How old would you assume this child is?

[lopdododo]

How old would you assume a child who can read this with easer is?

Looks pretty standard for a 5 year old in Y1. Is this the school reading book you think is too easy? Assuming you’re in England it’s right at the start of the school year and they probably want to make sure his comprehension is keeping pace with his reading ability before moving him up. If you want stuff for home go to the library for a browse and also you can give it back when you’re done as they usually don’t want to read them again and again.

It doesn't matter if they are too easy because you work on reading outloud or inference skills. Reading fluently and with emphasis taking note of the punctuation. Schools have to follow a set process on the earlier years to make sure all phonics knowledge is covered and the school reader is just a tool meant to be used alongside other books at home for reading for pleasure.

You don't want to get books aimed at older children either because then the subject matter is lost on them. DD read Harry Potter 1-3 at 6-7 and I was so proud of her, it completely ruined reading for her as it was so exciting that other books didn't match it and of course she didn't have the social understanding an 11 year old would have had reading about other 11 year olds.

If you must go via a reading scheme then trying out different books at the library is your best bet or registering for Oxford Owl online for free access to their reading schemes.

But, advanced readers will progress regardless. Let him read the easier book and then you read a more advanced book to him, expanding his vocab even further. Or read non-fiction. Even Thomas the Tank engine books have specialist train related vocab. Read Dr Seuss books and gift him and early love of poetry.

My daughter was reading books like that with ease when she started Reception just before her fifth birthday but it varies so much. I went into class to read with the children on a couple of afternoons a week, and probably half of the class wouldn't have been able to read that by the end of Reception. I was very shocked by how little some children knew when they first started - a significant proportion didn't know the alphabet and could not count beyond 10. One little girl couldn't even name colours.

I’d carry in with whatever the school is giving him.

And then go to the libraire and let him chose what he wants.
I wouldn’t try abd find the right difficulty. But instead go for things he enjoys and be there to support him when he stumbles in a word iyswim

This! Did they just pick up the book and start reading or do they know the book already from memory etc?

Take him to the library and choose more suitable books then?

What's his comprehension like btw?

A lot of parents think their kids are reading books that are too easy, but don't seem to understand that while they can read the words, they can't seem to absorb the story/information.

That's often why teachers don't push them up to the levels that parents sometimes want.

To add, I had a dd who was a very early and proficient reader. She loved books and (within reason) I let her choose what she wanted to read for herself. There was no need for her to be "pushed" as she naturally extended herself through the books that she chose to read in her leisure time. Why do you think your ds needs pushing, exactly?

This is so true.

At 5, I had an assessed reading age of 13. I could have read that certainly age 3, I could read very very basically (ie identify words pointed out in a newspaper) at 18mths.

I almost nailed on have undiagnosed ADHD and I suspect other underlying conditions. My eldest is diagnosed already.

Please consider this, I feel having a proper diagnosis as a child would have been life-changing for me.

The best thing to do is probably get a range from the library and see how he gets on. You can always help him if a few of the words are too difficult. It's also quite nice sometimes for them to read an "easy" book and you could ask some more challenging questions like "How do you think X felt about that?" or "What would you do if you were Y for the day?" etc.

I could have read it at 3 as could one of my children - both self taught. Also both autistic. Other children, one around 5 one around 7 or 8, both with adhd.

I had similar issues with DS2, he was very advanced and self taught at 3, reading advanced texts by 4. The problem was he was too immature to understand the content of the more advanced books, he only understood words. We gave him more advanced material at home but the school told us to really work on context, ask questions about the story, how does it relate to the picture, what's another word for this word, why did he think the family fussed over the baby etc.

Hi OP,

There are two boxes sets for project x alien adventures. If you get both, they will keep him busy for a while.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Collection-Operation-Holotanium-Destroyer/dp/9123461039

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=project+x+alien+advanture&i=stripbooks&crid=PT98JTBF5F2C&sprefix=project+x+alien+advanture%2Cstripbooks%2C71&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

The range of reading progress is huge at that age. Some kids can't read that kind of book until year 2, and one kid I know read all the harry potter books in year 1. The range is honestly mind boggling. As long as his social development is progressing well and he is doing imaginative play it's all good.

