Free nonfiction book for kids: firefighters!

As part of ourCommunity Helpers theme, I included a big collection of nonfiction books for kids. Today I’m sharing one for free!

These books are super simple – making them great for preschoolers who are learning concepts of print. They’re also excellent for older kids who are learning basic sight words.

My Three doesn’t know sight words yet, but he does know beginning sounds. We’ve been spending a lot of time learning concepts of print with myColor Me ReadersandVoice to Print packs(a new one’s coming soon!).

I took all the basic sight words from our nonfiction reader, wrote them on post-it notes, and set them on the table.

I named a word and asked him to point to it. Then he would move it to the other side of the table into a single column. We started simple:Ianda.

He was able to figure out the other words using the beginning sound. Then I named the words again and had him point to them.

After that, it was easy to teach him the pattern of the book.

“See my boots. See my helmet. See my…”

And finally, the last page: “I am a firefighter.”

As he read I had him point to each word. He is doing much better at this – which is so exciting! Even though he doesn’t recognize each word individually, he is starting to understand that one word from his mouth means one word on the paper.

It’s calledconcept of word,and it’s really important that kids understand that before they start to learn to sound out words.

He really enjoyed the book, so I showed him the stack of other nonfiction readers from our Community Helpers theme. He chose which book to read next.

He started with the construction worker book.

He also read the farmer book.

And finally, the police officer book.

I was so pleased with how well he did! These nonfiction readers (you get at least ten with each of my theme packs) are fun to read, and they teach so many pre-reading skills. I love making them and sharing them – but most of all, I love the confidence builder my Three gets when he reads them.

And guess what? Later in the day I was reading him a book and he pointed out the word “see.” This is major, major progress for him! Hurray! I told my husband at supper, and my Three astounded me by saying, “I can spell it. S-E-E.”

He’s starting to “get it” – woo hoo!