URGENT: Illiterate Kindergartener! Where to get free storybooks for kids (0-5)?!

[SnappyCat26]

Hi all,

My DD (Bella - aged 5) has started Reception this year, and the teacher has asked to speak to me about why she can't read or write... at all...

Granted, I've had Bella quite young and am currently living on UC - would be grateful if anyone could recommend storybooks suitable for infants & primary school-aged children, as well as places to get physical books (and book packs) for free.

Do you recommend Bookstart (as a friend told me to try it out)?

Bella is neurodivergent (diagnosed with autism and ADHD) - it has been a struggle sometimes, but I've gotten used to it & learned how to cope. She is also illiterate (my fault entirely), but I want to help teach her how to read.

Also, would be grateful if you could recommend free bookpacks with diverse characters in (racial diversity as she is Mixed-race, neurodivergent, ADHD, autistic characters, same-sex parents etc.).

Trying to obtain all the bookpacks from infancy to Reception to catch up on my mistakes... 😬

My daughter couldn't read at all at 5 and now at 8 reads loads so first don't worry.

We got a free book each month from Dolly Parton's imagination library, look it up and see if it covers your area.

Then libraries obviously.
Charity shops have kids books.

And ask around on whatever local WhatsApp/Facebook groups or look on Olio. You'll find lots of people willing to give books away their kids are too old for.

Certainly do start reading regularly with her. And turn on the subtitles when she's watching TV too.

Thanks for the advice! I js feel guilty bcos she can't even read basic words (like "The cat sat on the mat") and doesn't understand the alphabet - I want to be more involved in my child's literacy journey.

Friendly librarian I met told me it’s quite common for kids (and their parents) barely even to know how to hold a book.

@SnappyCat26 do you know where your local library is? https://manchester.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/OPAC/HOME There are links on this about where your nearest one is and you can join online or just go to the library and get your child to join there. Once your child is a member they can borrow books completely free and in my experience library books are brilliant at depicting diverse families etc. Librarians care A LOT about representing the children who come to their libraries.

Definitely join the library, then she can choose what looks interesting to her even if you read most of it to her. Once you know her favourite books that she likes to read over and over again you can buy them (with an autistic child definitely be prepared to read the favourite multiple times every day!)

You can often get cheap bundles on eBay or Vinted.

Pick simple rhyming books with lots of pictures

Books my autistic mixed heritage kids liked were:

Commotion In the Ocean by Giles Andrae
Bumpus Jumpus Dinosaurumpus by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees
Meg and Mog books
Dr Seuss
The Skipping Rope Snake by Carol Ann Duffy and Lydia Monks,
Ada Twist by Andrea Beatty
Mixed by Arree Chung

Counting books were favourites like 1,2,3 hide and seek book by Robert Crowther. There is an A,B,C one too but teach her to say the letters phonetically rather than the traditional Ey, Bee, Cee (the school should give you information or run parent sessions on phonics and how to say the sounds) otherwise I found they found it harder to learn phonics as it confused them.

Also 365 Penguins by Jean Luc Fromental.

If she likes certain TV shows then books about her favourite characters might be good to keep her interest. DS has found it easier to learn to read through character based picture or comic book style books as his reading skill developed.

She is only in reception class and has plenty of time to learn to read now so just focus on exploring the joy of reading books together so that she finds reading fun and enjoyable rather than stressful.

Autistic Dd1 who only knew some letter sounds upon starting reception class is now doing A level English Literature. DS who was completely non-verbal at age 4 is free reading on his own and writing paragraphs now with less support than earlier this year. Honestly you haven't left it too late at all, just put in the time to read with her now and as she learns letter sounds encourage her to sound out the first letters of words in picture books at first then build up to 3 letter words with the school reading books.

There are lots of reports from teachers that many reception children try to swipe books now, and do not appear to have been read to at all, only left with tablets or phones.

This might be an old fashioned suggestion but my mother used to make going to the library a special treat. Every Saturday she would take me and help me pick out my books for the week, and then we would get a little treat like a slice of cake to share. She did me a huge service by instilling a love for reading and making it exciting.

Apparently 1 in 5 households in the UK have no books so OP isn'ta major outlier. OP, we're a book-loving family so read to both of mine since they were little, but one of the things that really helped DS in reception was a set of alphabet fridge magnets. After dinner he'd spend ages stood in front of the fridge trying to spell out different words. Start with your DD's name and she'll soon be noticing her first initial (assuming she's not called Quinn or Zelda 😅) everywhere you go!

But why are you suddenly panicking now and why is it all so URGENT! 😳

I want to be more involved in my child's literacy journey

Children don't have a "literacy journey".

So you don’t think that parents also have a role to
play in a child’s education then? You don’t think it is a valuable bonding exercise to read to and with your child? Teachers and schooling are much more likely to succeed if a child is at least familiar with the concept of books and reading, and if parents are interested in and support what goes on at school. It’s a shame that parents seem happy to abdicate all responsibility for their children to schools. You don’t need to be a trained educator read with your child. It’s good that the OP wants to get involved.
I too would suggest starting at a library. They often have events on for children

But you're not saying you're small child is an illiterate receptionist? I don't think we would assume she's working on the front desk of a business

OP they won't be expecting you to have taught her to read yourself but they will expect you to read to her. Do you not read her a bedtime story every night? They will want her to know how to hold a book, how to turn the pages, that you read from left to right.

