Early reader book rec. please to practice phonics (at level 6)

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I have been unsuccessful searching online and I am hoping for the benefit of your experience.

Basically she is now decoding very well and reading level 6 books with minimal input but - what next? She needs practice but chapter books are too much. I am overwhelmed with the choice at the library. Also...The school stock of level 6 (orange band?) to level 10 needs updating and we flexischool (part time home Ed) anyway so we are at the library weekly. In addition I would be happy to purchase a series of early reader books if they have wide appeal as I have a younger son.

What early reader books are your children enjoying please?

My daughter recently finished the Biff, Chip and Kipper level 4-6 box set. I searched online for over a month trying to find something for her to read next, but was baffled by the different reading levels, and couldn't find a set of the higher levels of Biff and Chip. I ordered this box set, also by Oxford Reading Tree, from ebay for around 20 quid. Each book has between 30 odd and 50 pages, has nice large text and illustrations on most pages, much of them in colour. www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=413530&catalogId=10051
She's very much enjoying them at the moment, and has re read quite a few. Oxford reading tree lists them as levels 9 and 10, but in my opinion, although longer, don't present too much more of a challenge than Biff and Chip level 6.

Dd2 is just at the same stage and is loving the Aahlberg Happy Families books (eg Miss Dose the Doctor's Daughter), the Green Bananas ones from the library (three short stories in one book), the Hopscotch Twisty Tales (eg The Princess and the Frozen Pea) and the Reading Corner series (phonics versions were best to start with but now she's ok with all of them - the blue banded ones seem right at the moment).

This is all from the library - I learnt last time around that this stage goes very quickly!

Once she started loving reading books, you can move on to some comprehension. These are all free and short passage with some questions.

www.turtlediary.com/games/reading.html

mrnussbaum.com/readingpassageindex/

www.readtheory.org/

You don't need to restrict her reading to only the 'easiest' books. In ALL books there will be some words she already knows, or that may be within her ability to sound out.

As a primary TA I supported reading for over twenty years, during which time, of course, methods and expectations changed. If you try my guidance below it may broaden the range of books she can tackle:

When reading harder books with a child, get him to point to words as he goes along. If he knows the word, or can sound it out, he can say it. If he doesn't know the word, he can hover his finger over it, and YOU say the word for him. Don't stop to analyse or discuss the word at this stage, but try and keep the 'flow' of reading going. Review difficulties at the end, if you wish to. This way, he has the satisfaction of reading more difficult books, without the fear of getting 'stuck' on words.

Once they could manage stage 6 confidently they would have a good go at any picture book they fancied. The library have a good stock of "early reader" books, any of which are approachable, or just letting them loose in the preschool picture book section. But things like Happy Families, Elmer the Elephant, Winnie the Witch, Charlie and Lola, Julia Donaldson were popular here. Some of those have early reader editions with the text separated out from the pictures if the normal versions are too confusing.

Thanks for the advice.

I have purchased the recommended box set this afternoon. Thanks I can't wait to get it delivered! We are readong longer books together also. We just finished the BFG where she took Sophie's part and I read the rest. But I wanted a series that I could work through with her that supported the phonics skills she has recently picked without being too long and overwhelming, so that if she wanted to read alone she could. I wIll look at the happy family series and the other suggestions. I appreciate all the help. Thanks for each and every reply

In case this helps anyone, having been to the library I am finding the series 'I love reading phonics' level 6 quite good for getting the hang of all the alternative spellings.

Also we have taken out from the library a few of the 'chameleons' set published by Bloomsbury and designed for children who have just started reading. They look really fun with lots of pictures and speech bubbles. I have high hopes for these!

Chameleons->

My reception son likes this set of books:

www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=484168&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&searchTerm=read+it+yourself

The level 1 in this set is ORT 4&5 equivalent (depending on the book) and we found the books much more fun to read than the Biff/Chip/Kipper books that my son brings home from school.

The Book People have Project X back in stock. 31 books spanning ORT levels 7-11. Bought a pack of these for my daughter this morning. www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=509685&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&searchTerm=project+x

The Works have a really good selection in the 'early readers' section on their website. Also, any books by Jez Allborough or Julia Donaldson or Axel Scheffler are good, as they tend to rhyme so gets children used to using intonation and really understanding what they are reading.