The 6"x5" board book edition of this book (called I SPY LITTLE HEARTS) is a beautiful book to read aloud to babies and toddlers. The 8"x8" paperback version (also called I SPY LITTLE HEARTS) is great for helping pre-K, kindergarten and first grade children read. In May 2013 these boys read I SPY LITTLE HEARTS for the first time in their kindergarten class. I have noticed that many kindergarten teachers today encourage kids to point at words with their fingers as they read them. In the photo to the left the boy is pointing to the red heart. You can't see the word "heart" because the other boy's head is blocking it. Working together, these boys could read this book. They have learned a lot during their kindergarten year.

The boys were sharing this 8"x8" square paperback. That's another way I've seen teachers encourage kindergartners to read - by sharing and helping each other. Between the pictures, the pattern of the text ("I spy" starts every page), the rhythm, the rhyme, and the beginning phonics skills that they have learned, these two boys could read this page - as well as the rest of the book. If they needed any help, the teacher was there.

 

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