Heard of BOB Books? These beginning readers are published by the wonderful folks at Scholastic. I’ve seen them in stores, but wasn’t quite sure what all the hype was about.
I wasn’t even sure I wanted to try readers with the kids yet — although their mastering of the alphabet early on combined with their flying through phonetic sounds and the recognition of simple sight words made me think I should maybe try. After all, they’re starting to ask how to learn to read. I can’t question it when they’re the initiators!
Scholastic sent us Set 1 (Beginning Readers) and Set 2 (Advancing Readers) of Bob Books to try out. I was super impressed at their clever, compact packaging and simple pamphlet-like books….less bulk, more substance. The books are light and small, easy to carry around (which our 2-year-old daughter does — she totes these little books all over the house every single day).
Each set of BOB Books has a certain number of titles within it (8 to 12), each book short and easily digestible, focusing on certain letters, letter sounds, and simple letter combinations. The books are numbered so that the child can “master” one book and move on to the next. In the back of every kit is a parental guide/sheet which tells about what’s inside….as well as offers hints on teaching your child to read. There are five sets of BOB Books, in addition to a NEW set of My First BOB Books for pre-readers.
The kids were first of all enamored by the simple cartoon-like illustrations of whimsical, bubbly folks. Colors don’t detract from the words — each book has only one color filling in parts of the black-and-white graphics. (Ahhh! Simplicity!)
As we began to read through them together, the kids enjoyed pointing to the words along with me as I went through the pages, making the phonetic sounds for each word we came to, repeating after me. I was also thrilled to see that these books will help with the consonant sounds they’re both having a little trouble sounding out (such as c’s and l’s).
Though sets 1-5 are intended for ages 4 and up, I am glad we are starting on them early. These will become more and more used and valued as they learn more and more letter sounds and begin putting letters together into words.
I can’t say enough about how great and uncomplicated BOB Books are. The stories are cute and entertaining. The theory is super user-friendly and, and the overall implementation is an excellent self-esteem booster. It’s fantastic to see my daughter’s eyes sparkle and shine when she spouts out a recognized sight word, or see my son beam with pride when he correctly identifies the sound a letter makes.
It’s so nice to find books that go back to the basics — letters and the sounds they make — phonics, pure and simple. It’s the Montessori way, it’s the way I was taught. It’s the way I want my children to learn to read! Thanks, BOB Books, for helping make learning phonics a lot more fun!
BOB Books can be found directly via the BOB Books website, at the ever-popular Scholastic Store, at Amazon.com, or at most major book retailers. (**Also new from BOB Books: The Listen & Read Series complete with audio CDs!)
Win it! Scholastic has oh-so-generously offered TEN of you one set of BOB Books Set 1! All you need to do is visit the Scholastic Store and, in one comment, tell me one other book or item you see that would be useful in teaching your children to read. I’ll accept entries through 11pm EST next Wednesday, November 19th, 2008. Sorry; U.S. addresses only. Good luck!
Marcy (3 years ago)
I LOVE the BOB books, they have been on my wishlist! I also like the Little Scholastic Baby Days set!
nancy (3 years ago)
I like the The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book & CD, a classic
5 Minutes Around the Blogospere - Week (3 years ago)
[...] Muse Reviews – BOB Books Set 1 (Nov 19th) [...]
Renee (3 years ago)
Sight Word Tales looks like it would really be useful in teaching beginning readers.
Thanks!
Renee Simmons (3 years ago)
I think any book is good for teaching kids to read, you can read all kinds of different level books, to a cereal box. Books are wonderful. I think the new series of books w/ dvds are great for the newer generation that won’t exactly sit quietly with a book. More adventure. Like the Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day set!
Michelle (3 years ago)
I like the rainbow magic books, they look like something my girls would love.
hetal g (3 years ago)
my both daughters (6 & 4.5) just finished learn to read with bob books..I love every scholastic product. I don’t have to look at the website to come up with name.I entirely trust this brand for my kids.My friend’s daughter would be greatly benefited by this set.thanks
Shar (3 years ago)
Wow, those BOB books look great. My daughter loves practicing her letters, so she would enjoy Look, Write & Remember Letter Formation Practice Pages.
