Book Recommendations for Reception/ Year 1 + How to support Child's Reading Journey?

[SnappyCat26]

Hi all,

Apologies for my previous post; I was in an unreasonable state of panic (due to my BPD), which made me come off as the crazy woman I am.🙃I swear I'm not a troll or sh**poster, just a mum with multiple mental disorders.

I'm trying to get the post deleted, but apparently you can only report it and hope for it to be removed.

I'm gonna take Bella to the local library as soon as her Reception class ends (at 3 pm). 🙂

Post is as it says, what books are you reading to your (4-6-year-old) children?

Also, tips on how to support my child's reading journey through Reception into Year 1 come September, as an absent mum who had no children's books with words (only baby books with different materials for touching) in the house until my child started school?

Do you recommend any programmes like Bookstart?

Would be grateful if any teachers on here could reply + support me. I'm willing to pay for books for my child's education, as it's for the greater good.

Thanks for the help, 😊

Love,

Cat xoxo 💞

I didn't see the previous post, so no judgement. Might be worth talking to your child's teacher for some guidance.

Read and sound out everything around you together, and spell it out! Shop names, packets, bus destinations...

The best books are ones your child will enjoy. Work out what they enjoy and buy suitable books on those topics. With DD, it was animals, unicorns, fairies...

Isabella Moon books are loved by most of the y1 girls in my daughter's class, along with the Rainbow Magic Fairy series (they also do early reader versions). They're good to read to them (though DD is a bit ahead and can read them to me now!). Charity shops sometimes throw up bargains at very low cost.

If you prefer picture books, Julia Donaldon is still popular with this age. You can pick up 10 picture books (with words) for £10 in the Works.

Definitely go to the library- the librarians in our local library are fantastic at helping choose, as is the school librarian.

If she likes games and you don't mind a little tablet time, Teach your Monster how to Read is a good phonics game that costs around £10 (I think?).

Good for you. Just see what she goes for in the library, dont worry about what she can read just read to her, doesnt matter if its picture books or chapter books. Picture books probably best if you dont normally sit down together to read while you build up stamina together to sit and listen.

As a parent, it isn't your 'job' to teach phonics etc aside from supporting what you are asked to do by school. So you need to focus on reading to your child for pleasure and getting her to enjoy cuddling up with you, looking at the pictures together, being interested in the story.

I read loads to DC when younger but one thing I never thought to do was to ask questions / check understanding. This is really important for pre-reading. So if, for example you are reading the Gruffalo look at the front cover together. Ask her what she thinks a Gruffalo is? Could it be the creature on the cover? Does she think he looks scary? What else can she see on the cover. There's a mouse, do you think the mouse is in the story etc.

As you go through the book, keep talking about it. Wasn't it funny when the mouse said that to the fox? Why did the owl fly away? And so on. If she doesn't know, explain and move on.

Bookstart is a programme for giving free books to families to encourage reading - you would usually get these from your health visitor. But the books aren't any 'better' than others you can buy or get from the library, it's just a couple of free age appropriate books you can keep. I wouldn't worry at this point about the specific books. But if she isn't used to reading start with picture books. Julia Donaldson ones are good and some are aimed at slightly older children so won't be seen as babyish if she is talking about them at school. Also recommend the day the crayons quit and the Dr Seuss ones as slightly more 'grown up' picture books.

Just take her to the library/ a bookshop and let her show you where her interests are.

Have arranged of books available so picture books/ books with minimal words eg Julia Donaldson that she can read with you or on her own. Then if she likes it a slightly longer book that you read to her.

Just reading things out loud like food labels when shopping, shop names, street names etc ..

Comics can be great for encouraging reading.

Play fun games where you label items in the house and she either puts the name on the item eg you get ve her paper saying chair she puts it on the item and reads it back to you. Or you label the items then she retrieves the sign and reads it back to you.

I didn't see your other post so don't know what went on there but do remember all children learn at their own pace and differently. Both of mine learnt to read by sight rather than phonics. One of them could do all phonics sounds etc... but still just learnt words the other struggled with blending etc... but still learnt to read but would ask what words were if didn't recognise them and then learnt.

Also our youngest loved subtitles when watching their TV it's not a substitute for books etc... but they definitely helped as back up.

Find what she enjoys and start there if they aren't enjoying it they will find it hard to engage

Focus on just building a reading (to her) habit first. Make it part of your bedtime routine.
At this stage don't push questions - it's all about enjoyment. If she enjoys questions, go ahead, and if she asks you questions and talks about the book, lean into it. Read with rhythm and expression, don't worry about doing voices unless you want to. If you struggle at first, don't worry! You'll likely read each book multiple times and this will give you plenty of practice.

We (reception) still read mostly picture books, with a couple of longer books mixed in (Fantastic Mr Fox, The Enchanted Wood etc). I'd stick to picture books for now. Let her pick out what she wants at the library, and then a couple that you think YOU will enjoy reading to her.

As for phone games, Tech Your Monster to Read is worth it, but the most important thing you can do with her for now is reading to her. It's probably a good thing to do over the summer. There will be plenty of readers, maybe from the scheme your daughter is following, at the library that you can get out during the summer, so you can keep her reading practice going. There should be dedicated shelves for those in the children's section.

I saw your original post and you got so many useful replies, telling you to visit the library to gain access to appropriate books for your child and foster a love of reading. I'm not sure what more you want from this really? It's time to stop worrying about what to read, and just crack on with it now, as everyone already advised you. It truly does not matter what you read, as long as you're reading.

For what it's worth, I don't believe you are a troll (as it would be a weird topic to troll about) but I do think some of the information you shared felt embellished for effect, which is possibly why some people didn't believe it to be real. Your choice of words was very strong, but I appreciate and accept that is likely down to your own diagnosis, rather than you being a random fantasist. I'm sure you mean well in genuinely wanting to do right by your daughter now.

Your child is not illiterate, as you stated I'm your original post. She's a young child at the start of her literacy journey. She is learning to read and write. It will come with time and patience, but it won't happen instantly so please don't panic and think the changes you are prepared to make (daily reading) are not worth it if you don't notice improvement straight away. It will be doing her the world of good, through a drip drip effect, but don't expect massive changes overnight.

What are her school doing to help her? You mentioned the teacher 'berating' you for not owning any books, but you never mentioned what they are doing to support her. A good school/teacher should be providing you with advice and support for what you can do to help her, as it really is a partnership, rather than making you feel bad about it. The school won't be (or shouldn't be) expecting you to teach her to read, but they will be expecting you to help support her reading at home by reading her phonics books with her, daily, and sharing story books together to boost her vocabulary and exposure to written text. Hopefully you find reading stories together a lovely bonding time too. The teacher shouldn't have 'berated' you, if that did indeed happen, but they're are right in expecting you to support your daughter's reading journey at home.

It's never too late to start daily home reading. Have you managed to visit the library yet, since your first post the other day? How is your daughter responding to this new routine of daily reading at home? She with her there eventually, especially now you're on board with the home reading. Good luck with it.

Go to charity shops where you can get children’s books for pennies. Let her choose whatever she wants, don’t get hung up on the levels or if she can read it or not, just buy it. Read to her often, encourage her to read herself, if you have an Alexa ask it to read her stories.

Can't agree with this enough! Building that daily reading habit is so key. We read every night before bed, litte one chooses the book. He's really enjoying he can now do some words so if he's in the mood i'll get him to read some of the words I know he can manage as I'm reading the story.

Also full agreement on using the library. Free and all the books.