When your child finishes Bob Books Set 5, he can’t just jump into chapter books. In fact, the five sets plus the two sight words sets do not teach all the necessary phonics rules. (That’s why we are developing further curriculum that will come after Set 5.)
Be that as it may, our Bob Books graduates can read some books, for sure.
What are some books they can read, almost entirely on their own, with only a little bit of help from you? Here are five wonderful authors that are not to be missed!
#1 Arnold Lobel
Arnold Lobel is best known for his Frog and Toad series of books. They are the absolute sweetest! I treasured reading these with my children, and I’m saving them for when grandchildren come along. They are by far my favorite easy readers ever.
But Arnold Lobel wrote much more than this, and the other books are worth reading as well. Here are some we have in our family library:
• Mouse Tales • Mouse Soup • Grasshopper on the Road • Uncle Elephant •
#2 Else Holmelund Minarik
I know this name is a mouthful, but maybe her Little Bear series is familiar to you? This is another set of sweet easy readers. And you can’t go wrong with Maurice Sendak as the illustrator!
• Little Bear • Little Bear’s Friend • A Kiss for Little Bear • Little Bear’s Visit • Little Bear and the Marco Polo •
#3 Cynthia Rylant
Yes, Cynthia Rylant’s picture books — such as The Relatives Came or When I Was Young in the Mountains — are amazing. But are you familiar with her Henry and Mudge easy readers series? These sweet tales about a boy and his dog are not to be missed! They are all fantastic, but I personally prefer the earlier books, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson, including titles like these:
• Henry and Mudge: The First Book • Henry and Mudge and Annie’s Good Move • Henry and Mudge in the Green Time • Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea • Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble • Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat •
#4 Russell Hoban
Russell Hoban has written a variety of children’s books — picture books as well as easy readers — and his most famous character is, of course, Frances. Frances will make parents and children giggle! And don’t let her animal appearance fool you: Frances is a child, just like all children.
• Bread and Jam for Frances • Bedtime for Frances • A Bargain for Frances • A Birthday for Frances • A Baby Sister for Frances • Best Friends for Frances •
#5: Peggy Parish
And last, but definitely not least … who can forget America’s clumsiest maid, Amelia Bedelia? Peggy Parish is giving children a laughing road to reading in her genius creation of this character. Here are some of our favorite titles to get you started:
• Amelia Bedelia • Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping • Amelia Bedelia and the Baby • Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia • Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia • Amelia Bedelia Helps Out • Good Work, Amelia Bedelia • Come Back, Amelia Bedelia •
Get My Free Binder Guide!
The Teaching Reading with Bob Books method uses a special binder system in order to simply and easily tailor the frequency of review to the needs of each individual child. This free guide explains exactly what you need and how to build the TRwBB Binder so that you can get started teaching right away.
Don’t forget the elephant and piggy books. And other Mo Willems books like the pigeon books. We love these
Will you believe I have never heard of these? I’m totally googling them. 🙂
What perfect timing this post is, thank you. I have a reader half way through set five and was beginning to wonder what to do next. It’s been a long slow and occasionally painful process, but finding your wonderful curriculum has given her the satisfaction of really reading books. We are both grateful for all your help. Many thanks.
These books will be a lot of fun for you, but also you can continue reading lessons as well using the Treadwell Readers. Bob Books Set 5 is followed up very naturally by the Primer level of the Treadwell Readers — I can’t recommend them enough. Eventually we will have a printable curriculum for that as well…
You also shouldn’t miss Cynthia Rylants Mr. Putter & Tabby series. An old man and his cat couldn’t be more adorable.
Ooh! I will have to check that out!
My favorite Arnold Lobel book is Small Pig. I adore Small Pig!
Is it? That is one I don’t own yet.All my easy reader I’ve bought at our local used bookstore, and I haven’t run across that one. 🙂 I will have to get a copy ASAP! 🙂
My favorite Lobel, Owl at Home. I laugh out loud every time! Henry and Mudge is a new one to me. Off to check those out. =)