Reading Champion: Staying at Home
Reading champion Series
What’s inside...
Engage young readers with 'Reading Champion: Staying at Home' by Heather Maisner, a delightful exploration of the joys and challenges of staying indoors. This book perfectly captures the essence of a child’s day at home through engaging stories and vibrant illustrations. It addresses the common concern of keeping children occupied indoors while reinforcing the value of creativity and family bonding. Ideal for early readers, this book not only enhances reading skills but also promotes understanding of one's emotions and surroundings during indoor days. 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). Maya is very excited for her family's annual trip to the seaside. When she is suddenly struck down with chicken pox, she must make the best of missing out. For Independent Reading at White Band 10, readers aged 5-7 years. 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). 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 did the characters in the story feel about staying at home? Can you relate to their feelings?
What activities did the characters do to stay busy at home? Which one would you like to try?
How did the characters solve problems that came up while they were at home?
What have you learned from this story that might help you enjoy your time at home more?
If you could add another character to this story, who would it be and what would they do?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive voices for different characters to make the story more engaging and to distinguish between the characters’ perspectives.
Encourage your child to draw their favorite scene from the book. This can help them think more deeply about the story and its characters.
After reading, ask your child to summarize the story in their own words. This promotes comprehension and recall.
Relate the story to your child’s own experience of staying at home, asking how they've felt and what they've done. It personalizes the story and enhances emotional connection.
Pause at key moments in the story to ask predictive questions like 'What do you think will happen next?' to stimulate critical thinking.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Importance of Adaptability
Explanation: The story demonstrates how characters creatively adapt to a new situation of staying at home, finding ways to remain engaged and happy.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to embrace change positively, finding new ways to entertain themselves or learn when usual routines are disrupted.
Example Lesson: Value of Family Time
Explanation: Throughout the book, characters spend quality time together, showcasing bonding and shared activities.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to appreciate and cherish moments spent with family, enhancing relationships and creating lasting memories.
Example Lesson: Developing New Skills
Explanation: Characters in the book take up new hobbies and learn new skills during their time at home, highlighting personal growth.
Real-World Application: Motivates children to explore new interests or hobbies, which aids in their cognitive and emotional development.
Example Lesson: Importance of Routine
Explanation: The book illustrates how maintaining a daily routine can provide stability and comfort in uncertain times.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by establishing their own routines, which can help in managing their time effectively and reducing anxiety.
Example Lesson: Creativity and Imagination
Explanation: Characters use their imagination to turn mundane activities into exciting adventures.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to use their creativity to transform simple activities into enjoyable and educational experiences.