Little Roos Readers
Six little books for a child's very first reading. Each one uses only the letter sounds learned so far, plus a handful of tricky words, so every word can be read.
Which book is next
Read them in order. Each book adds a few new sounds to the ones before it. Move on when your child can read a book with only a little help; there's no rush, and reading the same book again is how it gets easy. If a book feels hard, go back one.
| Book | New sounds | New tricky words | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ant and the Tin | s a t p i n m d | the, i | 9 |
| 2. Ant and the Egg | g o c k ck e | to, no, go, into | 10 |
| 3. Numbat and the Bug | u r h b | he, she, we, me, be | 10 |
| 4. Frog on a Log | f l ff ll ss | was, my, you, her | 10 |
| 5. Wombat's Box | j v w x y z zz qu | they, all, are, of | 11 |
| 6. Possum's Lunch | sh ch th ng | said, so, have, like, some | 11 |
Tricky words are common words that can't be sounded out yet, like the and was. They're learned by sight, a few in each book. Every other word in a book is checked by a script: it must be made only of sounds from that book or an earlier one.
Two ways to read
Read to me: Ruby Roo reads each page, and each word lights up as she says it, so your child sees which written word matches which spoken word. I'll read: the pages stay quiet until your child asks. In both, tapping a word says it, and tapping it again sounds it out, sound by sound (t–a–p, tap), with each part lit as it's said. “Read it to me” reads the page again at any time.
Every book turns its pages with a switch, a keyboard's arrow keys or a tap, and follows the settings on Ways to play.
Reading together
- Before you start, look at the picture and guess what might happen.
- Let your child try a word first. If they're stuck, tap it together to hear it sounded out.
- After the last page, ask what happened, and what they liked best.
Play together
For each story: things to say or ask, and one way to take turns on one device. The same card is on each story's first screen, under Play together.
Ant and the Tin
Things to say or ask
- Point to each word as you read.
- What will happen when the tin tips?
- Tap a tricky word to hear its sounds.
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener points to the words while the reader reads.
Ant and the Egg
Things to say or ask
- Point to each word as you read.
- What do you think is in the egg?
- Sound it out: p-e-ck, peck!
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener points to the words while the reader reads.
Numbat and the Bug
Things to say or ask
- Where did the bug go?
- Sound it out: b-u-g, bug.
- Was Numbat patient?
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener points to the words while the reader reads.
Frog on a Log
Things to say or ask
- Find the words that rhyme: frog, log, fog.
- What does Frog do next?
- Read it like Frog would: Ribbit!
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener does the actions: puff up, hop, kick.
Wombat's Box
Things to say or ask
- Would you like to sleep in a box?
- What happened when the wind got up?
- Read 'Yuck!' in your yuckiest voice.
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener does the sound effects: zzz, whoosh, splat.
Possum's Lunch
Things to say or ask
- What do you think Possum will eat?
- Who did Possum chat with?
- Read 'Munch, munch, munch' in your hungriest voice.
Taking turns on one device: Read a page each. The listener does the actions: sniff, munch, shh.
What it practises
- Reading a first book. Reading sentences and little books made only of the sounds learned so far.
AC9EFLY04 (English, Foundation); AC9EFLY12 (English, Foundation); EYLF 5.4 (Early Years Learning Framework V2.0)
The codes are from the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 and the Australian Curriculum v9. Echidna's Sentences builds sentences from the same books.
What it costs, and what we collect
Nothing, and nothing. Which books have been read is remembered on your own device and is never sent anywhere.