of books, which might work for her. I bet there are other options for these too. I don't think there are too many chapter books though because most kids aren't ready for it.

[abrightmom]

If she's reading Frog and Toad there really isn't going to be a longer book with the level of reading and vocabulary you want.

[farmfamily]

You could try the pathway readers - my kids loved them and they gave plenty of extra practice. They are sweet simple stories about an Amish family. "Days Go By" is probably about the level you want.

[laughablemoments]

I agree with the suggestion Farmfamily just made. We've taken to collecting a variety of readers for our children. On our shelves you'd find readers from Abeka, Keepers of the Faith, McGuffey, Christian Light, as well as the Pathway readers. Our children have loved reading through these on their own. They are thick enough that your daughter could put a bookmark in them, read a little each night, and at the end of the week she'd have a book finished. Now, the books are mostly collections of short stories, but seeing a bookmark moving from front to back might still give her the heady feeling of reading a whole big book. A few of the readers at her level might have stories that span several chapters.

Part of post removed by board moderator per board rules. Their chapter books are more "graded" than most with which I'm familiar. I personally find some of the R & S books to be a bit bland (comparable to rice cakes, ), but my children have enjoyed them, and the writers are careful to keep the wording simple in the earlier books. If they do use longer words, they often break them up into syl-a-bles (well, they wouldn't probably do that word, but you get what I'm saying )

It's great you have such an eager reader on your hands! : )

[my3sons]

This is a hard stage! It's like they want something longer, like simple chapter books, but they aren't ready for most books that do have chapters. I was going to suggest "Henry and Mudge." Along those lines, we have enjoyed the "Little House" younger picture books series, as well as Dr. Seuss books. They also loved the Little Critter books. We stocked up on lots of Level 2-4 early reader books too, and just let them read those. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[MomtoJGJE]

She reads the same to herself as out loud I pretty much only have to help her with names, and in most stories the names don't really matter if they are pronounced correctly or not. Like yesterday the word was Otis.... she said it with a short O. That doesn't really bother me. "Regular" words she doesn't have trouble with for the most part. But it tires her out to do a lot of harder words on each page.

I guess it looks like I just have to wait a few months for her stamina of harder words to improve.

Just to let you know what she can read, she was reading her History Stories for Children book to me the other day But of course it took her longer and she got bored with it... but I didn't have to help her with any words. I wasn't expecting her to be able to do that....

[twoxcell]

I just had another thought what about those early reader collection type books. We have one with three Frog and Toads in one. Maybe that would make it feel like a longer book to her. Also could she read the Burgess books on her own? There are a bunch more that aren't scheduled in LHFHG and they are fairly short chapter books. It sounds like she is doing awesome with her reading!