Best books to teach reading

6 Best Books For Learning To Read That Are Effective

Books for children learning to read don’t just need to be informational; they need to be exciting. Reading is one of the most valuable skills your child can learn at an early age. This is why you should start teaching them alphabets and phonetics before they start formal schooling.

Besides, inculcating the habit of reading in your child from a tender age will nurture their curiosity and imagination. The stories you read to your child when they’re young can stay with them throughout their lives and help shape their personalities. However, not all children take to reading easily.

If your child is unable to make sense of the words before them, reading can quickly turn into a frustrating activity. This, in turn, chips away at their confidence and makes it difficult for them to perform well at school. After all, reading is a skill they need to master to learn a language and study other elementary and secondary school subjects.

Since there are scores of publishers out there today that have books for children learning to read, it can be difficult to determine which books are most effective. Therefore, in this article, we’ve reviewed some high-quality books that can help your child learn and master this valuable skill as quickly as possible. We’ve listed the main features, pros, and cons of each of these books to give you an idea of what to expect from them.

1.    Learn To Read Sight Words Storybook By Kimberly Ann Kiedrowski

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This storybook is designed for children between the ages of 3 and 5. The stories featured in the book are easy to understand for young readers. You’ll find that your child will enjoy reading about stories in various settings from this book, all of which are described in detail.

This book is perfect for teaching elementary school kids how to read because it contains no less than 50 sight words. Sight words are essential words that your child should know to help them read common phrases and sentences. A few good examples of sight words are ‘said’ and ‘they’. These sight words are repeated throughout the stories, which allows your child to learn to read them by the time they’re done with the book.

There are 25 stories in the book, with each story being harder to read than the previous. The reason behind the increasing difficulty is that more and more sight words are introduced to a story as your child progresses through the book.  Therefore, reading the stories in order from start to finish will help your child’s confidence grow as they recognize sight words successfully.

Moreover, this is not just a storybook for children; it doubles up as an activity book as well. Once your child is done reading each story, they’ll find an activity page with illustrated activities. These activities are word games of sorts and contain sight words that were included in the story your child just read.

Pros

• It contains stories that are easy enough for elementary level children to understand
• Every story contains sight words that your child should learn at an early age
• There’s an activity page after every story to help your child practice the words they learn
• The stories grow increasingly more difficult to read as your child progresses meaning it’s ideal for children at different levels
• It helps children understand the importance of essential words in forming sentences and phrases

Cons

• The illustrations are not as bright and lively as those in other children’s books

2.

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This book aims to teach young children about phonics which is the basic skill of relating sounds with alphabets. While this may sound simple, it’s not easy to learn, and young children often have a hard time mastering phonics. Storybooks such as this one by highly reputed author Laurin Brainard can help children aged 3 and above how to read and pronounce words properly.

This book is illustrated in warm, bright colors, and your child is sure to love turning each page with excitement, wondering what it has to offer next. By using this book, you can teach your child fundamental reading skills while also keeping them busy and entertained. The 25 stories in this book are both funny and educational.

Each of these stories contains words that have sound patterns which are predictable and easy to pronounce. These words are the building blocks of teaching children how to read because they are used quite often in phonics. Besides, the words used through the book rhyme with each other to familiarize your child with similar sounds.

For example, you’ll find stories on ‘Jox the fox who dances in a box’ and ‘a pig with a wig who dances a jig’. You can see how these stories are not only great for teaching kids phonics but also for making them laugh and have a good time while reading them.

Additionally, at the end of each story, you’ll find activity pages containing word searches, letter tracing games, and more. These activities and games can help your child refresh their memory and therefore retain the words they learned in the stories.

Pros

• It helps your child learn the basics of phonics
• The rhyming words included in the stories help children read more easily and understand similar sounds
• It contains stories that are quite funny and engaging for young readers
• It contains activity pages with word puzzles and more to help your child memorize words
• It helps children grow into strong and confident readers

Cons

• It’s not very easy for children who have no prior reading experience to start reading with this book

3.

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This book consists of a program of sorts that allows your child how to read with the help of 20 simple lessons. The program is a step-by-step course designed for parents who would like to teach their preschool or elementary school children the basics of reading at home. Designed by a pediatrician with years of experience, using this book is one of the easiest methods of helping young kids read well as they begin their academic journey.

