For Younger Readers
Foster's Guided Reading Strategies
Our 1st and 2nd graders love to show what they know! Ask them about our Reading Strategy Mascots.
Eagle Eye..Look at the pictures for hints
Lips the Fish..Say the first sound of the word
Stretchy Snake...Stretch the word...tap it out
Chunky Monkey...Look for chunks that you know
Flippy Dolphin...Flip the vowel sound
Skippy Frog...Skip the word and come back to it. Are there hints in the rest of the sentence/page
Tryin' Lion ...Try a word and ask yourself: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right
Great Parent Read Alouds
Private I. Guiana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon by Nina Laden
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
Fly Guy Series by Ted Arnold
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
Brave Irene by William Steig
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Pete and Pickles by Berkeley Breathed
Library Lion, by Michelle Knudsen
Read Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen & Jane Lindaman
Oh, How I Wish I Could Read...Wet Paint by John Gile
Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris
The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills
Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Books for 1st Graders
Edward and The Pirates by David McPhail
How I became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Minnie and Moo Cow by Denys Cazet
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
There Is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems
Widget by Lyn Rossiter
The Boy Who Loved Words by Ronie Schotter
Max's Words by Kate Banks
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman
Books for 2nd Graders
Parents' Night Fright by Elizabeth Levy
Three Smart Pals by Joanne Rocklin
Evangeline Mudd & The Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle by David Elliot
Space Station Mars by Daniel San Souci
The Water Hore by Dick King Smith
The Seven Treasure Hunts by Betsy Byans
The D.A.T.A Set
Zapato Power by Jacouline Jules
Clara and the Bookwagon by Nancy Smiler Levinson
Could You? Would You? by Trudy White
Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle by David Elliot
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky
Books for 2nd & 3rd Graders
The Hunting of Grade Three by Grace Maccarone
Lily and the Runaway Baby by Susan Shreve
The Book Report From The Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
Dinner at Albertas by Russell Hoban
2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids by Amy Zuckermand & Jim Daly
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Knights of The Kitchen Table by Jon Sciezka
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by LIz Kessler
Thank YOu Mr. Falkner by Patricia Polacco
Dog Diaries by Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers
Andrew Lost series by J.C. Greenburg
My Curious Uncle Dudley by Barry Yourgrau
2030: A day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids by Amy Zuckerman and Jim Daly
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
George and Martha by James Marshall
Underworlds by Tony Abbott
Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
The Amazing World of Stuart by Sara Pennypacker
Book Series
A-Z Mysteries
The American Girl
Clementine
Elephant and Piggy
Mouse and Mole
Eyewitness
Frog and Toad
Fly Guy
Mercy Watson
Harry Potter
I Survived
Ivy and Bean
Percy Jackson
Hardey Boys
Magic Tree House
Horrible Harry
The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Ballpark Mysteries
Toon Books (leveled comic readers)
Who Was / What Was (biographies and nonfiction)
Shelter Pet Squad
Judy Moody and Stink
Have a Discussion about Reading
Before Reading
What story clues are in the title and pictures? (story walk)
Is the story fiction or non-fiction? How do you know?
If this text is non-fiction, what will you learn?
How do you imagine the setting?
What do you predict will happen?
During Reading
What will happen next?
How do you feel about the main character?
Why does the character act or feel a certain way?
Does the story make sense?
How will the story most likely end?
How does this story remind you of your life?
After Reading
How did the story make you feel?
What did you like or dislike about the story?
What was the main part of the story?
Have your feelings about the character changed?
Were your predictions correct?
Was there a lesson to this story?
Did this story remind you of another story or a situation in your own life?
- Encourage your child to use his or her finger to point to each word (reading buddy).
- Read a sentence and have your child repeat it.
- Don't be afraid to read the same book over and over again! Repeated reading helps build fluency!
- Take turns reading. This allows you to model expression and fluency for your child.
- Talk about the story as you read it. "Based on what we have read what do you think will happen next? What other book does this story remind you of? How do you think this character feels?"
Foster's Guided Reading Strategies
Our 1st and 2nd graders love to show what they know! Ask them about our Reading Strategy Mascots.
Eagle Eye..Look at the pictures for hints
Lips the Fish..Say the first sound of the word
Stretchy Snake...Stretch the word...tap it out
Chunky Monkey...Look for chunks that you know
Flippy Dolphin...Flip the vowel sound
Skippy Frog...Skip the word and come back to it. Are there hints in the rest of the sentence/page
Tryin' Lion ...Try a word and ask yourself: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right
Great Parent Read Alouds
Private I. Guiana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon by Nina Laden
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
Fly Guy Series by Ted Arnold
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
Brave Irene by William Steig
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Pete and Pickles by Berkeley Breathed
Library Lion, by Michelle Knudsen
Read Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen & Jane Lindaman
Oh, How I Wish I Could Read...Wet Paint by John Gile
Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris
The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills
Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Books for 1st Graders
Edward and The Pirates by David McPhail
How I became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Minnie and Moo Cow by Denys Cazet
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
There Is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems
Widget by Lyn Rossiter
The Boy Who Loved Words by Ronie Schotter
Max's Words by Kate Banks
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman
Books for 2nd Graders
Parents' Night Fright by Elizabeth Levy
Three Smart Pals by Joanne Rocklin
Evangeline Mudd & The Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle by David Elliot
Space Station Mars by Daniel San Souci
The Water Hore by Dick King Smith
The Seven Treasure Hunts by Betsy Byans
The D.A.T.A Set
Zapato Power by Jacouline Jules
Clara and the Bookwagon by Nancy Smiler Levinson
Could You? Would You? by Trudy White
Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle by David Elliot
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky
Books for 2nd & 3rd Graders
The Hunting of Grade Three by Grace Maccarone
Lily and the Runaway Baby by Susan Shreve
The Book Report From The Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
Dinner at Albertas by Russell Hoban
2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids by Amy Zuckermand & Jim Daly
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Knights of The Kitchen Table by Jon Sciezka
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by LIz Kessler
Thank YOu Mr. Falkner by Patricia Polacco
Dog Diaries by Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers
Andrew Lost series by J.C. Greenburg
My Curious Uncle Dudley by Barry Yourgrau
2030: A day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids by Amy Zuckerman and Jim Daly
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
George and Martha by James Marshall
Underworlds by Tony Abbott
Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
The Amazing World of Stuart by Sara Pennypacker
Book Series
A-Z Mysteries
The American Girl
Clementine
Elephant and Piggy
Mouse and Mole
Eyewitness
Frog and Toad
Fly Guy
Mercy Watson
Harry Potter
I Survived
Ivy and Bean
Percy Jackson
Hardey Boys
Magic Tree House
Horrible Harry
The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Mysterious Benedict Society
Ballpark Mysteries
Toon Books (leveled comic readers)
Who Was / What Was (biographies and nonfiction)
Shelter Pet Squad
Judy Moody and Stink
Have a Discussion about Reading
Before Reading
What story clues are in the title and pictures? (story walk)
Is the story fiction or non-fiction? How do you know?
If this text is non-fiction, what will you learn?
How do you imagine the setting?
What do you predict will happen?
During Reading
What will happen next?
How do you feel about the main character?
Why does the character act or feel a certain way?
Does the story make sense?
How will the story most likely end?
How does this story remind you of your life?
After Reading
How did the story make you feel?
What did you like or dislike about the story?
What was the main part of the story?
Have your feelings about the character changed?
Were your predictions correct?
Was there a lesson to this story?
Did this story remind you of another story or a situation in your own life?