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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Isn't this book too babyish, even for reception?

57 replies

Comingroundthemountain · 27/09/2015 21:12

So dd started reception two weeks ago. I know they are still getting to know the kids and their abilities. Last week dd was sent home with The Scarecrows' Wedding as her book to read at home - we all enjoyed it and read it many times. This week she has been sent home with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We've been reading this since she was about 6 months old and she knows it verbatim - so she 'reads' it to me except I know she is not reading because she gets the odd word in the wrong order or issues out word like 'and'. Now I know that the point is they learn to read so need books that are simpler to read than they are to understand, but is it reasonable to think this one is way too simple and also that she will not be able to learn to read with a book she already knows more or less off by heart? And what do I write as my comment in her reading diary?

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strawberrie · 27/09/2015 21:16

Is it possible that she chose it herself? Or perhaps it is to reinforce the numbers they are working with (IIRC there are increasing numbers of each food)

If it's bothering you, just write something like. "DD enjoyed this as it is a very familiar story to her and she liked reciting the parts she remembers"

I don't think the teacher will be,expecting her to learn to read off the back of these books, it's more about enjoying the story.

strawberrie · 27/09/2015 21:18

You could also play around with games like looking to spot words beginning with the same letter as her name.

Iguessyourestuckwithme · 27/09/2015 21:18

It's a child's book with a narrative to share at home. I wouldn't be concerned it was too young.

belindarose · 27/09/2015 21:18

Definitely not too 'babyish'. Just write 'DD enjoyed reading this familiar story with confidence' or something!

spanieleyes · 27/09/2015 21:18

It's a book to share, not to learn to read with!

lougle · 27/09/2015 21:19

Write: "This book is a family favourite!"

There is more to reading than knowing the words. Expression, inference, etc.

There is some really interesting work on using wordless books with KS2 children.

Iwantakitchen · 27/09/2015 21:20

How is the teacher supposed to know which books have been read at home, or not read? For 30 children? Really?

00100001 · 27/09/2015 21:21

not everyone reads to their kids - some of the kids in the class may well never have read it.

Also I doubt many reception kids could actually read TVHC themselves.

Sure they might know the story, but that's not the same.

00100001 · 27/09/2015 21:21

at this age, any book is a good book :)

Original poster

Comingroundthemountain · 27/09/2015 21:22

Not saying teacher would know which child had read which book. But would expect nearly all children aged 4 to who had been to nursery to be familiar with this, and find it odd to be sent home with two books at such different ends of the spectrum of what I think is easy/hard for a child of that age.

TBH if ds, 2, was sent home with that book, I would be surprised too.

OP posts:

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 27/09/2015 21:22

There are some children never get to read at home, so this is a delightful book to get them started. If it is a familiar book to you, turn it to your advantage, as others have said above.

Frusso · 27/09/2015 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 27/09/2015 21:24

In the early days, perhaps it's a way of the teacher gauging the abilities of the children in their class???

toptomatoes · 27/09/2015 21:25

Did she choose it herself? Ours choose books to share at home then later on get given a levelled book for them to read as well.

Smartiepants79 · 27/09/2015 21:26

If she has just started school then it's is unlikely that this is a book she is meant to be 'reading', same goes for the scarecrows wedding. Is it possibly a library book she chose herself?
The new intake at both the school I work in and the school my DD attends do not seen home books for 'reading' at this early stage. It's a book to share and enjoy. Ask questions and get used to the process of bringing it home and changing it etc..
Remember schools are dealing with children from all kinds of background, they can't assume that the children do this kind of thing as a matter of course. Many families don't for a myriad of reasons.
If you're unsure speak to her teacher.

Sirzy · 27/09/2015 21:27

Surely the books are for you to read to her at this point just to encourage a love of books and a habit of reading. Not all get that.

They are both lovely books for children. I am really struggling to see a problem.

CherylBerylMeryl · 27/09/2015 21:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spanisharmada · 27/09/2015 21:29

What Frusso said, I think that's a book to share rather then anything else. It's not babyish, is this PFB? I think your expectations are slightly off tbh and you might be in for a few more surprises. (Reading that back it could sound a bit arsey, its meant kindly honestly!)

Smartiepants79 · 27/09/2015 21:30

At this stage this book will not have been 'levelled' to her reading ability. You'll get things like Oxford reading tree and songbirds for that.

mrscee · 27/09/2015 21:32

My twins who are in year 1 love the very hungry caterpillar and they get to choose which books they bring home. Also the very hungry caterpillar helps with counting and also how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly all subjects which help a child learn.

LadyintheRadiator · 27/09/2015 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Comingroundthemountain · 27/09/2015 21:33

Thanks for all the comments - is interesting to hear what you all think (or wouldn't have asked).

Books are chosen for her. They all get sent home with a book once a week and can change it halfway through the week if they get bored of it.

OP posts:

pumpkinbutter · 27/09/2015 21:33

These are sent home as sharing books showing them text goes left to right, how to 'work' a book starting at the front, learn gin 'story language', not a test of your DC's reading/reciting skills. Many children don't get read to or have books like these at home so by send books home they are encouraging parents to read with their children. Next may well be wordless books, so they can learn to tell stories using the skills they have learnt from sharing books then once they have some phonics base will books with words come.

Icapturethecastle · 27/09/2015 21:39

My dd did both the scarecrows wedding and the hungry caterpillar as topic books in reception last year. They did lots of different activities around these books including maths, literacy etc so maybe they are just getting the children use to books.

frazzledbutcalm · 27/09/2015 21:47

Ds has just watched TVHC on netflix as he remembers reading the book many, many times in his younger days. He's 22!! So definitely not too babyish

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