The lessons in the program consist of guidance on keyword recognition and phonics – basic skills that make up the foundation of reading. Each lesson is easy to follow if you approach it one step at a time. Since phonics make up such an integral part of reading, we’d say that this book is very useful in helping kids grow into confident readers.

It’ll take you roughly two weeks for your child to work their way through this book. You needn’t devote more than 15 – 20 minutes per day to these lessons to complete the program. Each lesson comes with a set of useful instructions that give you an idea of how you can navigate it successfully. This allows you to make the most out of the limited time your child uses to study every day.

Different lessons introduce different letters to your child. The instructions that precede the lesson consist of tips on how you can help your child understand the sounds associated with those letters. You’ll also find some short stories and exercises peppered throughout the book to keep it interesting for young children.

Pros

• The lessons included in it followed a guided, step-by-step approach
• It takes only a few minutes every day to help your child learn reading with the help of this book
• Each lesson contains a set of instructions on how you can teach them to your child
• It can also be used to teach children with learning disabilities how to read
• It contains useful tips on helping your child recognize keywords and sounds

Cons

• It contains only plain text, no colorful illustrations that could entice young readers
• The lessons are a little too fast-paced for preschoolers

Related: Children Learning Reading Review

4.

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This beautifully illustrated, engaging book is ideal for young children who simply can’t get themselves interested in reading. Beginners and slightly experienced readers alike are sure to love the stories in this set of books. So it doesn’t matter if your child is just beginning their journey with reading or can read small words, they’ll make good progress with these books either way.

Children between the ages of 3 and 6 are known to respond well to the kind of short stories included in this set. You’ll find the beloved character of Pete the Cat featured in activities and stories throughout these books.

If your child isn’t familiar with Pete, they’ll grow to love him eventually and enjoy their lessons every day. Each book includes both long and short vowels in various instances.

Including vowels of different lengths allows children to learn how to read and pronounce commonly-used words correctly. The activities and stories are reviewed by a phonics expert and found to be effective at teaching young kids the relationship between alphabets and sounds.

Learning phonics doesn’t just let kids learn how to read, it improves their spelling as well. The combination of fun stories and activities in this Pete the Cat book is perfect for preschoolers to understand the importance of reading. You won’t need to compel your child to sit down for their lessons with this book; the intricate illustrations will do the job for you.

Pros

• It contains beautiful and bright illustrations on different stories
• Children can build upon their understanding of vowels and phonics with this set
• It can help improve spellings among preschoolers as well
• It allows children to familiarize themselves with commonly used words
• The character of Pete the Cat makes learning a fun experience

Cons

• Some of the words included in it are challenging for first-time readers to read and understand
• The accompanying instructions are not as explicit as they should be

5.

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This study box includes 5 paperback books for level 1 readers. The characters of the Berenstain Bears are included in each story, which gives the books a sense of continuity. This makes young children curious about what each book has to offer and makes your task of sitting them down for lessons a lot easier.

These stories are not only highly entertaining, but they’re also very easy to read and follow for children who are in preschool. Once your child starts reading these books with you, they’re sure to wonder what the bear family is up to as they plan trips, sleepovers, and much more.

You’ll find that these books are especially useful to have on hand while you’re traveling. Your child will stay engaged and entertained throughout long flights or road trips with these stories and learn how to read as well. None of the words and sentences included in these books is particularly complicated, so level 1 readers should have no difficulty understanding them.

You may have to start with reading these stories out loud to your child first before they can read by themselves. However, with enough patience (on your part) and practice (on their part), they’ll be confident enough to read every story without your help.  Besides, the words included in the stories may be simple, but they can expand your child’s vocabulary.

The large fonts and colorful illustrations in these books help you capture the imagination of your little one and let them look forward to each reading lesson.

Pros

• The books contain words and sentences which are ideal for level 1 readers
• The bears are interesting characters that your child will enjoy following from story to story
• It helps improve your child’s vocabulary over time alongside their reading skills
• It’s useful to teach your child reading lessons while traveling
• The stories are imaginative and quite amusing

Cons

• It doesn’t include any activities, unlike most other learn to read sets
• It’s slightly costlier than similar book sets for children

6.

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This activity book contains an impressive 101 phonic lessons that make up a complete lesson plan for teaching preschoolers the basics of reading. Each of these 101 activities is brightly colored and attractive for young children. You should have no difficulty establishing a strong literary foundation for your child using this activity book.

