Good factual books for ds1 beginning to read independently

[elliott]

ds1 is 6 and in yr 1, and just beginning to be interested in picking up a book and reading it by himself. First book he did this with was a dinosaur book and I think he is more likely to want to read factual stuff than stories. I've struggled though to find interesting factual books at the right level (not too difficult, I would say he's probably an average reader for mumsnet rather than super quick!) They all seem just not as inspiring as the children's fiction that's available. Any ideas?

MamaG suggested the I Wonder Why series for dd1 and I have ordered a couple

you can look inside one here

I can get any books new at a discount. If you're interested please email me [email protected]

Thanks

Should have said there are quite a few usborne ones - their site is www.usborne.co.uk and I'll happily get them for you at a reduced price!

Lucy x

ds1 has these, he has had them for about a year and we have read them to him, but he also spends ages looking at them himself. Some of the language is probably too difficult, but there are lots of pictures and they could pick out bits of information.

Collins Big Cat phonics do some lovely non-fiction books for primary aged children. Have a look at their catalogue or there maybe some sets available from the Book People

DK does some nice ones - they are not brilliant factual books in terms of they seem to have random info but they look good, are nicely laid out (not too much info on a page) and dd1 emjoys reading them - we have the nature, dinosaur and space ones.

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dk+First+Reference&Go.x= 4&Go.y=12&Go=Go

thanks, some good ideas there...I'm guessing there have been previous threads but finding it hard to track them down!

It's not a factual book but my ds who is Reception was given a great book for Christmas which he loves reading. Called "I see.." My sister did it she uploaded photos of things my ds likes on to this website and then wrote the text. Books seem to be based on the Foundation stage words which ds has just been sent home to learn....and he now knows some of them already. Have a look at website this page, think it's a good idea, you could make a bodyparts book! My sis said it came in the post 3 days after she'd created it.

These Usbourne books are designed for newly independent readers. DD has a couple of them and enjoys them.

As an example of reading level, we have the Your Body book, which says it is Level 2. Typical page:

"Your skeleton is a frame of bones that gives your body sape and covers it's soft parts. Adults have 206 bones. Femurs are the biggest bones"

Lots of pictures. Test size is a bit bigger than normal. And broken into short paragraphs.

We also have a couple of Dorling Kindersley Readers ones. They are Beginning to Read books and come in 4 different levels.

For example we have Busy Buzzy Bee, which is Level 1. Typical page:

"Busy Bee has work to do. She crawls out of her hive. She spreads her wings. Busy Bee is looking for a flower. "

At a slightly higher reading level we have a Kingfisher I wonder why book. Ours is about Life Cycles. Typical "I wonder why" question from the book:

"What do spiders keep in sacs?

Many spides wrap their eggs in a silk sac and carry it around to keep it safe. Green lynx spiders tie their egg sac to a cactus leaf with long strings of silk.!

There are a few on ebay - just got distracted there and ended up bidding myself for some more for DD