Kara Noel Lawson (3 years ago)
These are great!!
http://elislids.blogspot.com/
Becky Grayson (3 years ago)
I love the Dora the Explorer:
My First Crystal and Fizz Adventure Kit. It’s true they are never too young to start teaching them the sciences.
Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.
Susan C (3 years ago)
Nice giveaway! I think the Dr. Seuss Learning Cards ABC would be beneficial in helping my four year old grandson learn to read.
smchester at gmail dot com
Bhavana (3 years ago)
I SPy Phonics fun would be an excellent way to sharpen my daughters beginning reading skills, she just loves the I Spy book series.
Betty N (3 years ago)
Go Diego Go Phonics box would be great for my little grandson. He dressed as Diego for his halloween costume so that would be a great motivator as he begins his early reading skills
Janelle (3 years ago)
“Scholastic Reader Level 1: On the Road” by Wade Cooper looks like a great early reader for boys especially.
gillian (3 years ago)
The montesorri school my son went to last year had these books and they were great, would love to have a set at home! The other book I found on Scholastic website that I think would be helpful in learning to read is Go, Diego, Go! Phonics Box Set Pack 2
tom homrich (3 years ago)
FOR MY GRAND DAUDHTER LANEY
Stephanie Bruce (3 years ago)
We are avid readers my boys really enjoy dr seuss and shel silverstein, always looking to add to our library
Heather Weber (3 years ago)
The Simple Words Puzzle Pairs are great for letter-sound recognition!
AJacobsen (3 years ago)
My kids love the computer, but are getting tired of the same learning games. They’d love the Clifford Phonics Reading Pack CD-ROM and book set. Thanks for the giveaway! I homeschool my kids and have been looking into purchasing these sets!
Rebecca C (3 years ago)
My daughter loves books, she would love Oh, David!: A Diaper David Book!
RebekahC (3 years ago)
Great giveaway! Please enter me.
I really love the looks of the Clifford Phonics sets as well.
Thanks
RebekahC
littleminx@cox.net
Jessie (3 years ago)
This is a great giveaway! My daughter loves books, and seems to be in a princess/fairy stage right now, so I think she’d love the Fairy Colors and Fairy Numbers books, among others, even though she knows her colors and numbers already. I’m always looking for new things (and new ways) to teach her–that is why we’d love these BOB books. Thanks again for the opportunity.
Lisa (3 years ago)
I think the Tag Reading System would be useful for teaching kids how to read.
Tiffany losco (3 years ago)
Any books that have just a few words on each page, are great to teach to read.
tina hartley (3 years ago)
This is a great gift
Terra H (3 years ago)
I think The Lego: Learn with Lego Books would be good!
Veronica Szymankiewicz (3 years ago)
I think my son would love the How Do Dinosaurs… series. The books are cute and very engaging.
Jason Fiske (3 years ago)
The I Spy Catalogue would help with mine.
Jessica (3 years ago)
My daugther would love the Care Bears Reader Collection!
Greta (3 years ago)
Scholastic Hands-On Learning: Tonka Construction Trucks. These are cards that can help kids learn. I think my son would be interested because he LOVES trucks!
Dee (3 years ago)
oh this would be amazing! I stay at home with my little man and we read all the time! I want to do as much as I can for him BEFORE he goes off to school one day! I like the lego color book too! I think it would help as well!
Brooke (3 years ago)
For my daughter, “Get Ready for First Grade” would be really helpful.
xenia (3 years ago)
I would love to use the A to Z Letter Formation Practice Pages with my daughter as she’s learning letters and phonics. Thanks!
Deidre (3 years ago)
The Leap Into Phonics software would be great for teaching reluctant readers.
Deidre
kerri (3 years ago)
we love reading david shannon books so i would for sure want his new book and i would also like the where the wild things are dvd my girls love that story
Timothy Sternberg (3 years ago)
I really like the Draw it Again book.
kathy pease (3 years ago)
i love the The TAG Reading System
sheri (3 years ago)
The Junie B. Jones books have helped my son to learn to read!
Leah (3 years ago)
We love the HOW DO DINOSAURS…..POCKET LIBRARY!!! Truly inspires a child to learn, create and read in the most magical of ways!!!
Thanks so much for this fabulous give~away! : )))
leahita[at]gmail[dot]com
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