Go to a good children’s bookshop and let him choose some non-fiction books

He may be able to decode it and seem to be reading fluently but that doesn’t mean he’s understanding. Trust the teachers who know what they’re doing and don’t be in a rush to move your son on too quickly. What children learn needs to be imbedded for it to stick and for them to build on what they’ve learned. There’s no rush.
in the meantime, enjoy books together and read to him. Being read to improves vocabulary and hopefully fosters a love of reading.

DS is five and could read that, but reading isn't just about fluency it's about context, understanding meaning , I agree with PPs suggesting questions such as how does x character feel, why does he feel like that, when have you felt that way? What would you do if a bunny stole your shoes etc etc.
We have books DS reads to us and books we read to him, he is a fan of the worst witch and the famous five at the moment, if that story was the limit of it he'd be bored rigid, but that's not what the school books are for. They are for solidly and systematically learning the phonics/building blocks of sentence construction

It isn't particularly unusual for a 4 yr old to read that, but neither is it unusual for them not to be able to. Such a big range at this age, which doesn't really reflect anything long term.

Just get him other books and put a big tick in the 'have you read this book' box whether you have or not.

Reading is not all about word reading though. Some children can confidently read the words but might be unable to answer questions about the text. Therefore a text of that level would be appropriate if comprehension skills werent keeping up with word reading ability

My eldest could’ve easily read that at 5, my youngest considerably younger. He was reading well at 3.

I had a battle to get his nursery to give him books that interested him and weren’t too basic, when he was reading much more ‘wordy’ books at home.

DS is 5, every book he brings home is much too easy for him and his teacher does not seem to be bothered about pushing him. I have spoken to them and they said he needs to continue with these books.

Just get him to quickly read the ones from school, and then get some other ones from the library. This is what we do with DD (she's in year 1).

We don't push her, she asks for these.

Maybe get him some "Early reader" books. They are chapter books for beginners but still with lots of pictures. My son quite likes the Horrid Henry early reader ones but there are various stories you can get.

So get him some more advanced books to read at home? It’s hard to say if he’s just a decent reader who is top of his class or if he’s ‘gifted’ and might need more support than a regular teacher can give him. Are there any markers for autism? His teacher’s job is to deliver the curriculum for 5 year olds to his class so she won’t push beyond that. A good teacher might be able to recognise him as ahead of the others and help organise extra teaching for him but you can’t bank on her being a good teacher. You’ll have to advocate for him yourself.

These are good too:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Farmyard-Collection-Scarecrows-Sheepdog-Surprise/dp/9123538333/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MNQLU9P54SQM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ToglPmoGbZAqd9Q2TWkSRh4IBP9sK8EBMDw3l-uK60w.SIHubCfBJgz_U2VkoWK2qmfpkiRclJ3fzKtECV4YzXo&dib_tag=se&keywords=apple+tree+farm+boxed+set&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1727712530&s=books&sprefix=apple+tree+fam+boxed+set%2Cstripbooks%2C74&sr=1-1

After those books we struggled to find good ones for a while. The old ladybird books are good if you can find them secondhand.

Sorry for the enormous links.

www.amazon.co.uk/Scouts-Ladybird-Book-David-Harwood/dp/072140264X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32RZKQYB9PJSE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0EdCjMqTl52grnn1Bl_gbBi7uIlkBTVVqkZM8JfVNNW0mz-_gyMeCiFoViu1cDtuVVgW62xn5emfqvGyG33QZf-K-seAkWxXAT1vPh_4CXawolyO7ov6t8R0B9Ty87POeZ86YP7y9uvQNx-SMxMqTiVF4pcFMVcMjS4feb9vXRW3PfwvoFfPUI8upkQBzu_mpQtgY3p2vWnofDwVieHcy2BoTB_fRe6jioeKLcOfdq4.1PZGZ9pgA7SLUc773f_rzIe_w7T41Au8IjwDJPZgegE&dib_tag=se&keywords=scouts+ladybird&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1727712597&s=books&sprefix=scouts+ladybird%2Cstripbooks%2C72&sr=1-1

Read the individual words smoothly or fully understand what's written and be able to talk about it?

After that I think we were into usborne encyclopedias and the Richard Scarry books.

https://usborne.com/gb/usbornesearch/result/?q=encyclopedia

then asterix and tin tin and peanuts and garfield, and David Walliams

Sometimes there were gaps when we'd finished a series and couldn't yet find the next suitable one.