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Learning to Read With BOB Books

Reading BOB Books on our Kindle

We own several sets of BOB Books, and they have played a strong role in my three older kids learning to read, so we were thrilled to review some of their new Kindle books (the same books you buy in print, but available for Kindle – This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.). My kids adore the traditional print BOB Books – little Anna even went through a phase where she had to bring at least one BOB Book every where she went. She even slept with them! We will continue to read these boxed sets, but it’s wonderful to be able to read them on the go with our Kindle Fire! Johnny can easily read through most of the traditional BOB Books, and he will easily read through an entire set on our Kindle.

Learning to read with BOB Books

BOB Books are fabulous early readers for kids who want to have full command of the text that they read. The short stories gives early readers a nice sense of accomplishment. The plots are limited due to word choice, but my kids often find them entertainingly silly, and they enjoy the simple illustrations. We got the small BOB Books like the one that Anna is holding in the photo above from Scholastic’s book club; everywhere else they seem to come in the larger size that Johnny is reading.

Learning to read with BOB Books early readers

BOB Books also recently expanded their book offerings into more advanced level 1 readers. Johnny was so excited to see these first in the library, and then when we were sent a couple to review! The plots and text are more advanced, and the illustrations have more detail. I’m hoping that these will soon become available for the Kindle, also!

Do your kids love BOB Books? What books have your early readers loved?

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

20 thoughts on “Learning to Read With BOB Books”

  1. I’ve heard great things about the BOB Books but we don’t have any and I’ve never seen them. Thank you for sharing these photos – we might try out the kindle versions!!

  2. My kids tried the Bob books but we didn’t have much luck with them because they needed more of a story but other friends of my kids thought the books were very funny and loved them.

  3. All three of my kids learned to read with BOB books. They were the small boxed sets with all black and white drawings….which I’d find colored in sometiimes. I think we had 4 levels of sets. My kids loved these books so much, they followed the letter sounds they learned in Montessori. They give a kid a sense of being a competent reader quickly. The first two sets were the best!

  4. teachingyoungchildren

    Bob books never took on here, but I know many people who had success with them. It’s cute that Anna is taking them everywhere, she might be your earliest reader yet :)

  5. I don’t think I’ve heard of these books; thanks for sharing. Right now my 4yo is starting to read bigger books on his own. He likes these books about a dog named Sam, and also this set of Diego books that someone gave us.

    I recently took a video of him and his dad reading a book together where it was my son mostly reading all the words. It’s so thrilling to see that, and to hear him sound out what I initially thought were too difficult for him, but he managed to still plow through.

    His favorite books right now (though it’s not something he can read all on his own) are the Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile books.

    1. I think Johnny enjoys the leveled readers best at this point, but he adored their early readers back when he was barely starting to read, and still reads through them for fun sometimes.

      And I love that you captured your son’s early reading on video. Such a precious memory!

  6. Elisa | blissfulE

    Yay for BOB books! My kids love them, too. Michael even had a phase where he was copying the illustrations. I think they are my favourite very first reader books.

    1. I love that the illustrations are simple so that children can copy them. They are definitely my favorites of the very first reader books I have seen.

  7. We love BOB books. His reading has really taken off since we started the Sight Words boxed set. Explode the Code is really working for us too, but they have to be ready for it. I started it about 6 months ago and had to put it away for a while. Now he’s tearing through it!

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