Picture books for advanced readers

[bella]

we love Shirley Hughes english author , i have big collection of her books , stories , poems ...
viv

[Kerileanne99]

Krista G-
I loved your synonym and antonyms game idea, I keep a  slew of preprinted 'BINGO' charts ready, and today wrote in many of her vocab words...we started out with, I am thinking of a word that means...and finally progressed into finding synonyms and antonyms.  It was so successful that when it was time to get ready to go to gymnastics, which she LOVES, huge bout of screaming, crocodile tears, and big pouty lips ensued!

We try to choose most of our words from books we are reading, everyday life, or experiences as it seems to help cement them for her. So much so that she will often say, oh, that word was in book X.
I also have a vocabulary in fifteen minutes book that a dear friend shared

In a pinch we have an SAT prep app for vocabulary on my IPad!  Very, very, very sad that a Uni prep list has loads of 'challenging' words my toddler uses!

I think the biggest input comes from daddy and I actively trying to use larger words in place of smaller, more mundane words...for example: when she plays the Stack the States/countries apps, she sometimes makes a verrrry precarious tower.  When she wouldn't cooperate with getting dressed, she gets an option of right leg first, left leg first, or simultaneously.  Whenever I do laundry, she insists on watching the drum fill so that it can 'agitate' the clothes to clean them. (this is great because we were able to teach her that the microwave 'agitates' the water molecules to heat food...a bit simplistic, but she wanted to know.)

I also have this book that I take many ideas from! It is by Scholastic and provides ideas on how to teach literary topics using picture books...
http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Literary-Elements-Picture-Books/dp/0439027993/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340943504&sr=1-1&keywords=teaching+literary+elements+with+picture+books


Oohh, one other gem of a series is a set of animal tales done by Reader's Digest for Families in the 1990s...I think they are out of print, but you can still find them and lots of libraries have them...very good with a bit of a moral lesson (more Golden Rule) than anything. They also have a nice EK facts sheet at the back about the animals featured in the story.
They are called Little Animal Adventures by Reader's Digest Kids.  Two of our favorites are The Hungry Duckling and Be Patient, Little Chick.

[Skylark]

Totally forgot to mention. A couple of months ago we had an opportunity to try some of the Oxford Read and Discover Readers.

http://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/graded_readers/oxford_read_and_discover/level_1/9780194646284?cc=global&selLanguage=en&mode=hub

I could not figure out how to order them in US yet ( and not sure we will be doing it, if it is too much trouble), but a friend of mine who is a primary ESL teacher  uses them and when she was visiting she let us use some.

Not as good as poetry    or classics    but both my kiddos liked lots of realistic pictures ( they use actual photos to illustrate) and lots of facts. It is written in a simple sentences, great for beginner readers, and gives lots of facts on the subject of the book.

 

[Krista G]

This thread is inspiring!!  Thanks for the ideas.  I need to get busy incorporating some new vocabulary ideas,  It is fun if we make it fun.  So fun that she (Alex) cried when she had to stop.  I love it!

[Krista G]

Keri, we just read What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson.  It was so cute.  We loved it!!  Did you know there is a movie called The Gruffalo?  We haven's watched it but I saw it advertised online.  Thanks for the recommendations.

[Kerileanne99]

Skylark-
Thanks SO much for the Oxford link! I have been trying to research in advance just how to make sure we can acquire a good supply of both Oxford readers and the LadyBird leveled readers as well.  Not to mention all of the USborne titles that simply aren't available here, and all the extra books I can get my hands on We have yet to visit family in the UK without purchasing an entire extra large suitcase to bring home books! Now we can have them arranged to be shipped to Granddads house and have them ready and waiting...

Quite sure (based upon under-his-breath comments, grunts, and groans, and general moaning) that my shopping success does not entirely thrill my hubby Especially now that the airlines are ridiculous about charging for luggage! Okay, so maybe suitcases that are packed full of books, require stragegic and frantic rearranging at the airport to accommodate weight restrictions, and seem to develop an eery habit of hapzadardly tumbling from the trolley at extremely inopportune moments...we NEED them all!


So lucky to have found a hubby solidly in my EL corner (at least 2 days later when the trauma wears off!)

