Library visits

We visited our local library a couple of weeks ago to renew the boys' library cards and look into their collection of age-appropriate reading books for Bear. Both boys have always loved the library and we used to borrow books alongside our visits to their weekly Rhyme Time sessions.

As Bear grew up we stopped going to Rhyme Time and therefore stopped going to the library much at all. We have so many books at home due to my own love of reading, and working in a bookshop, that I didn't feel the need to be borrowing them too.

However, now Bear is learning to read, we need books that are at an appropriate level, and I don't feel like they're the kind of books I need to buy and keep. So, we headed to the library ready to check them out.

They didn't have a very big selection in the right level, but we were able to pick up a few in pink and red band which are the first two levels in the series we found. Bear has spent the last couple of weeks practicing his phonics and reading his books and he has blown me away with how well he's done!

We visited the library again this week to return the books we'd read and borrow some new ones. The Cub enjoyed picking some out too and he even found a little cosy book nook under the shelving to start reading.

Whilst there we did some colouring and I spoke to the librarians about ordering in other titles once we make it through the ones they have on their shelves. I also taught them both how to use the check out/return screen so that they could be involved in the whole process.

The main thing is that the boys love the trip there, and they are both loving reading their books! Bear has been choosing a non-fiction title for us to look through as well as the reading books as he has always loved learning new facts. The Cub chose a reading book, a numbers book and we picked up a beautiful picture book about bears too.

Do you use any specific reading books to learn to read? We have ended up mainly with Reading Champion and Maverick Early Readers as they were what there was most of on shelf in the library.

I'd love to hear other series' that are good to use.

Mama Bear x