As the school year begins, we know we’ll see more parents in the library looking for ways they can support their child’s early literacy skills. The good news is that reading anything with your child is a big help (every picture book counts!) – but we also have special items in our collection for kids who are ready to go further, and those who need a boost. Here’s a run-down on the items we’ll be directing families to, this school year:
These kits contain several short books that are meant to be used by a teacher of caregiver to introduce and practice letter combinations with a child. These are aimed at kids who are around 4-6 years old and know their letters but not words – yet! These kits come branded as “Bob Books“, “Dandelion Readers” and “Little Sprouts“, and you can place a hold on these items through our website.
Watch for our red “Decodable” stickers on books that are designed with growing reading skills in mind. These books make sure they are consistent in the types of words used, so that kids can practice (independently or with an adult) reading in a way that’s appropriate to their skill level. BONUS: we have Decodable items for children, tweens and teens! Reading skills can be strengthened at any age.
These are short books that can help build confidence for someone who has some independent reading skills, but isn’t quite ready for an Early Reader book. The levels that these books are assigned are chosen by the publisher – they won’t necessarily reflect the reading skill required for that book. But they are a great way of giving young readers a low-pressure choice for their first independent reads.
These titles can range from picture-on-every-page to mostly text, and usually have short chapters to keep kids motivated. This is where you will also find great series to keep kids engaged and practising their new skills! Families also enjoy reading books from this collection together, when kids are ready for longer stories than what a picture book can provide.
Learn more about how you can help to grow your child’s early literacy skills with these great books for parents, teachers and caregivers: Early Literacy Reads