The different aspects of this plan make it perfect for kids to learn about phonics and spelling. All the fun activities for children you can think of, like word searches, coloring, mazes, and more, are included in this book. Study time will feel more like a fun time for your child if you ask them to complete these activities every day.

After a few days of using this book, children often start recognizing alphabets and their sounds. This not only helps them to read properly, but it also helps them structure sentences over time. The advantage of using an interactive book such as this one overusing a storybook is that it makes your child feel more involved in the learning process.

Besides, these activities hone several skills, not just reading. Children learn the importance of researching and practicing words with the help of this book. What’s more, the book also contains instructions on how you can teach your child basic reading lessons in the most effective ways.

You’ll be pleased to discover that with only a few weeks of constant practice, your child will learn how to read well enough to get them to progress through elementary school.

Pros

• It contains over a hundred exercises that provide great practice for weeks
• Since these activities are interactive, children don’t bored of the learning process
• It helps children recognize letters and sounds over time
• It hones several skills among young readers, including research and logical thinking
• It teaches children how to construct sentences

Cons

• Some of the activities are repetitive and can lose their challenging edge over time
• It’s only suitable for completely inexperienced readers, not those who can recognize letters

Related: Best Learning Books For 2-Year-olds

Additional Resources

While books are highly effective learning resources you can use to teach your child to read, they’re not the only resources. Online courses and programs such as The Children Learning Reading program have helped scores of children around the world pick up this fundamental skill.

Learn More About Children Learning Reading

You can teach your child basic phonics and read with this program. Besides, if you’re not happy with the results you achieve with this program, you can contact customer care within 60 days to receive a full refund.

Alternatively, if your child enjoys listening to stories, you can use this website that creates personalized stories for them.

Learn More About Playstories

These exclusive stories are created with the help of experts, and you’re sure to find a story or two that your child would find interesting. You can receive and treasure hardcover editions of the stories your child would enjoy and teach them the basics of reading with the same.

To personalize the stories, the site adds your child’s name and avatar to them. This is a highly effective method of getting your child to feel like they’re a part of the story and pique their interest in reading.

Conclusion

Young children on the verge of entering school will need to know basic skills such as reading. As level 1 readers, they have a long way to go and can expect to encounter several challenges during their journey. As a parent, you can help them overcome these challenges by providing them with the right resources.

Books are easily the most popular learning resource for children learning how to read. They’re also useful for young children looking to improve their reading skills. Having a strong foundation in reading can allow them to progress through elementary school quickly and grasp other subjects well.

However, considering that young children have very short attention spans and don’t generally enjoy studying, they’ll need to see how fun reading can be before they learn to read. This is why the books we’ve reviewed in this article all feature illustrations, activities, and stories that can ignite the curiosity of young minds.

Using these books will not only help your child learn to read, but it’ll also keep them engaged and entertained for hours. Since we’ve done all the homework for you and reviewed these books above, all you need to do is take your pick and begin your child’s journey with reading.

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The Best Books for Beginner Readers

I’m just getting started with working on reading with my son, and the first time he sounded out the word “sat” — and really got it — his entire face lit up like he just saw Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. In a word, it was magic. 

There are all kinds of different approaches to teaching reading to little kids. Probably the one with the best evidence behind it — to the point where some people claim it’s the one-and-only way to do it — is phonics-based instruction. Put simply, this entails focusing on sounds over letters, per se. Phonics-based learning is great! But there are other pathways, too, and you know better than anyone what kind of approach is going to resonate most with your child.

If you haven’t started yet, an excellent precursor to reading lessons is simply to point to words and move your finger along while you read to your child — this demonstrates that the words actually convey something, and gives an indication about the general patterns involved (spoken words correspond to written words, left to right, top to bottom, etc. — it’s called “text awareness”). They might even pick up a sight word or two. It may be tedious, but this preps children for the learning-to-read process.

If you’re ready to begin to teach your child to read (or to supplement their school curriculum), or even if you’re already in the thick of it, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a beloved workbook that parents, educators, linguistic therapists, and academic researchers alike all swear by. in The Atlantic — which entailed teaching his 4-year-old to read over the course of a summer — and what’s most incredible about his success story is that it’s not outlying. Yes, many parents sing the praises of this book. 