Krista-
Yes,yes, yes! I loved What the Ladybird Heard as well..although I must say that Alex vehemently disagrees! The only Julia Donaldson book she won't read- apparently, when the animals make the 'incorrect' sounds, hover intentional, she becomes VERY upset?! Go figure, but we have encountered more than a few where my finger inadvertently gets slammed in the book as she discovers the error...no idea
Even a great book called No Sleep For the Sheep, where everything is fine until the goat says 'baaa', which is obviously unforgivable!, requires skipping that page! Ah well, maybe later....
You must, must, must acquire Room on the Broom!

[Skylark]

Keri -- can relate to travelling with suitcases full of books    We just did it with Russian books, which simply are not available US, you should have seen us at the airport!!! Luckily we end up traveling with Turkish Airlines -- they are among the only ones that allow you double amount of check in -- like in good old times!!! We even brought a sports corner play set ( which was accommodated in one oversized piece of luggage) -- these are nowhere to find on this side of the ocean and was the best PE investment for my kids, especially when I need to stay in-doors!!!

So glad you will be able to get those readers in UK!!

Love this tread, getting some wonderful ideas here!!

[Kerileanne99]

In preparing for our upcoming UK trip, I did some more research on both LadyBird Readers and the Oxford Readers, as I want to order them in advance...NEVER enough time to find everything on my list! We went a couple of times for a month each, and hubby flat-out refuses to do this again as I ended up shipping a big box home about every week, plus at least one additional suitcase! Cringe, cringe...

I have discovered that it IS possible to get them in the States, and elsewhere.  For example, there is now a LadyBird ReadItYourself branch on every continent:

http://www.ladybird.co.uk/ladybirdworldwide/overseascontacts.html

So, my question is, what levels am I looking for at the moment, and for the future? Alex is pretty comfortable reading longer books these days, short chapter books she will sometimes allow me to read, and LOVES anything with more challenging words...anybody familiar with these, please help me out!

[Skylark]

I would be curious to know as well, as now that we know that it is available in USA we might be ordering some too.

[Kerileanne99]

Bella-
Thanks so much for the Shirley Hughes tip!
I just received the Dogger Storybook Collection and the Alfie Outdoors collection in the post, and we read for nearly two hours, tucked into a cozy chair today!
Great tip

[Mandabplus3]

keri, you do ask the hard questions 
Lady bird is so hard to buy online as there are sooo many different series and different second hand options too!
For Alex I would say Read it yourself level 1 would be a good fit. She will grow into level 2 within the next year.
We have a wonderful boxed set of their fairy tales, it has LOTS of little hard cover books, that would be equivalent to level 2. it does have WIllian Tell which I just dont think little kids should read...but the rest are great. Ugly duckling, three billy goats gruff....they all have that high quality writing and beautiful Voabulary we are all searching for too
The big problem with buying level 1 read it yourself is that some of them are quite easy and others are not so much. If you look on Amazon a number of the reviews have samples of the text typed into them to give you an idea. Again be sure to look at the right series...
Finally, it is likely Alex will quickly get the a point where she will run out of books due to the small (ever diminishing) print size. Ladybird books in the smaller size have smaller print. Just something to be aware off 
Also dont forget the Lady bug/criket magazines. They have excellent writing style and vocabulary use and are really cheap second hand! lots of stories and no adds.

[Kerileanne99]

I found a fun new use for our hundreds board pockets chart to incorporate into our reading time and it was a huge success! This is our hundreds board:

http://www.amazon.com/Hundreds-Pocket-Chart-27-1-LER2208/dp/B0006PJ0LY/ref=pd_sbs_op_5

As there are 100 transparent pockets, it makes great oversized BINGO game as well, and I only need make appropriately-themed cards to slide in and out!

So today I made cards with literary elements written on them: things such as rhyme, alliteration, portmanteau, personification, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, you get e picture...hen as we did our reading throughout the day, we kept a sharp eye and ear out every time we discovered one she got to put a counter on it.  She was enraptured! In fact, she didn't want to stop at BINGO, and we ended up reading an extra half-hour on top of our normal at bedtime because she wanted to 'blackout' the chart

It was so much fun that I used her nap time to make cards with our vocab words...I can imagine playing the same game looking for the words as we read, or grammar, anything....