There are so many wonderful books for kids out there! I bet you have as much fun as her reading them, I was always a big fam of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy. Don't be afraid to use funny voices, exaggerate tones and be silly!

They will also want you to listen to her read every day if they send home a book. Does she not get any homework around reading or writing? Definitely get yourself to the library, they are wonderful. Get her writing cards, colouring in, using scissors and painting to practice fine motor skills.

I think this is urgent tbh honest OP if you want her to value education and do well in school. It's certainly not too late of course but the earlier you start the better IMO. I would really recommend speaking to the teacher again and getting some advice from them on what they would recommend. They will know your dd and be pleased that you're showing an interest (hopefully anyway!). Get all the help and support you can.

This!

o/p does your child go to a private or particularly academic school?

because reception year is “learning through play”. There’s absolutely no expectations of being able to read, and it is very unusual for you to be pulled up on this.

what is the school doing? Do they send books home? What sort of books? Or are they expecting you to teach her how to read and write?

my own two had no interest in reading or writing until much late, and certainly weren’t in reception. They hated the picture books and the boring early readers.

we just played games. Road signs. Buses, comics. Menus. Names. Anything to sound out syllables.

what got mine into reading was the children’s computer programmes- moshi monsters is one where they interspersed little challenges, so they needed to read/do maths to get to the next stage.

neither really “read” until year 2. The teachers weren’t bothered at all- just said it clicks slower with some kids.

they’re both adults now and at university.

It would be great to have some books at home and enjoy them with Bella, but they spend a lot of time on phonics at school so if she hasn't learnt any letters or words yet at this point in the school year it's probably related to her SEN and not anything you have or haven't done. Very few parents are actually teaching their children to read or write before school even if they read to them daily. Two of my children knew some of their letters and could recognise and write their own name which is fairly common but easily caught up.

Go to the library let’s choose some books and read to her every single day. She doesn’t need an organisation or a paid subscription. She needs time with you and a book.

Until you can get to a library I have another suggestion…..I’m not a big fan of screens but there are a lot of well known stories told on YouTube. This might be useful in the short term and help your daughter find out what kind of books she like. There are classics like Dear Zoo, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt etc. Look for ‘A Dress with Pockets’. It’s a book my 5 year old GD has and she loves it.
I hope you and your daughter get into books together. I love looking at books with my GD.

Not being able to read or write at the start of Reception is normal. DS couldn’t (not for want of trying in our part, he was read to loads) and he was ahead in book bands and working at greater depth in English by the end of the year.

However if OP’s DD has been in school since September and is now finishing Reception still completely unable to read or write, that does indicate more of a problem. I’m surprised the school has been sending books home, but yes all libraries will have a good children’s section.

Honestly, my DD 6 is really struggling, we strongly suspect dyslexia/ADHD though the school isn't trying to diagnose her yet. Books with pictures actually distract her more, she tries to skip the words, follow the pictures and guesses wrong almost all the time. She has done really well on the reading.com app, where they have the letters/words and you unhide the pictures after. It may be American but I'd guess the foundations of reading are the same. If you're in the UK there might be an equivelant. I can't tell where you are as you say both Kindergarten and Reception but maybe it helps.

Not being able to read or write at 5? Not a problem.

No books at home? Never had a book read to her? I do think that’s an issue.

Libraries are completely free to join and to borrow from. You don’t need money, but you do need to actively go and do it. I get that it’s probably something that wasn’t on your radar before but, now it is, I would try and fix it.

https://wordsforlife.org.uk

OP, can you clarify, when you say illiterate do you mean she doesn’t know any of the alphabet?

How about numbers? Can she count at all?

It’s normal for most children to start school unable to read…
None of my children were reading when they started school, the school teach them phonics, tricky words etc and they learn to read from there.
I did read to my children every night/ still do to our youngest.
Perhaps the teacher meant that without support to read at home it will take her longer to learn, rather than expecting her to be reading properly. My youngest is in year 1 and brings 4 books home a week, 2 on a Monday and then they are changed on a Thursday.
He reads to me every day from his school books, he’s a little below where he should be but I find summer born boys can take a little longer to pick things up in the first couple of years.
As others have mentioned it’s worth joining a library, looking in charity shops and on market place. At home we use a mixture of Oxford song birds, jolly phonics and reading ladder books for practicing during the holidays etc and you can pick them up cheaply on eBay, vinted etc

Something feels off here. OP - library and charity shops.

Not being able to read at 5 is normal.

Not having access to books at home is not common and will likely reduce her literacy and overall educational attainment. Books are critically important in children's learning journey.

Join the local library - you borrow books for a limited time to read for free and then you return them and swap them out for different ones. That way you and her get access to lots of books to read together, which will really help her.

Just go to the library. She'll get sent home with reading books anyway.

Not being able to read and/or write in reception is normal, although I'd expect them to recognise at least some letters. (Desperately trying to remember what my DC knew at that age)

Not having any books at home at all is very odd I'd say. I know studies say 1 in 5 households don't have books, but surely she saw them at playgroups/toddlers/nursery/pre-school?

And please don't use being a young mum as an excuse. There's enough of a stigma already!