The Question of

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a child’s age and reading. Seriously, we could go on for pages and pages and pages about this — there’s an entire academic literature devoted to it, and everyone has an opinion. The AAP notes that most children learn to read around 6-7 years — which may come as a surprise to many parents (myself included) who fully expect their children to be reading at/around 5-years-old. If you ask the Montessori or Waldorf schools, they have an even more hands-off approach, and often don’t actively teach reading until second grade (!). 

*Note — teaching reading outright is separate from reading to kids and literacy exposure, which can and should be done as early and often as possible to ensure reading success down the road.

Of course there are pre-K kids who can and do pick up reading, which is great, but all this is simply to say that many of us — and even some school systems — harbor unrealistic expectations about when children should be reading by. In some ways, the entire debate mimics the “when to potty train” question — even the arguments on both sides of the fence sound similar, hah. There’s an interesting (and short) article delineating the discussion here, if you’re interested in a primer. Wherever you stand, it’s worth knowing that there’s no right-age-to-start, and there certainly aren’t any deadlines.

Once you’re on your way — whether you’re in the early learning stages or your child is already reading — it’s always great to have fun options on hand so your child can put their skills to use — and get excited about using them. Below are some of our favorite books for beginning readers — please share your family’s favorites in the comments! 

Happy reading listening, ya’ll!

Best Books for Beginner Readers

This book includes 20 cute stories on the farm, and every page includes two reading options — one for beginners (at the top of the page) and one for more advanced readers (at the bottom). You can start by having your little one read the top of the page while you read the bottom and slowly let them work their way towards the more advanced text. Also comes with audio (it’s a CD, though… does anyone still have a stereo???).(Also available here.)

Usborne My First Reading Library

A collection of 50 books that progress from “first reader” to level one then level two. The initial level uses very simple words and short sentences, and by the end, the stories feature longer sentences and stories. Parents agree that this set is a *fantastic tool for reading instruction, and it’s a great value. Yes, this is a standout set when it comes to teaching your child to read, and many parents also say that this helped bring their kids from reluctance to excitement about the whole endeavor. (Also available here.)

BTW, when it comes to books categorized by reading level, it’s better to overshoot than undershoot. “Although many people may think keeping students at one level will help prevent [kids] from getting frustrated and discouraged by difficult texts, research shows that students actually learn more when they are challenged by reading materials,” experts say. 

One other thing to be on the lookout for if you’re relying on leveled reading texts is that some of the entry level books are so simple that children can easily memorize them, or else easily guess what they say from the pictures, and thus miss out on the opportunity to sound words out. This isn’t necessarily a problem — as my son’s amazing teacher (who also happens to be a literacy expert) told me, “there are many ways to read a page” — it’s just something to be aware of.

Anything & Everything Mo Willems (Like this

I think we recommend Mo Willems books in pretty much every section of this guide — he’s awesome! These were some of my favorite books to read to my kids; but with big text, simple sentence structure and easy-to-follow illustrations, Mo Willems’s books are also a fantastic launching point for beginning readers. Plus, these are seriously laugh-out-loud for kids and parents alike. 

Peppa Pig Phonics Boxed Set

These short and simple Peppa Pig books (from Scholastic) are perfect for beginners. They are easier than the “regular” Peppa Pig books, and kids who already love Peppa Pig are super into them. Includes ten Peppa Pig storybooks, each of which focuses on a specific sound, plus two phonics workbooks.

Frog and Toad Books, Arnold Lobel

An oldie but a goodie! This set comes with four of the classics that are great for beginners (they’re a level 2 “I Can Read”). These books just have such a pleasant cadence to them too, once your kiddo gets them down.

Jonathan Fenske Books

These early reader titles are funny, simple, and also open the door to talking about emotions with your kids. You can’t go wrong with any of Fenske’s series, but A Pig, a Fox, and a Box and Hello, Crabby! are two good choices if you don’t know where to start.

These Ready to Read level 2 books about Henry and his huge dog Mudge are so cute. (The series opens with Henry begging his parents for a sibling, and instead they give him Mudge. 😂) Henry is such a sweet kiddo, and his adventures with Mudge follow lovable, simple storylines that kids love.

Kids think these books about a boy and a fly who become friends are hilarious. (Boy Buzz adopts fly as pet… ) If you like the first one, check out the set of eleven Fly Guy books.

