Never let your Imagination run out

We are at such an exciting part of Dylan's life at the moment.  At four years old he has just started school and he has embarked on the most amazing adventure - the one that will take him from  engrossed listener to (hopefully) avid reader.  The start is slow but I can already see the amazement in his eyes as he learns to decode a new word and make sense of what he sees.

The first step on his journey is without words - something that surprised me as it is so different from how I was taught to read.  His school books that are sent home to be read nightly have no words in.  His school told us that children need to learn to be storytellers before they learn words.  These books teach them about the importance of pictures, the wonders of imagination and that every part of this new adventure is fun.  

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Early Reader's Christmas Books List

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #CollectiveBias

Waterstones, Christmas Books, Early Readers

We are at the beginning of what I consider to be one of the most exciting journeys my child is going to travel - he is learning to read.  I have always been an avid reader, and my mum tells me as young as 18 months I would sit in the corner looking at picture books whilst my friends played.  Once the written words started making sense, I would take a torch to bed to read under the covers, and take an hour getting ready for school as I had a book permanently in my hands.  My love continued through an English literature degree and even now, whilst I don't find nearly as much time as I would like, I love to curl up with a good book.

I am so excited that Dylan is already showing such enthusiasm.  Whilst we have tried never to push him, we have made sure he has the resources and time should it be what interests him, and he has proven that he does want to learn.  As we progressed from letters and sounds to small words, we have wondered about the next step, whether we continue as we are until the school give us a direction, or whether we continue providing the resources for him to learn at his own pace, whatever he decides that to be.  

I went to Waterstones to look at the different options for young readers and to choose a Christmas present, and liked that there was so much variety, especially once they start progressing.  I saw the familiar books of my childhood, although with a slightly updated cover (definitely the same pictures), alongside new books from new authors with colour and fun.  Here are my picks for the first stage:

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