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Books for a 4 year old fluent reader

34 replies

tooearlytobeup · 22/06/2012 19:22

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, so please feel free to tell me to move along!

My daughter is 4. She was a September baby, so is not yet in Reception class. She does attend the nursery attached to a Primary school for 2.5 hours a day.

She has taught herself to read, pretty much without input from me. I mentioned this to the nursery teacher a couple of months ago because it hadn't been picked up on in class and they have monitored it since.

Last month they started giving her a 'reading scheme' book once a week and have listened to her reading in class. They have increased the level each week, as she has found them all easy.

She is now bored of them as although she can read and understand the books, the stories left are not appealing to her. Both her teacher and I are having trouble finding books that will keep her interest, but challenge her.

The best match we have found is the Storyworlds fairytale type books, but she has now read the higher level ones, and does not like the fantasy/sci fi type ones that are left.

At home I have tried Enid Blyton and the Rainbow Fairy books, which she can easily read, but does not really enjoy and am at a bit of a loss where to go from here.

Does anyone who had an early reader have any suggestions of books which will be enjoyed by a very little girl but are likely to challenge her?

OP posts:
horsemadmom · 09/07/2012 12:33

Junie B books are great as are Judy Moody. My DD's favourite at that age was Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. She loved learning unfamiliar words and using them in her writing at school. Also the Worst Witch books.

fuckwittery · 09/07/2012 12:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

numbum · 12/07/2012 20:40

I bought my DD 'Humphrey's Tiny Tales' set. She's read 3 of them since getting home from school today!

Charity shops are fab. Let her have a look around, open the books, decide if she likes the look of them. I let my DD choose her own books usually because then I know its something she will read (rather than something I think she should be reading Grin )

mynack · 20/07/2012 09:48

Don't forget AA Milne, beatrix potter and the Just So Stories (with original illustrations). They all have wonderful long intesting words. I was an early reader myself (in the 50s, but these books are still in print of course): "lettuces are soporific" (Peter Rabbit), and "insatiable curtiosity [sic]" (Just So Stories)

allyfe · 25/07/2012 22:02

We've just discovered the Anna Hibiscus stories. I discovered them because I was in search of something other than those fairy books! Anna Hibiscus is fabulous. Lovely stories and well written. The advantage over Beatrix Potter is that they have chapters. We do also like the original Thomas the Tank Engine stories. They also have some nice language (although with the occasional statements not entirely suitable for a pre-schooler!).

Hulababy · 25/07/2012 22:06

Look for early reader versions of books as they have colour pictures and the words are a bit more spaced out which is easier on the eye.

What are her interests? What kind of thing does she like?

Can also recommend the Alan Ahlberg books?

The Daisy and the Trouble With books might go down well - written fromt he point of view of a 6 year old girl.

exoticfruits · 25/07/2012 22:28

Good - the library and free choice is always the best bet.

tooearlytobeup · 26/07/2012 17:09

Thanks for all the new suggestions. This had dropped off my 'threads I'm on' and I'm not in the habit of checking here.

Alan Ahlberg is a definite hit with her. We have been to the library a couple of times now and I m letting her choose whatever she fancies.

She is drawn towards simple books and familiar stories at the moment although she can easily read pretty much anything.

I'm hoping that she will work through whats available and naturally choose more challenging books in time.

I'll try to lead her towards the other suggestions here, at the moment I don't want to push her too much and put her off.

Luckily she joins a reception class in September and her new teacher is fantastic so should be able to guide her better than I can.

OP posts:
pimmsgalore · 27/07/2012 16:47

when my DD was like this we let her get some of the manga comics (watch the content as some are pretty adult themed). She loved the pictures with the harder words. We also got her a picture shakespere book, it told you the stories but was illustrated really well

Magic tree house are good, slightly too easy maybe but all of mine enjoyed them even after they were reading well. Also some of the magic school bus books, although they are American so not sure if you can get them here, great pictures and really cool explanations of how things work

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