Bernard and Ernesta: Red Squirrel Phonics Level 6
Red Squirrel Phonics Series
on Goodreads (1)
What’s inside...
Bernard and Ernesta embark on a thrilling adventure through the mystical forests, overcoming challenges and making new friends along the way. The story highlights their heartwarming tale of friendship and courage. Additionally, 'Red Squirrel Phonics' is a new series of decodable readers from Raintree, designed to teach children phonics skills in a sequential and systematic way. Through appealing stories, children practice and apply their phonics knowledge, ensuring success from their first book. Bernard, being Ernesta's annoying little brother, poses challenges as he keeps interrupting her reading with his questions.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-8
Length
20 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think Bernard and Ernesta learned about friendship in the story?
How did the characters handle the challenges they faced?
What would you have done if you were in Bernard's or Ernesta's place?
Why do you think teamwork was important in the story?
Can you think of a time when you helped a friend like Bernard and Ernesta helped each other?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story, validating their responses to build confidence.
Use follow-up questions to delve deeper into your child’s perspective, promoting critical thinking.
Relate the story’s themes to your child’s own experiences to personalize the lessons learned.
Discuss the characters’ emotions and actions to foster empathy and understanding in your child.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork and Cooperation
Explanation: Bernard and Ernesta work together throughout the story to solve puzzles, demonstrating the power of collaboration.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by participating in group activities at school or in sports, learning to cooperate and achieve goals with others.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: The characters face various challenges that they must think through and solve, showcasing effective problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Kids can use similar strategies in their daily life when encountering obstacles, enhancing their critical thinking abilities.
Example Lesson: Perseverance
Explanation: Despite difficulties, Bernard and Ernesta persist until they succeed, highlighting the importance of perseverance.
Real-World Application: This lesson teaches children to not give up easily, whether it be on their homework, sports, or personal goals.
Example Lesson: Phonics and Reading Skills
Explanation: The book uses engaging phonics exercises that help children decode words and improve their reading fluency.
Real-World Application: As children read the book and practice phonics, they can improve their reading skills which are essential for academic success.