This series about Jack the rabbit, who lives in a treehouse and gets into all sorts of mischief, also includes drawing instructions at the end, which is a fun add-on. However, much like with Dory Fantasmagory and Junie B. Jones (see below), many parents and teachers raise concerns that Jack is not exactly the model character, and never seems to learn from his wrongdoings. (namely, characters are less-than-well-behaved). And while yes, on the one hand, this can definitely have the potential to instigate problems, it also offers the opportunity to engage your child in conversations about good or bad choices, kind behavior, responsibility, and the like. People don’t act perfect in real life, either, after all!

Little Bear Series, Else Holmelund Minarik, illus. Maurice Sendak

With illustrations from the beloved Maurice Sendak paired with the classic stories of Little Bear and his daily activities, these books are heartwarming and timeless.

You remember Amelia Bedelia, right?! Every time I think of these stories I remember the time my grandma put a whole carton of frozen veggies, paper packaging and all, right in the pot on the stove. “It said to put the whole thing in there!” she said. 😂 These level 2 “I Can Read” books are so fun — they follow what happens when Amelia Bedelia takes things literally. (Please note: these books were written in the 1950s, so they come complete with 1950s gender stereotypes.)

When you’re ready to take it to the next step:

This four-book series kicks off with Jada making a new friend at school after her best friend moves away — we love that the series features a brave female character of color in her everyday life.

This funny series about a snarky little girl with a big imagination is a kid and parent favorite. Be warned, though: Dory’s siblings and parents are brutal! Yes, a frequent complaint about these books is that they don’t necessarily model polite, kind family dynamics (or language). If that doesn’t bother you, it’s tons of fun.

This series follows Anna and her family’s life in Africa — the books are beloved for their compassion, engaging stories, and caring depictions of family; plus, they expose kids to another culture to boot. It’s a little more challenging, FYI, so it’s probably best for readers with a little more experience.

These silly books about Junie B’s school days are a classic — and yes, Junie B is a total brat. To some, she stands in welcome defiance of gender norms; but if you don’t want your kid reading about a rude main character, better steer clear! 

Lastly — many of the first read-aloud chapter books we recommend are also great for slightly more advanced beginning readers. In particular, check out the Zoey and Sassafras books, Mia Mayhem, The Bad Guys, Mercy Watson, and the entire (seemingly infinite) Magic Treehouse series.

Congrats, parents — how far have we come?!

Let us know what your kids love reading 🤩.

See also: Best Board Books and Fun Reads for Adults (from 2020).

About the Author

Brit is the author of Carrying On: Another School of Thought on Pregnancy and Health and Rest Uneasy: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Twentieth-Century America. She has an MA and a PhD in history and previously worked as a medical history professor. She's taught and written on the history of women’s health, pediatrics, parenting, and motherhood. Brit lives in Maine with her family and spends her days reading esoteric academic literature, walking, listening to audiobooks, and writing about anything that interests her (which is many things). Outside of work, you can find her packing lunches, waiting out a tantrum, making a list, or looking for something one of her kids lost. Her favorite time of day is after her kids go to bed.

9 books that will teach you to read

Early learning to read, as well as the desire to engage in early development with a child, is a trend of recent years. The Clever publishing house recommends which books should be used for activities with the baby, in order not only to teach him to recognize letters and put words out of them, but also to instill a true love of reading.

At what age is it time to learn letters with a baby? Our authors, teachers with experience, Olga Uzorova and Elena Nefedova, believe that you can start from the age of two! Early? Boring? In no case! Kids love letters and games with them. Here, for example, is the letter "Z", which buzzes like a fly, and here is the letter "R", it roars like a lion. And kids are also delighted that syllables and words can be added from letters.

The tasks in the book are selected so that children of 2-3 years old do not get bored with its pages, but get acquainted with new things with interest, playing and joking. This will be very useful for them in the future: knowing all the letters, it is much easier to study with "adult" primers.

This notebook is the perfect match for the Primer. There are no difficult lessons and boring activities in it.

The new edition is based on the effective method of teaching reading and writing by Olga Uzorova and Elena Nefedova. The main idea of ​​the technique is to captivate and interest the child, which means that you will not be bored. To help parents as much as possible, we put detailed instructions at the beginning of the notebook on how to properly practice it with the baby.

Information is presented in a playful way, with vivid example pictures. Now every new lesson is a game, not just learning to read. Study from a notebook and consolidate your knowledge with a split cash register of letters. With it, you can learn not only to read, but also to write small words and even mini-sentences!

