Charming sets of early readers, previously published as the "Little Reader Series", have been re-released for a new generation of beginning readers. Now part of the Ready for Reading! series, these sets are carefully designed to inspire confidence in the youngest of readers. In fact, the first set in the series, Ant Books (Set 1), can be enjoyed by children who are just beginning to "sound out", or decode, short words.

Ideal for parents who want to help their children learn to read at home, or for those who feel their children could use some extra practice, these sets are straightforward to use. A parent's guide that includes instructions and tips is included with each set of twelve little books.

A special feature of these books is their fill-in-the-blank names--children can write themselves into the stories! This way, little readers, as well as their friends and siblings, can "star" in the books. This personalization feature is simple, but hugely appealing to young children.

The Ant Books (Set 1) begins with a simple story all about the reader! As children progress through all twelve books in the set, they are exposed to eleven sight words and thirty-six phonics-based words. Once the set is successfully completed, children can move on to Caterpillar Books (Set 2). This set builds on the sight words introduced in the first set, and adds fourteen more. Plenty of words to decode with simple phonics rules are also featured. Sets 3 and 4 (Butterfly and Canary Books) are scheduled to be published this year.

Each set helps to minimize frustration through a gradual introduction of new concepts and plenty of repetition of words. Despite the limited vocabulary, the stories still manage to be warm and funny. While the black-and-white illustrations are simple and fun, they are not overly distracting.

A few pages of simple activities are included in the back of each book. These help to reinforce new words and encourage children to write some of the words they have learned. The activities include identifying special sight words (like "the" and "no") in a group of words, a game of bingo, and pages of writing practice.

The stories in this series are warmly written. Most have family themes and liberal doses of humor and activity. When new sight words are introduced in a story, a "flashcard" page appears at the beginning of the book. Parents are encouraged to help children prepare for these new words before they read the story. Some pages include simple instructions and tips for parents, teachers, or caregivers, written in a smaller font.

Parents and children alike will appreciate these sets. They are both manageable and enjoyable--important features that help make the earliest reading attempts successful.

Dollar Value
Each set of 12 books retails for approximately $9.95 US.