Bob Books - Set 1: Beginning Readers Box Set | Phonics, Ages 4 and up, Kindergarten (Stage 1: Starting to Read)

I bought Bob Books - Set 1: Beginning Readers for my 4-year-old, and I’m amazed at how quickly he started reading! He really enjoys this set, and it’s been a great confidence booster. The books are the perfect size for little hands, with simple, non-distracting illustrations and just a few words per page. The progression is gradual, making it easy for young readers to build their skills without feeling overwhelmed. Highly recommend for any parent looking to introduce their child to reading in a fun and engaging way!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ 4.9 out of 5 starsThe Phonics Phenomenon That Started It All!"Bob Books Boxed Set 1: Beginning Readers" is the timeless classic that has launched millions of young readers on their journey to literacy. This iconic phonics-based set is a true gem, designed with simplicity and effectiveness in mind, ensuring that even the littlest bookworms can proudly declare, “I read the whole book!”®One of the standout features of this set is its incredible ability to cater to the needs of brand-new readers. Many early reader books throw in words that can stump a child who's just grasping the sounds of the alphabet. Not these books! With the first story containing just four letter sounds (M, A, T, and S), children can dive right in and finish a whole book, giving their confidence a major boost. The joy on a child’s face when they read their first book all by themselves is absolutely priceless.Inside the box, you’ll find 12 easy-to-read, hilariously entertaining small books, each with 12 pages and 7-20 unique words per book. The stories use two- and three-letter words with short vowels that can be easily decoded or "sounded out." Think simple sentences like "Sam sat."—short, sweet, and manageable for young readers. The progression is gentle, with new letter sounds added gradually, so kids never feel overwhelmed. By the end, they've encountered almost all the letters of the alphabet (except for the elusive Q).The friendly, two-color illustrations are a perfect match for the text—fun without being distracting. They add just the right amount of humor and charm to keep kids engaged. Plus, the parent card with tips for helping your child learn to read is a thoughtful addition, making it easier for caregivers to support their little learners.Guided Reading Levels A, B, C and Lexile® Measure BR – 290L place this set right where it needs to be for ages 4-6 and PreK to Kindergarten grade levels. Created by a teacher and grounded in the Science of Reading, Bob Books has been a reliable tool for building young readers' confidence, success, and love of reading for more than forty years.Why the 4.9 and not a perfect 5 stars? Well, in the spirit of honesty, I think the simplicity might leave parents wishing for just a touch more story variety. But that's a small nitpick for an otherwise stellar set.In conclusion, "Bob Books Boxed Set 1: Beginning Readers" is an absolute must-have for any parent or teacher looking to give their child a head start in reading. It’s a tried-and-true series that will have your little one beaming with pride as they read their first books. So, get ready to join the millions of happy kids who joyfully proclaim, "I read the whole book!"

My four-year-old received this set yesterday and is reading it right now to his grandparents. He’s so excited to show them his reading and share the silly stories!For background:He goes to a Montessori school, so he has a very good grasp of the letters and their sounds and already knows how to sound out simple words to read and approximately spell them.With summer break here, I wanted to make sure he’s still advancing and stimulated and I could tell from his level that he was ready to read simple beginner books. I bought the McGuffey Pictorial reader first, and he thrived on the first few pages. But the difficulty level and abstractness of the content increased too quickly. He needed more content at that introductory level to practice and enjoy his newfound skill of reading. I checked local libraries and all the “beginner” readers there were still a bit too advanced. A blog highly recommended the Bob books, so I searched to see whether local libraries had any copies… nope, all loaned out. Very popular books, it seems. So I bought it here….Reading level and structure:The books are the perfect reading level! The first one is a story about Mat and Sam, and only uses simple, two-to-three-letter words that are easily sounded out. Book 1 only uses a handful of letters, and each subsequent book adds around 2-4 letters and a subtle bit of complexity. Each book intentionally repeats the same words several times for more practice and solidifying how the sounds come together, as well as for easier reading as the book goes on to reward their hard work with a sense of accomplishment and to let them appreciate the story as it comes to its silly conclusions. As for how quickly complexity is added from one book to the next, I would say it’s just about right. Of course I would always love to have more material at any given level, especially with how much he loves the stories, but really it is probably best as is because it leads the student to want to go to the next level. He doesn’t seem to have any lack of material and just now read a book by himself to his grandparents that we didn’t go over yesterday! And did I mention how much he loves the stories?Bonus tip:Yesterday he had trouble when b and d were in a story together. If your kid has that problem too, just do an internet search for a picture that’s floating around of a “b” and a “d” drawn as humanized stick figures. Their faces are both facing right, so the b has a “big belly” and the d has a “dirty diaper”. Kids find it hilarious and it’s a great visual device to distinguish the two while automatically remembering their sounds.

My son is 5 and we started these books and he is doing so well with them. They’re short and very easy for them to learn. He picked up on them fast. I am so proud of him. Every-time he reads I get so excited.We have only gotten to number 3 so far just because I like to keep doing the same one for awhile to make sure he actually gets it and learns it. But after the first one he wanted to try number 2 and he got that one right away and wanted 3. I’m very impressed. A very great tool. I am starting homeschool with him this fall and it’s just given me a lot of confidence myself to do things like this with him.