Breyer Stablemates

I still like to work with Delaney 1 on 1 with her reading aloud to me and me helping her with her word attack skills. Again...she is on a horse kick, so I have her reading the Breyer Stablemates series. These are small chapter books...around 40 pages each with a color illustration on every few pages. They are written on an upper second grade reading level, so its too hard for her to read on her own, but hard enough that I can help her on words she doesn't know.

They are fun little books that focus on horses and good morals like responsibility, friendship, self discipline, etc. They won't be winning any awards anytime soon, but both of my girls and my niece Emily have loved them, so they are definitely worth trying out with a girl grades 1 -3.

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa

Delaney has been dreaming of her own horse for quite sometime. Since we know that is NOT going to happen anytime soon, I try to feed that wish with books about horses. She just got finished reading 3 books about Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (the same illustrator that gave us the click clack moo series) These are very easy chapter books about a little girl and her pony. They are on Audible as well. She has been wondering around the house with a cowgirl costume on...decorated her side table, and enjoying the tales of cocoa!

Cleopatra...

As a family, we are now going through The Royal Diaries Cleopatra. Its a great one...this is the first one Todd has really enjoyed :-) Kaytlynn has been fascinated with the Queen of the Nile for quite some time...its who she was for Halloween a couple of years ago. We have not read it nightly like we usually do, because we have been so sick around here, but really are enjoying it. So much so, that I bought the whole series off of ebay!

Kaytlynn, the I-pod, and Rachel Yoder

So Kaytlynn wanted to use the I-pod if Delaney was going to. That presented a problem...we needed another I-pod. Hero Toddles suggested we get them a brand new I-pod touch...not that he wanted one...it was for the children's education, is all (wink wink).

It arrived and I found all 8 of the Rachel Yoder books that I bought Kaytlynn for Christmas. They are about a young Amish girl. It even includes some Pennsylvania Dutch speak in it, so Kaytlynn says a little around the house now like a little smarty pants. Its quite funny!

The books are wonderful, sweet, and have great lessons (it even includes some scripture). Great 150 page books to show young girls what Amish life is like with a main character that always seems to find trouble. I thought it went well with our little Appalachia unit that we are doing, since there are some Amish in those areas. The girls had a chance this past summer to see some horse and buggies on our vacation in Missouri and they thought it was great.

Delaney, the Ipod, and Cam Jansen

So, Delaney wants to read books that are NOT on her independent reading level. She flat out refuses :-) Its not a bad thing...It just made me have to think out of the box. So I decided to have her use audible.com. I choose books, download them to an Ipod and she listens while she follows along with her finger.

It worked like magic. After she listens to the same book 2 or 3 times...her choice, not mine, she can then read the book without the i-pod. Her reading has improved dramatically in just a few weeks! I can 't say enough about it.

She has read about 10 of the Cam Jansen's and Loves them. They are cute little mysteries with a female protagonist. Early 2nd grade reading level.

Appalacia

We are reading Rag Coat by Mills for our Five in a Row book...this book goes nicely with Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors...especially since she is from Appalacia (the setting of the book).

Dolly Parton interview on 60 minutes...13 minutes long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzWCF2oV3b8

Dolly Parton discussing Coat of Many Colors and growing up poor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-b-hFrQHEg&feature=related

Dolly Parton singing Coat of Many Colors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjFgqNQFvLk&feature=related

Just for fun...Kaytlynn's favorite Dolly song...Jolene!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1plvBR02wDs