As a writer, I have the luxury of being one of those dads you see pushing a stroller in the middle of a weekday. Living in New York City, I have a wide choice of destinations—playgrounds, children's museums, the American Museum of Natural History, a toy store with a train set, and of course, the … [Read more...]
The Joys of Old Books
I love reading to my kids. But I sometimes worry that it's turning me into a curmudgeon before my time like one of those guys you see on the corner of Broadway, ranting incoherently about the good old days. It isn't that I don't like many of the new books published today. For instance, my … [Read more...]
How Not to Go Insane When Rereading Your Child’s Favorite Book
We've all been there. It's reading time. To your horror, your child reaches for the shelf, then walks your way waving the same book you read to her the night before. And the night before that. And, well, come to think of it, ten minutes ago. "Read." You stall for time. "Say it … [Read more...]
Too Many Books
You know the drill. Your child asks for a story, you dutifully traipse into his or her room to get a book. But when you pull it off the shelf, what happens? A veritable avalanche. Sandra Boynton, Dr. Seuss, and The Complete Peter Rabbit come tumbling down in an epic crash. If it's one of those … [Read more...]
Stuck for a Good Story?
We're very excited to welcome children's author Dan Elish to the Hooked on Phonics blog. In addition to writing the Broadway show 13, Dan has written for children's television and is the author of several young adult novels, including The Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks and Confessions of an 8th … [Read more...]
Battling the Summer Slump
As I write this, a mountain of unread books and magazines taunts me. I want nothing more than to be reading them, but I haven't had the time. I look forward to my summer vacations to catch up on my reading. Wouldn't it be great if our kids felt that way, too? The thing about my reading mountain … [Read more...]
More Letters, Letters, Everywhere!
We've talked a bit about finding letters outside the home, but how about inside the home? I was thinking about this the other day when I bought my preschooler her first box of Alpha-Bits cereal. I thought she'd have fun eating letters for breakfast (now with whole grain!). I’m sure many of you … [Read more...]
Rat Cat Hat!
Readers have commented that our story "Hat" is preposterous, a hallucinatory work of fiction. Call us dreamers, but even our most fanciful workbook stories have their roots in the real world. I submit to you: [Photo by davepatten/flicker] … [Read more...]
The Top 100 Picture Books of All Time
Recently the wonderful blog A Fuse #8 Production created what could possibly be the definitive list of the Top 100 Picture Books of All Time. Fuse #8's Elizabeth Bird invited her readers to submit lists of their top ten picture books of all time. I saw blog posts and tweets far and wide from … [Read more...]
The Read-Aloud Handbook
Long before I became a parent, I read The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. It planted a little seed about the importance of reading aloud that has influenced my parenting since my daughter was born. Oops! scratch that, since before my daughter was born. I read her Harry Potter in utero to help … [Read more...]
5 Easy Tips for Reading Aloud
Reading to your kids is one of the best gifts you can give them. Not only is it a great way to bond, but you're also preparing child to read on his own. It takes a while to get used to reading aloud. It was a good year after my daughter was born before I felt like I was getting good at it. But … [Read more...]
Letters, Letters, Everywhere!
STOP! Do you notice anything about that sign? How about the letters S, T, O, and P? In your everyday life, letters and words constantly surround you: on signs, in store windows, on vans and trucks, on packages. Name a surface and there's probably some kind of lettering on it. This is called … [Read more...]
Rhyme Time
It's National Poetry Month, and we've got rhyming on the brain! It's the perfect time to share a rhyming music video from the upcoming Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Pre-K edition. Here's "Rhyme Time, performed marvelously by The Bobs. … [Read more...]
The Best Books about Bunnies
What is it about bunnies? They're so cute, so lovable, and somehow they always manage to make for a great children's book. Here are some favorites (old and new) that your child will love, too! My Giant Bunny by Russell Ginns and Jonathan Maier A favorite from our own Second Grade edition of … [Read more...]
Starting Sound of the Day
When you're out walking or driving with your child, why not use that time for a little phonemic fun? Pick a Starting Sound of the Day. For preschoolers and kindergartners, this can be a single letter, like the letter b. For first and second graders, this can be a consonant blend, like the letters … [Read more...]
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