Violet loves to make music! For years, she plays music alone. She searches for people who like music as much as she does—and finds them!
Read and Succeed
Use these tools to build in more reading fun at home.
Explore
Family Reading Time
Watch the video for tips on supporting your young reader!
Take the Family Quiz
Take the quiz and get tips personalized for your life!
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1. How does reading currently feel in your family?
Your Family is Ready to Gear Up
Your family is juggling a lot. Though it can be stressful to find time for it all, you’re making it work. Your family is ready for an organized reading journey! Here’s how your family can gear up.
Tips
- Plan the habit. Try taking a few minutes tonight to plan in advance for how you will slot reading time into your schedule.
- Include a book in your child’s bedtime routine. Read aloud to your child, or remind them to read a few pages of their book before bed.
- Schedule a library visit in advance for when you’re already out and about. (PS: Many libraries no longer charge fines for overdue books.)
- If you take a train or bus with your child, or wait at a laundromat, bring a book as a fun distraction.
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Prioritize choice. Empower your child to choose their own
books, which is proven to increase reading motivation. Ideas:
- Have your child browse the library shelves and/or share their interests with a librarian.
- Children also enjoy rereading old favorites, which builds comfort, understanding, and vocabulary.
Your Family is Ready to Power Up
Your family are adventurous readers! You read all sorts of stories and texts. This is a great way for your child or children to build background knowledge and vocabulary, so they can continue to succeed as they grow. Here’s how your family can power up.
Tips
- Grow vocabulary. Try modeling for your children the habit of looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary.
- Read together. Your child benefits from independent reading as well as reading with you. Take turns reading to each other, and discuss books.
- Level up. Encourage your child to complete a “reading challenge” in which they try to meet a goal, such as a number of books read or a checklist of a variety of types of books. You can find reading challenge options online or at your library or school.
Your Family is Ready to Level Up
Your family is ready to thrive as readers. Learning to read takes time. Your support makes a real difference in your child’s reading journey! Here’s how your family can level up.
Tips
- Be positive. Celebrate every step forward your child makes.
- Read together. Take turns reading to each other. Make it cozy and fun—snuggle under the covers or make a blanket fort.
- Support. Talk honestly with your child about reading struggles and why it’s worth continuing. Ask them to brainstorm the benefits.
- Empower. Let your child choose their own books and see you doing the same.
- Practice phonics. Ask your child's teacher how you can support specific reading skills at home.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Violet's Music
Abuela
With imagination and wonder, Rosalba and Abuela soar above the city. They wave to people, see ships, and rest on a fluffy cloud. A special adventure!
Library Lion
A lion is allowed in a library as long as he doesn’t roar. But when the librarian falls, was it okay to roar for help?
Ravi's Roar
Ravi gets so mad, he turns into a tiger! But no one wants to play with him when he roars. Ravi apologizes and turns back into a boy.
My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay
Zulay surprises her classmates by deciding to compete in a race. Running the track is going to take practice, perseverance, and Zulay’s belief in herself.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
The Gray Day
Zoya and Coco are painting outside when the sky turns gray and it starts raining. Back indoors, Zoya tries to make the best of it, exploring the color gray.
The One Day House
Wilson has big plans for his elderly neighbor, Gigi. Meanwhile, Gigi enjoys the present moment as they spend quality time together. Then, surprise! The house fixer-uppers arrive!
Yefferson, Actually
At Yefferson’s new school, people mispronounce his name, which upsets him. His grandfather encourages him to speak up. The next day, he tells people his actual name. . . and they listen!
Thunder Cake
As a storm approaches, Grandma finds her granddaughter hiding. But the girl bravely helps gather ingredients for Thunder Cake. By the time the thunder starts, she’s no longer afraid.
Tía Isa Wants a Car
When Tía Isa wants a car, her niece helps by taking jobs in the neighborhood. Together, they save up and get a car big enough for the whole family.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Clara and Clem in Outer Space
A robot built from imagination launches Clara and Clem into space. Their robot dips, flips, and dives among the stars. Watch out for hungry monsters!
Why Are You Doing That?
Manuel digs the corn, Doña Ana feeds the chickens, Ramon milks the cow, and Maria flattens the dough. Chepito wants to know why!
I Want to Be a Veterinarian
Who takes care of undersea creatures or animals on a farm? It turns out veterinary science is filled with ways to learn about and help all kinds of animals!
The Ugly Vegetables
Why would you want a garden filled with ugly vegetables when you could have one filled with colorful flowers instead? Answer: Ugly Vegetable Soup, of course!
Cece Loves Science
Cece and her best friend Isaac are curious: Will Einstein the dog eat vegetables? It’s going to take a lot of experimentation and perseverance to find out!
Family Reading Tips
Here are some easy, powerful ways to support your child with their reading!
Ask Questions About the Book
- Start conversations by asking open-ended questions rather than questions that have yes or no answers.
- Ask, “How would you feel if you were the main character in this situation, and why?”
- Take turns sharing your thoughts and ideas, too.
- It is important for readers to visualize what they are reading.
- While reading, ask your child to close their eyes and imagine what is happening.
- Ask them to describe what they “see.” After reading, invite your child to draw what they saw!
- Children should be able to give examples from the book to answer a question or to explain an opinion. As you read together:
- Ask your child to describe what a particular character is like.
- Then, ask them to point to specific examples in the book.
Build Skills at Home
- Make books easy to reach and reread at home. Rereading books:
- helps children to understand a book more deeply
- increases vocabulary, and
- adds comfort and ease to reading.
- Try to build in 20 minutes of reading with your child each day. Find a comfy spot, and enjoy this time together!
- Encourage your child to bring along a book anytime! Short moments between running errands or traveling from place to place can add up to a lot of reading.
Encourage and Connect
- When children can see themselves in a story, they connect more deeply to it.
- Look for positive qualities (like bravery and teamwork) while reading or discussing books with your child.
- Remind them of times where they—or you—showed the same qualities.
- When your child is reading:
- Ask questions about their book so they know you are interested.
- Celebrate their efforts! Offer a quick high five or join them in a celebratory dance at the end of a book.
- When reading is challenging for your child:
- Share your own struggles. Talk about a time when you faced challenges.
- Let them know that mistakes are okay, and that this is how we learn.
- Build their confidence by talking about what they have already learned.
- Offer a trip to the library to find books that interest them
Reading Milestones
- If you want more information on how to support your child as a reader, reach out to their teacher. You can ask:
- Is my child reading on grade level?
- What books would be a good fit for my child?
- Is there anything specific we should be working on at home?
- First-grade readers are learning to use letter sounds, word parts, and story clues to figure out new words. Have your child read aloud to you. This encourages them to practice these skills while also showing you their progress.