Stop and Wait
What’s inside...
A captivating tale about a young squirrel who learns valuable life lessons on patience and the importance of waiting. Red Squirrel Phonics is a new series of decodable readers from Raintree, designed to teach children phonics skills in a sequential and systematic way. Children learn the sounds (phonemes) and the letters that represent them (graphemes), then practise and apply this knowledge through reading appealing, decodable texts. In this Level 7 book, Eve loses her mother in the crowd but stops and waits in the park, where she chats and jokes with Jo, a kind police officer.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-8
Length
20 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think the main character felt when they had to stop and wait?
Can you think of a time when you had to wait for something? How did it make you feel?
Why is it important to sometimes stop and be patient?
What are some ways we can make waiting easier or more fun?
How did the character change from the beginning to the end of the story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate the story to their own experiences. This enhances empathy and understanding.
Use expressive reading styles, altering your voice for different characters, to make the reading session lively and engaging.
Pause after key moments in the story to give your child a chance to reflect and respond to what’s happening.
Discuss the illustrations in the book and ask your child how they think the pictures relate to the words on the page.
Praise your child's responses, whether they're correct interpretations or imaginative opinions, to foster a positive reading environment.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Patience
Explanation: The story follows a young rabbit who learns the value of waiting its turn through various scenarios.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by taking turns and practicing patience during games or group activities, fostering harmonious play and interactions.
Example Lesson: Perseverance
Explanation: As challenges arise in the story, the rabbit continues to try without giving up, ultimately achieving its goals.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the importance of persisting through difficulties whether in learning new skills or completing tasks.
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: The rabbit learns to understand and share the feelings of its friends when they face troubles, showing kindness and support.
Real-World Application: Children learn to consider the feelings of others and respond compassionately, important for developing social skills.