Recommendations for a 2nd Grader who needs a nudge

I had such a good time meeting with Leon yesterday. Below are some of my thoughts about his reading, and some specific author and title suggestions.

Leon and I talked about fiction and non-fiction choices. He much prefers reading non-fiction and was interested most in fiction if I found him something with a historical context. For example, he was not interested in reading Lionel in the Spring by Stephen Krensky but was very interested in Sam the Minuteman by Benchley. The books are at about the same level but the first book did not seem worth the effort to him. I would suggest that he read a lot of books that are on level or a little bit easy for him. For the next several months if he works hard to read a lot- quantity over "challenging material"- he will really strengthen his skills.

I asked Leon to read aloud to me from several different books. He seemed pleased when I told him that he has good "word attack skills". He asked what that meant and I told him that I noticed that he broke long words into parts and figured out each part before putting them together. I am also delighted that his family is reading aloud Eragon and that he receives "Ranger Rick" in the mail. Both of these are so appropriate for him right now. He needs to hear stories that are much more complex than he can read himself. He may want to read a history magazine as well as "Ranger Rick". I would recommend either "Appleseeds" or "Ask" magazines, both published by Carus. His family can check these out in the library.

I suggested that Leon read aloud to his mom when she makes dinner. This is often a terrific time to practice skills because the parent can't look over the child's shoulder and correct the child or jump in with a word while the child is still working. Also, the child can have his mom's attention without cutting into bedtime reading. I really want his family to consider the read-aloud time "sacred" and to add new times for Leon to read to them. Maybe he wants to read aloud while they drive here and there? Borrow joke and simple poetry books from the library for this reading aloud. Leon can regale his parents with jokes and silly poems for the next several months.

Jokes and poetry:

Snakey Riddles and the rest of the books in this Dial-easy-to-read joke series
I Saw You in the Bathtub by Alvin Schwartz (Schwartz has other very appealing easy-to-read books)
Any books by Douglas Florian
New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
Ready, Set Read and Laugh compiled by J. Cole

All of these books will be easy for Leon and that will be great for his sense of accomplishment and fluency.

Other books I recommend:

The "Inside and Outside..." series by Sandra Markle (Leon got so interested in Inside and Outside Snakes that he wanted to stop talking and read.)
Candlewick Press has a series called Read and Wonder that includes Fly Trap! Plants that Bite Back and A Piece of String is a Wonderful Thing
Everything by Gail Gibbons and much by Bruce McMillan
Sponges are Skeletons by Esbensen
Our Wet World by Sneed Collard III
Books by Steve Jenkins

Some fiction:
The Cat Who Got Carried Away by Alan Ahlberg This is just on the top edge of what Leon is comfortable with.
Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith
McBroom's Ghost by Sid Fleischman
books by Nathaniel Benchley (easy reading books with hisorical settings)


When you reserve books at the San Mateo County Library web site, you can place holds from home or any computer. If you place a hold for a children's book using a childs library card, the reserve will be free. The computer will still tell you that there is a 75 cent charge on each book, but when you go pick up the books, anyone working at the front desk will waive all the reserve fees. You can sit at home and reserve 15 Gail Gibbons books and go to the library a week later and pick them up.

Let me know how things go with these suggestions. I have more ideas when you have used up all of these.

Good luck,
Maeve