Reading Champion: Sandy the Dog: Independent Reading Green 5
Reading champion Series
on Goodreads (3)
What’s inside...
Join Sandy the Dog on delightful adventures in 'Reading Champion: Sandy the Dog: Independent Reading Green 5' by Lynne Benton. This engaging book is specifically designed to boost independent reading in young children, aligning with their developmental milestones. The charming narrative and captivating illustrations foster not only literacy but also a love for reading. It's the perfect pick for building confidence in emerging readers, making reading a joyous part of everyday life. This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Sandy the dog is busy training the family to become the perfect dog owners! 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
5-7
Length
24 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Sandy felt when he was lost? What would you do if you were in his situation?
What are some ways that Sandy tried to find his way back? Which one do you think was the most helpful?
Why do you think the other animals didn’t help Sandy? Have you ever felt hesitant to help someone?
What did you learn about friendship and teamwork from Sandy’s adventure?
If you could give Sandy one piece of advice, what would it be?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to put themselves in Sandy’s shoes, fostering empathy and understanding of the character’s emotions.
Ask your child about their own experiences with getting lost or feeling alone and how they handled those situations.
Discuss the importance of asking for help when it's needed and how teamwork can lead to a better outcome.
Explore the themes of the story, such as perseverance and bravery, and ask your child how they can apply these lessons in their own life.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: The main character takes on the task of taking care of a dog, demonstrating the responsibilities involved in pet care.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by taking on small tasks at home, such as feeding a pet or keeping their room tidy, which reinforces the concept of responsibility.
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: Through interaction with the dog, the character learns to understand and share the feelings of another being.
Real-World Application: This lesson can help children in recognizing emotions in others and responding to them appropriately, fostering empathy in their daily interactions.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: The character encounters and solves various challenges while caring for the dog, which highlights effective problem-solving methods.
Real-World Application: Children learn to apply problem-solving skills in real life, such as finding solutions to conflicts with peers or overcoming obstacles in school work.