Here’s an extract from Claire’s website’s
telling of her passion for writing:
‘For me, writing is
the best job ever. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I love to
create worlds for young children to enjoy and escape into – whether the stories
are educational, bedtime, problem solving or just plain good fun. It’s also very
exciting to see the first picture roughs, as my wonderful, talented
illustrators bring the text to life.’
Why I am featuring Claire’s books is because I came across ‘Monstersaurus’
at my daughter’s house. In her lounge she has a bookcase full of children’s
books for her three boys. Up until the present time, stories from them have
been read to the children by their parents and me and my wife when we have had
opportunity.
Today, I found one of the boys studying Claire’s ‘Monstersaurus’.
Like his brothers he is at the stage of almost mastering phonics and he can sound
out simple words. He can just about recognize and say a three letter word without
sounding individual letters. In time he will be able to read longer words composed
of two or more syllables. Eventually he will grasp clauses and phrases, and so
on. With practice he will become fluent, being able to read with comprehension
and expression. At least, that’s my hope!
Reading is a key factor to gaining knowledge, and a child
without the ability to read has little hope of academic achievement. Dyslexia
is a curse, because it can hold back a child’s development. As a victim of it I
suffered to the extent that I could not read or understand the easiest of books
until I reached the age of ten. Even today, I struggle with certain words. If
only when I was young I had had wonderful books like Claire’s, readily
available in a bookcase, things may have been different.
Links
Claire Freedman’s Website
Claire Freedman – Simon and Schuster
Books
Claire Freedman, Children’s Author
Amazon - Claire Freedman Books
YouTube Official Trailer –
Monstersaurus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lKF0Gmv9Ao
2 comments:
"He's big, he's hairy but is he scary?" - great book, the current favourite in our house is "Rhino what Rhino" - the great thing about these books (Gruffalo is another) is the lyrical quality - it's so nice to read out loud - our 3 year old has 3 or 4 read every night and he asks for the same ones over and over again
Thanks Max,
I've looked at the reviews, and I like the sound of 'Rhino? What Rhino?'. The storyline has a bit of subtle teaching about not being greedy, selfish, and the virtue of owning up to doing wrong - A good book for my grandchildren, although they are older than your 3 year old.
Cheers,
Bill.
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