For a couple of years, I've been writing playful, simple books for my students who are just learning to read. These are very basic books -- booklets, actually -- all of eight pages, most with only a few words on each. This is what early readers need. Each booklet focuses on one or two phonics (sound) skills.
They are also child-centered, or so I hope. These books complemented a testing program I developed I call CADERS (Computerized-Assisted Diagnosis of Essential Reading Skills). They were first dubbed "Berenson Books."
Now I don't claim to be any type of illustrator, but it occurred to me that the children are, by far, excellent illustrators, so when I presented these stories to my students sans any illustrations, they were delighted. They read, they illustrate -- and if I write the book correctly -- they laugh.
I will start posting some of my early readers here. On my own computer I have them formatted into 8-page booklets with the 8 1/2 x 11 paper in landscape format so that one face of the paper holds two pages. Two sheets of paper, printed back and front, turn into the eight pages.
Unfortunately, though, I cannot yet figure out how to upload that format onto my blog. So for now, I'll simple give you the story (as basic as they are), and you'll need to either write or type them for your child. If your child attends my reading classes, don't worry about having them read these books before or after we do in class -- children thrill simply with the ability to read.
And remember, these are for beginning readers. Even Dr. Suess's books (Ach, I should even use his name in the same line as mine!) are for more "advanced" beginning readers.
Don't forget -- part of the joy is the illustrating. To our kids, illustrating is a type of play. And always, always, we want to make reading "play."
And now for one of the simplest ones: Dog Dog.
Do note: These books are only meant for your use with your child or students in the classroom. Any other use of these must first be approved by me.
Booklet (meant for readers who are mastering the simplest of words, CVC, or consonant-vowel-consonant):
Dog Dog
Dog dog
Cat cat
Pig pig
Bug bug
Rat rat
Hen hen
Me me!
