When Catalina’s new magical sewing kit that turns clothing into disguises, her inability to sew frustrates her. But then she learns the value of patience and practice.
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.
Self-Awareness
Catalina Incognito
Meet Me on Mercer Street
When Kacie comes back from vacation and discovers her neighborhood is changing, she uses her art to process what’s happening and bring the community together.
Bobby the Brave (Sometimes)
Sometimes Bobby struggles with living in the shadow of his father. After his father jumps onstage to help during the school musical, Bobby finally—bravely—shares his feelings.
A Whole New Ballgame
When Rip and Red—who is on the autism spectrum—get a new basketball coach, they’re thrown off their game. But their strong friendship helps keep them steady.
Mango Delight
When Mango’s star is rising, the rich and popular Hailey suddenly wants to be friends. Mango fakes friendship just to help Dad start a business, but then it feels wrong.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Challenges and Solutions
Comeback Catcher
When it’s Eddie’s turn to bat, his nerves get the best of him. Now he must face his fear—with some help from his friends.
The Year of the Dog
Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dog with Pacy—a year for friendship, family, and self-discovery. Pacy searches for her talents, faces setbacks, and gains a new best friend.
A Soft Place to Land
In her new apartment, Joy meets Nora, who introduces her to a secret hideout. As Joy adjusts to the move, she explores new friendships and family dynamics.
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez
Nestor discovers that a witch is responsible for a series of animal disappearances. After Nestor and friends band together to defeat the witch, Nestor feels a lot more at home.
Not If I Can Help It
Willa is afraid to share her sensory processing disorder with Ruby, but it turns out Ruby has a private side too—an anxiety disorder. The soon-to-be stepsisters bond.
Family Book Talk
Use the Ask and Share questions to discuss these books with your child.
Exploring With STEM
Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table
With imagination and problem-solving, can former basketballer turned farmer Will Allen bring his dream of an abundant garden in an abandoned city lot to life?
Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson
As a child, Neil visits the planetarium, launching his love for space. As he grows, so does his knowledge and reputation and he inspires others to explore the universe!
Race the Wild: Savanna Showdown
As a competitor on The Wild Life, Mari feels pressure to keep up with the stronger racers. What will it take to help her team win?
Luz Makes a Splash
Luz and Anika discover that a weeks’ long drought has put their entire community in jeopardy! Can they take action to help their neighborhood and its ecosystems?
Song for a Whale
When Iris discovers Blue 55, a whale unable to communicate with other whales, she’s determined to invent a way to “sing” to him—to help him feel less alone.
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?
- When fifth-grade readers can read longer stories fluently (correctly, quickly, and with expression), they are able to give more concentration to understanding what they read. Have your child read aloud to you. This encourages them to practice these skills while also showing you their progress.