From: Brumbaum at aol.com <Brumbaum>
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 23:50:09 EDT

I've been a subscriber for a couple years now but this is the first time I've written to this listserver. I'm enjoying this discussion because I teach 4th grade where some students are just now becoming fluent readers and need
"bridge books" to help them into the longer chapter books. (Another suggestion that I haven't seen yet - the Amelia books by Marissa Moss are great for the 8-9 year olds.)

I also have a 6 year old who is a strong reader and who would like to (and can) read what her 9 year old sister is reading (although not with the same level of comprehension). I have encouraged her to continue reading many of the same books most first graders read (e.g. Frog and Toad, Henry and Mudge) as well as lots and lots of picture books. While she is capable of reading the longer books, I think she can still work on fluency and other skills which the shorter books allow for and they are more along her wavelength. I don't like when parents or teachers push their kids to read books that are too sophisticated content wise so that, while they can "read" the words, they do not understand what they are reading at a deep level. I know she will have a chance to read them when she is a little older and will enjoy them more. In the meantime, she can still enjoy being a six year old with six year old interests.

Some great books for her are picture book anthologies like Free to Be You and Me (and the sequel about families) by Marlo Thomas, some RIF anthologies, ones with themes like Peace, Earth, (the books are at school and I can't remember the titles) and others edited by Marc Brown, Diane Goode, and others. All the pieces in those books are poems, picture books with just a few of the pictures or chapters from longer books. My fourth graders enjoy them too. Sandy Brumbaum Berkwood Hedge School Berkeley CA
Received on Tue 23 Oct 2001 10:50:09 PM CDT