How difficult is it, really, to learn to read? If literacy scores are any indication, it’s pretty hard. According to the National Assessment Governing Board, fewer than one third of students nationwide read at what is considered the Proficient level. About 40% of 4^th graders read at a level below Basic. All this, despite the best efforts of teachers and a wide range of reading curricula to choose from.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. When my two children were four or five years old, before either of them entered Kindergarten, I chose to teach them the basics of reading at home. I figured this way, they would have a head start and could gain additional reading skills and expertise as their teachers guided them. And it worked! My older child read at levels far above her grade-level designations all the way through elementary school. My younger child, who has ADHD and tests poorly, did very well, too.

So, I wrote down the steps I had followed to teach my kids, so that any parent or caregiver could do the same. From learning the names of letters, to recognizing the sounds they make, to being able to decode them in their various combinations, I Taught My Kids to Read, and So Can You! guides you through the basics of reading. The additional picture books All the Letters, Letters Say What, I Can Say, Vowels Go for Walks, Consonant Teams, and The Silent E Game provide fun, engaging support to help young readers master the basics of decoding.