Getting children to read can be a difficult task, but it is a very rewarding one. Some of the books that help teach children to read can be dry and boring, which can see some children disengage and put them off reading. When children are learning to read, books should be engaging and fun, something that makes children want to pick up a book and engage with the text on the pages.
A child’s reading journey generally starts with being read bedtime stories, moving up to reading together before they are reading them to you. But reading shouldn’t just be a bedtime activity, reading can be enjoyed at anytime, anywhere – it’s just trying to find reading material that your child will engage with and have fun reading. Welcome to A Very Silly Reading Book Meow: Kids Are Now The Reading BOSS by Alan Smith.
A Very Silly Reading Book Meow: Kids Are Now The Reading BOSS is an engaging book that helps children on their reading journey. As the title suggests, it is a very silly book but one that will definitely engage a young reader. It’s a simple read, but one that will have children picking up the book and re-reading it over and over again. Why? Because whilst the young reader reads, their adult helper listens and follows the instructions given from the book. Learning and laughter blended to create a reading experience that children and adults will enjoy together and one that can be an excellent bonding experience. Get ready for some nose rubbing, meowing like a cat and shaking your tails (adult helpers, I’m talking about you – the kids get to read, watch and giggle).
In this very silly book, the adult helper only reads the first page which instructs them to take an oath that they are now a cat and has to do EVERYTHING that the reader successfully reads from within the book. Adult helpers, get ready to be silly. Readers, get ready to read to make your helpers act the joker.
The text in this book is very big so is easy for readers to see the words and concentrate on what they are reading. It gets off to a nice and gentle start with “My helper will Clap 3 times.” If the reader can read this aloud successfully then their reading helper must clap 3 times. As the reader progresses through the book the reading helper will be asked to hop like a bunny, take a catnap, wake up, walk like a cat and meow, among other silly commands. Then there are the colour commands: whenever the word blue is mentioned helpers must rub their nose, when yellow is spoken then they must meow, green sees helpers having to shake their tail and just to make it that more interesting, these get combined as the reader works through the pages. I hope the helpers are fit and up for a giggle.
Overall, this is indeed a very silly book but read by yourself it isn’t that much fun or even that interesting, but add in that all important helper and the book comes alive and the fun begins. Once reading starts, the laughter flows and the children keep on trying to read as much as they can to make their helpers do funny and silly tasks – can you listen and follow the instructions quickly? For example, one page just has the words blue, yellow, green, yellow (which are also highlighted in the correct colours) which means if all read out loud successfully then the helper must rub their nose, meow like a cat, shake their tail and meow again. What child reading those words to provoke those actions from their adult helper is not going to enjoy reading the book and want to read more?
I love this book. It is a very simple concept and is excellent at encouraging children to read the words on the page as with each successfully completed sentence the reader forces their helper to do a very silly, but fun and sometimes energic, task. When the laughter subsides, kids will want to read more to prolong fun, the agony and possible embarrassment – thankfully helpers get released from their oath on page 24 and can have much needed break.
If you are looking for a fun book to give to your children to encourage them to read, then I can highly recommend A Very Silly Reading Book Meow. It does require helper participation, but it will have the helper and reader giggling, laughing and having fun together whilst the child is reading the book – hopefully no more of “this is boring” and will encourage a reading habit and help develop those reading skills.
A simple concept that is lots of fun. Great for at home and in the classroom and the large print makes it very easy for children to follow. A fun book that children will engage with, a book that puts the reader in charge.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £8.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
