OK folks-this series (the All About Spelling) ranked number one in my top 10 choices for last year's products, so I couldn't be more pleased to have received and to discuss this latest addition to their line up. Now if you are unfamiliar with AAS, then please read my review discussing the actual spelling program to truly get a good idea of what it is, then come back to read up on the Beehive Reader I from All About Reading Press.
I purposely held off on purchasing this reader when I saw that it was newly released last year...but the wait was worth it-as I am so tickled to have this book. Designed by Marie Rippel, artwork by Renee LaTulippe-this was created not only to tie into the first level of the AAS program, but to prevent several issues that accompany a beginner reader. Since Marie has a child who is dyslexic, she understands the need for some helpful and almost necessary "must haves" that readers should display to help assist the budding reader. The hard-backed book just beckons one to open it [not to mention that is will last for generations because of this fine quality], then continues to entice with its softly-yellowed paper, which reduces the glare that those shiny, white pages usually produce. Right away, the etchings of delightful characters draw the child [well anyone within eye-shot of this book] into the story. Careful attention was given to the actual scene on the pages, to avoid the mistake many, many beginning readers make-the giving away of the sentences, due to a very specifically related picture to the words penned just below. One thing that bothers me when I am working with my child, is that he will try to "read" a word by jumping his eyes up to the picture to "solve" the mystery-rather than take the time to work through the difficult word. I do not have to cover the illustration to solve this annoying habit, because Marie and Renee deliberately included pictures which offer a hint of what they are reading about, yet do not "spill the beans" all over the page for the struggling student to easily decipher. Another issue is the left to right tracking, and so to solve that-there are teeny dots under the words of the sentence to assist the child with the correct flow of the sentence. Or in our case, the jumping down to one row and back up, because he is struggling to keep his eyes on one sentence at a time.
I cannot say enough good things about this reader! Even my husband-who admittedly is more of an observer of our daily schooling goings on-couldn't help but comment several times on how nice of a reader the AAS Beehive book is, or notice the beautiful artwork contained within it. My son gets all excited to read in his "chapter book" and I, for once-don't dread the experience because with this-it is actually a pleasurable activity. Once again-another fabulous product from the wilds [of imagination and talent that is] of Wisconsin! Thank you Marie!
If you have been using the All About Spelling curriculum, or will be-you can visit this link: Correlation info for reader to AAS levels, so you have a better understanding of when you can introduce the Beehive Reader to your child.
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Oh! If you use workboxes-I have the first two levels of the AAS books broken down into "what to pack into the workbox" for each step. That way you can load and go. Saves you the time hunting for each individual tile/card sets and makes prepacking a breeze (this is especially helpful if you are like me and do not have permanent space to keep the tiles/info when not in use). Visit my Scribd pages for the documents, and my What's in the Box? blog, for more info regarding this.
Beehive Reader I info now retitled Cobweb the Cat (as of April 1, 2010)
$19.95 Hardback
AAS homepage
Visit our TOS Review Crew Homepage for more information about this, and many other fine homeschooling products.
***All About Reading Press/AAS provided me with a free copy of the Beehive Reader I, to use, test and enjoy with my family. I have provided my opinion on the product, and did not receive financial compensation for this review.
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