I have added a whole lot of new USborne books this week, so many so that I have been given an opportunity to host an USborne E-party! If you are in the states like me you may have had a lot of trouble finding these fantastic books.  I have actually tried several USborne consultants here for recommendations and ideas, but kept getting burned as they just were not too familiar with the materials or just gave me recommendations based upon age group
However, I finally found a wonderful consultant that also happens to be a mother and an English Prof at a Uni! Hooray! She has already been marvelous, and even offered to post to this thread if we need more ideas. 
Anyway, here is the link to some of these fantastic books via her webpage...oh, and if you find things you can't live without? Guess who gets credit    
http://www.myubam.com/998

Also, a handful of new recommendations!
We recently received a gift of several Paddington Bear books, from the My First Paddington series.  They are great, adorable with great description and pictures...she isn't racy for the fantastic bound collection of Paddington stories I bought before she was born, but these could not be more perfect!
They are in the set with this one, which is a favorite:
http://www.amazon.com/Paddington-Bear-Garden-Michael-Bond/dp/0060296968/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1341286517&sr=8-3&keywords=Paddington+bear+books

Also, we are having a lot of fun with some very strange books...these will not be for everyone, but for kids who enjoy something slightly outrageous, possibly even a bit disgusting in a humorous fashion? Take a look at the books by David T. Greenberg.  We have Bugs! And Slugs! Warning! Take a look before you start reading it as I can imagine that some parents might be horrified All in good fun! Probably best for young boys, girls that love insects, and any kids that preciate that type of humor...

Also, IZA Trapani! She takes nursery rhymes and puts her own twist on them...we read I'm A Little Teapot tonight and the kettle goes on a journey around the world, a page in each of several countries/cultures, but arrives home in time to make tea for her loving people family...we have read this one, How Much is That Doggie in the Window, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (amazing!), and the Itsy Bitsy Spider since Alex was about 6 months old and she still loves them...they can also be sung, of course!

Whew...anybody have any ideas for loooooonnngggg planerides? We like to take a long some US favorites to donate locally (and to free up even more room to buy more in the UK )

[Mandabplus3]

Best book we took on a plane ride was a "spot the fairies" type book. You know the type, along the lines of this one http://www.amazon.com/1001-Things-Spot-Fairyland-Usborne/dp/0794512208/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341294133&sr=1-1&keywords=100+fairies+to+spot
It was a gift and very appreciated, kept them busy for ages! I would choose a spot the bugs one if it was my choice, need some more of these. They can do the one they have so fast now it's pointless! Lol
For he record these books are good for pre readers as they teach visual discrimination. Eg the ability to focus on individual letters and words from everythi g else on a page.  and would be useful for early readers who are struggling with reduced print size.
A friend of mine took a treat bag on a flight. It was full of small ( disposable) items like puzzles, pencils, mini whiteboard, notebooks, mini books, and snacks. Each hour her watch alarm went off and the kids could choose a treat from the bag. They were looking forward to their plane flight to see what was in the bag. She said be sure to turn off the alarm when they fall asleep! 
I wish I was in America and could shop in your usborne party! Your would make a fortune! 

[Kerileanne99]

Thanks for the tip Mandabplus3...I just ordered a couple of the spotter books as she seems to like that kind of thing!

My hubby brought home two adorable books from the library today that we must have read 6 times each today. He took Alex to the library to give mom a little break, and I must say I think it should be a regular ritual! (I don't think he bought my, 'oh, honey, you pick out much better books than I do!' line )
However, in this case, it is true...take a look at these two by Alison Jackson:

If the Shoe Fits
There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Pie

They take a journey through children's favorite nursery rhymes, but with a plot of their own! Beautiful illustrations and added fun of Alex telling me what nursery rhyme was referenced and pictured on each page. Definitely adding these to our collection as I think it brings a whole new level of appreciation to nursery rhymes for her, and she was so proud of herself as well!

[Mandabplus3]

Oh we have lot of those "there was an old woman" books! they are a popular choice for story time. we have one about the Sea/Ocean, one about halloween...at least 5 different ones. Scholastic sold them to us 
I shall order "If the shoe fits" for next library visit. Right now we are going through the 40 odd Usbourne books I ordered from the library. I just worked out how to get the list up by supplier rather than auther or title! Cool! went right through the Usborne list 
I think my hubby should take my kids to the library too....oh hang on maybe thats not such a good idea....

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