Second Son is still working his way through The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, but we've been supplementing each day with a story or two from Arnold Lobel's fantastic repertoire. It's simply delightful. The silliness and sly jokes tickle his fancy, so Second Son will be reading and then suddenly giggle as he anticipates the joke. It's particularly endearing when he continues to giggle as he explains the joke to me, as if I haven't already read the books a hundred times.
Grasshopper on the Road is still Second Daughter's favorite. She'll still bring it along and read aloud from it to whoever is sitting still long enough to listen. Just last week, she found a "dusty dusty road" on our nature walk and proceeding to pretend to sweep the length of it. She's eight! And has been reading this book for years!Owl and Home is another favorite. Second Son laughed and laughed when Owl was trying to run up and down the stairs to be in both places at once. He also loved the chapter when Owl was frightened by the lumps of his own feet under the covers, something never revealed in the story itself.
Of course, we mustn't forget Frog and Toad. Our original copy has sadly fallen to bits so I am investing in a few more hardcovers. I know Second Son will quickly be beyond their reading challenge (probably already is...) but they are examples of the rare early reader worthy of being read over and over again.