Tosya-Bosya does not sit still, she is always drawn to something new and interesting. In the new book, the cheerful fidget will not only play and be naughty, she will learn letters. And your child will get acquainted with the alphabet with her in a simple and exciting way.

Toshi-Boshi has prepared a lot of tasks for you: learn the word and add the first letters of the names of objects, complete the letters in one of the halves, color the pictures, cross out the extra letters in the words and collect the correct words from the jumbled letters.

We have also prepared many interesting facts. From the book, together with Tosei-Bosei, you can learn about ancient types of writing, about complex symbols and hieroglyphs that were used to replace long words. And if you still can’t write ordinary letters, you can try to come up with your own hieroglyphs with your child.

Notebook-notebook with a game alphabet for children from 3 to 6 years old with a favorite friend of many children - Winnie the bear and his company.

All the letters of the alphabet are gathered on its pages. Each letter is accompanied by a small rhyme in which it is played out, and an interesting task associated with the rhyme. Draw portraits of Winnie's friends, get out of labyrinths, water vegetables and collect honey while memorizing the letters of the alphabet. An excellent choice for those mothers who seek to distract the child from the TV screen or want to keep the child on the road with maximum benefit.

Animal alphabet. Notebook with games and tasks

Velcro notepad is a win-win move to draw the attention of the little fidget to learning the letters of the native alphabet. Children love Velcro, especially if there is something interesting behind them!

In this notebook, we have collected 150 creative tasks, by completing which the child will develop fine motor skills, memory, attention, coordination, and also learn how to hold a pencil in his hand correctly. After all, without help, the spider will not get into the forest, the fish will be left without shadows, and the elk will wander around the maze! How can you not help here? And the animals, in gratitude for this, will show the fidget all the letters, teach them how to write them and even solve puzzles.

Psychologists and teachers say that children learn best in the game. And it is much more pleasant for parents to play with children than to arrange boring reading and writing classes.

Go to the land of letters with the book by Svetlana Voskresenskaya. Under the cover you will find 200 different tasks for the initial learning to read and write. Learn new letters, look for them in words, make up funny stories from pictures, write and draw hooks and squiggles!

Each spread of the book consists of several tasks for a certain letter. Moving from simple to complex, your child will learn to read first, and then to write in block letters and even syllables. And those parents who like to carefully study various methods will find detailed instructions for classes at the beginning of the book.

Alphabet-recognition is a handy box with 32 magic cards and detailed instructions for parents. To start a fun game, you just need to get them all and select the one you need.

Each card will introduce the kid to one of the letters of the Russian alphabet, tell you what words this letter can be found in and teach you how to write it correctly. By the way, you can write directly on the cards: they are reusable, you only need an erasable felt-tip pen.

Another beautiful box on a string, in which 32 task cards were hidden. They will introduce the kid to the letters and help him learn to read.

To memorize each letter well, you must first learn how to find it. Found? Now you can read short words. And two-syllable words. And then out of three! That's how we learned to read. And besides the correct words, the cards hide "incorrect" ones, which must be found and underlined. You can underline and draw directly on the cards: they are reusable, as in the ABC-Knowing, and very convenient.

And again the box, but this time more complex. It is perfect for those mothers and children who have already got acquainted with the letters and want to learn how to write them. On 32 cards, the kid will have to draw lines, squiggles and various elements of letters, and then the letters themselves. Sometimes you have to count for this, for example, to draw as many large letters F as there are scarves in the picture, and as many small letters F as there are shoes in the picture.

You can write, draw and hatch in "Logical Recipes" on the cards themselves, because they are reusable.

Daria Gerasimova
"ABC of transformations"
Illustrations of the author
Labyrinth Publishing House, 2018

Artist Daria Gerasimova not only drew illustrations for the "alphabet of transformations", but also coined small texts and the very structure of this unusual book. On each turn, the child can really observe a series of transformations of a letter into an object. There was just the letter D - and suddenly branches grow on it, dragons fly in, and now we have before us not a letter, but a wooden house of dragons. “D is both a tree and a house. Two dragons slumber in it." The studied letter is highlighted in the text in color. The child can not only listen and look at this book, but also draw: the ABC of Transformations is accompanied by a set of cards with letters for coloring.

