“Oh Hey Let’s Learn to Read!” is a stitch-stapled mini book that teaches toddlers and preschoolers to identify uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as their sounds, while also practicing tracking print from left to right. These are all necessary skills to obtain when learning to read.

Encourage your child, or students, to use their pointer finger to touch each blue dot starting from left to right as they “read” each uppercase letter, lowercase letter, and the picture/word that starts with that letter. For the uppercase letter, they will say the letter name. For the lowercase letter, they will say the letter sound, and then they will say what they see in the picture.

In a classroom, this easy reader would be perfect to use in a small group setting for guided reading groups, as a tool for one-on-one intervention, or could also be sent home as a way to regularly practice these foundational reading skills. As a kindergarten teacher, I used a teaching tool similar to this one in all three of those ways. At home, this easy reader would be a great piece to incorporate into a “morning basket” with your kiddo(s). Have them read the book with you once a day until they are confident in all of the letter names and sounds. Once they seem confident, try switching up the order to be sure their knowledge isn’t based off memorization. Open the book to random pages and see if they are still able to read the letter and letter sounds.

One of the best parts about watching a child learn to read is that in the beginning, they don’t even realize they’re doing it. Easy readers like these are a great way to not only teach fundamental literacy skills, but also to build up their confidence. When a child is feeling confident and empowered, they are going to be more likely to take on new challenges. My hope for this mini reader is to help instill those feelings in your child/students while also helping to set a foundation for their journey as a lifelong reader.