Reading Really Works

These last six months I have struggled finding age appropriate content for Savannah's reading level.  Most kids have their nose in Junie B. Jones but I don't care for the poor grammar, especially with an emerging reader.  Savannah was powering through Magic Treehouse books, one a day, but then they just seemed too easy.  Books like, Charlotte's Web, were too hard but the interest level was on the money.  Luckily, we found Ivy and Bean books this summer.  Savannah read each one in the matter of two weeks.  During this time I was reading Ramona books to her because they were a stretch for when reading independently.

By the time Savannah was done with her new found friends, Ivy and Bean, Savannah was able to read Ramona books!  For the first time, I was able to see that reading does make one a better reader.  Usually, kids make these leaps over months and, as an educator, I have had to question whether it was the other instruction during their day, maturation or truly a product of reading.  Since Savannah wasn't in school and it was just a matter of weeks, I can say it was READING.  I started reading the Ramona series to Savannah, but she finished it independently, and in record time.  Yes, I am always checking for understanding etc.  Miss Savannah loves her new found world that has many more titles to choose from.  Good bye Magic Treehouse, hello Beverly Cleary.

If you ever want to know what Savannah is doing with her free time, this is a pretty good clue.  Except this wasn't taken during free time.  Savannah was supposed to be setting the table. 

May her sisters fall in love with books the way Savannah has.