Uncle Kolya Vorontsov
A-A-Azbuka
Illustrations of the author
Labyrinth Publishing House, 2017

Uncle Kolya Vorontsov drew an entire book of interesting pictures-he arranged a real festival of humor. This is what is called a "cool" book. On the one hand, it uses words denoting such modern realities as a hamburger, electricity, eclair and plaster. On the other hand, it has "hooligan" antics like "draw your navel" (exercise for the letter P). The child will also find here a whole company of monsters (with the letter M). And each of the monsters has its own name, which also begins with the letter M: Mouse, Mukhra, Munyansha, Mumzik ... To pronounce all these names is also a speech therapy task. Studying the letters, you can play - for example, in the game "Find a pair of socks" (for the letter H) or in the maze (for the letter L), draw and color something somewhere. Each letter is inscribed in the picture, is its character, that is, a bridge is built into the alphabetic pictures between the drawn “message” and the letter “message”.

This ABC contains stories that are very witty and unexpected. Most of the plots are connected with the "adventures" of two cross-cutting characters - Buka and Byaki, who meet the reader at the very first spread and are later found on other pages together and separately. “A-a-alphabet” has only one problem, which is typical for all Russian alphabets in general. It is connected with the name of the letter and with its reading. The names of many letters of the Russian alphabet do not correspond to how they are read: el, em, er, sha, ef ... In addition, letters for consonants can mean both a hard sound (m) and soft (m): soap - meat.

This is not noted in A-a-ABC. There are no names of letters even on those spreads where the entire alphabet is assembled. But it's easy to make up for it. If a child asks what a letter is called, you need to say: it is called like this, but it is read like this and like this: this is the letter em, it is read like “m” and like “m”. Here - "m": soap, and here - "m": meat.

But in general, a child who is read a lot - and not only prose, but also poetry - can discover it himself.

You can also read about this book in the articles “Why do we need funny pictures?” and "Speak Russian".

Georgy Yudin
Primer. The Magic Alphabet in Pictures and Fairy Tales”
Illustrations by the author
Children’s Literature Publishing House, 2018

Primer is a multifunctional book. It introduces letters, offers the child exercises for drawing letters and provides an opportunity to read simple words. In addition, it still has material for cognitive reading (when an adult reads to a child).

The book is arranged very reasonably and conveniently: on one side of the spread there is a picture with an image-letter, on the other side there is a fairy tale. Between the spreads devoted to letters there are cognitive texts conditionally associated with the sound of the letter. For example, a fairy tale about the letter M is followed by a text about music, after a fairy tale about the letter A, a text about cars, and so on. Those. The book is also very rhythmic.

The pedagogical advantages of the book include a clear separation of pictures and texts: the pictures do not overlap the text, and the text is not painted over or smeared inside the pictures. The pictures are interesting and add details to the plot of the tale. At the same time, the search for the letter hidden in the pictures is a kind of riddle and an exercise in attention.

You can also read about this book in the article "Turkish panties, or how to draw a hieroglyph".

Grigory Oster
“ABC of G. Oster”
Artist Igor Pankov
Malysh Publishing House, 2020

Grigory Oster wrote a funny textbook on teaching literacy. The role of the teacher here is performed by the parent, so the methodological level of the book is built for parental opportunities. But there are no serious deviations from the "official school course" - such that later the child will have to "retrain" - is not in it. And the book makes an important emphasis on the fact that the letter stands for sound.

The book has a clear “lesson” structure: first, the adult reads the text, and the child looks at the funny pictures. You can then search the page for the letters they are talking about, and even simulate the process of reading. Paired reading - "parent - child" - is one of the methodological techniques of the book.

As the letter baggage accumulates, short words and syllables appear on the pages. Moreover, it is important that these words and syllables are repeated many times. They, too, can be "read-recognized" by a child. Actually, nothing more is required for the initial stage.

These books are not on sale now, look for them in libraries:

David Plaksin
“Such different letters”
Illustrations of the author
Publishing house “Children's Time”, 2013

for each for each one the letters of the artist David Plaksin have their own character: F - lantern, I - apple, N - New Year's, P - pirate. Unlike many alphabets, in which letters are studied by the example of nouns, here is the real realm of adjectives. Such a non-standard approach allows the author to somehow "embed" the image of objects into the letter itself: K is made up of bricks, A - from watermelons, and L - from shreds. Mikhail Yasnov tells how to work with this alphabet in the preface: it turns out that each letter can become the heroine of a separate fairy tale composed by the child himself!

You can also read about this book in the article “Speak Russian”.