Reading Champion: Grandad Comes to Stay
Reading champion Series
What’s inside...
The heartwarming story of a young child's delightful adventures when Grandad comes to stay. From baking cookies to sharing stories and making craft projects, the book explores the unique bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. Oliver loves to RUN and he never sits still or moves slowly ... until an injury forces him to take it easy. Lucky for Oliver, Grandad comes round to help, and he is full of great ideas to have fun during Oliver's slow winter! The book is aimed at Independent Reading Book Band White 10, for readers aged from 5-7 years. The story is part of Reading Champion, a series linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-8
Length
24 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the character felt when Grandad came to stay?
What are some fun activities you would like to do if Grandad came to stay with us?
What did the character learn from their time with Grandad?
How can we show our family members that we care about them, just like in the book?
What was your favorite part of the story and why?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive reading to bring the characters to life, changing your tone and pitch to match the emotions in the story.
Encourage your child to relate the story to their own experiences, perhaps recalling a memorable time with their own grandparents.
Ask follow-up questions to your child’s responses to encourage deeper thinking and connection to the book's themes.
Pause at key moments in the story to predict what might happen next, enhancing your child's anticipation and attention.
After reading, consider doing an activity inspired by the book, such as creating a family tree or drawing a picture of a dream visit with their grandparents.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding family dynamics
Explanation: The book explores the relationship between a grandchild and their grandparent during a visit, showcasing mutual respect and affection.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by appreciating and respecting the roles and experiences of older family members, fostering stronger family bonds.
Example Lesson: Embracing change
Explanation: The story demonstrates how the protagonist adjusts to the temporary changes in routine that come with having a grandparent stay over.
Real-World Application: This helps children understand that change is a part of life and adapting to it can lead to positive experiences.
Example Lesson: Importance of communication
Explanation: Through the interactions between the grandchild and grandad, the importance of clear and open communication is highlighted.
Real-World Application: Children learn to express their thoughts and feelings effectively, enhancing their interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.