Florence is learning to read and she’s doing incredibly well! She sounds words out which I think is quite impressive in itself for her age but what’s even better is that she knows what most of the letters look like and can actually write them down herself too!
She mostly writes three or four letter words and people’s names which is interesting because somehow she does understand ‘little letters’ and ‘big letters’. She just finds it a very enjoyable process and pretty much all the time at the moment is walking around spelling out loud. The fact she enjoys it so much is encouragement for me to nurture it and we have different books to help.
We have books with lots of repetitiveness meaning she will learn what the words look like.
We have books with lots of short words which are similar; cat, bat, hat and mat for example!
We have books which go through the alphabet spelling something for each letter.
All of these types of books are great with the learning but actually alphabet books seem to be more aimed at smaller children and a bit babyfied! Learning to spell means Florence needs something a bit more sophisticated and also I think it’s important to have something interesting because otherwise it might just become boring. I don’t want her to feel like it’s a job or a chore, I want her to continue loving it!
I’ve found a great book which has interesting pages with both the pictures and words but which also covers your typical A-Z, both ‘big’ and ‘small’ letters and I thought I’d share with you why I like it so much.
Aye-Aye to Zorilla is a book which takes you all the way through the alphabet but instead of A is for Apple, B is for Ball this book is an alphabet of rare and curious creatures! To go with each creature is a rhyme, funny and imaginatively written and then a piece of real factual information about the animal.
Florence using the book to find the letters and tell me what they are!
The book is wonderful on many levels and could be used for lots of differently aged children. At nearly four, with her knowledge of words, the whole book is fascinating for Florence but even if a child hadn’t yet come to learn about reading and writing then there is much to keep them occupied. For an older child with an interest in the unusual, amimals or simply just the want to learn, then the factual element at the foot of each page should hold an interest and for younger ones the rhymes would be enough on their own. The book’s pages are spaced out and separated enough that you could dip in and out of each of the elements which make it so enjoyable.
On another note the pictures are interesting, vibrant and fun. Realistic more than cartoons but still playful and appealing to a younger audience.
Great pictures!
We enjoyed the book very much and would just like to say that we have it on very good authority that the author, who sells through Amazon, would happily send out the book privately with a bespoked dedication should you so wish! I’ve been told that if you email him at [email protected] with your dedication requests then he will send you out a very special copy just for you and payment can be made through Paypal! Pretty awesome don’t you think!
A great present, one for a Grandparent, Uncle, God Father… Well anyone really and one which could be bought for a child from the age of about 18 months (Jimmy loved the pictures) right up to about 10 I’d say! Not many books you can say that about now can you!
I was sent a copy of the book mentioned for the purpose of an honest review.
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