Books for
 Dyslexic Children

  Dyslexia Parents Resource

Books for Parents

Children Coming to Terms with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Software

Special Education Law

• So You Think You've Got Problems
  This easy-to-read 17-page book is for dyslexic children of all ages. It explains, simply and sympathetically, what is happening to them, and how they can be helped to overcome their problems. It also hopes to show children that they are not alone in their difficulties, and that there are others with the same problems. The aim of this colourful book is to put dyslexia into perspective, particularly for a child, but for parents also.
  USA | UK
  
  So You Think You're Dyslexic
  Similar book for teenagers, this new title has been written to address the learning concerns of an older age group. It addresses the specific needs and very real fears of parents, teachers and children helping them to overcome the problems associated with dyslexia.
  USA | UK
  
  

• The Cat in the Hat
  The kids slumped in their chairs
  Too glum to complain.
  And to make matters worse,
  It started to rain . . .
  The Cat has arrived, and he's got a hat full of fun to save Conrad and Sally from a boring rainy afternoon. Written in buoyant easy-to-read prose (with more than a few hilarious asides from the pesky Fish), this official movie storybook is packed with full-color photos from the film!
  USA | UK
  
  

• Hooked on Phonics - If your child needs practice sounding out words or stumbles over words like bring, skate, and crowd when s/he reads aloud, this program can help develop reading fluency and challenge him/her with progressive reading improvement. (Recommended by Jay, Texas - 'Who would be without them?')

   

• Jolly Phonics - This systematic phonics program uses a multi-sensory approach and delightful characters (Inky Mouse, Snake, Bee, and Phonic) to teach the letter sounds and how they blend to form words. The program is effective with older children and adults who need special reading and writing help also. (UK)
  'An excellent scheme for teaching phonics to younger children is called ‘Jolly Phonics’. This is a visual, practical and fun approach to letter and sound recognition. Each letter is associated with an ‘action sound’; for example the letter ‘a’ is taught by running the fingers up and down the arm simulating lots of ants running about tickling the arm. The children are encouraged to say the sound that ‘a’ makes at the same time. ‘S’ is taught by simulating the weaving motion of a snake and at the same time hissing the ‘s’ sound. This visual and practical work is interesting and exciting for the pupils and is reinforced and supported with flash cards of each letter in bold with a picture of the corresponding action. Each letter is reinforced and consolidated with practice of correct letter formation in the air, in sand, on colored handwriting paper, mini white boards and on each other’s backs as well as by games trying to find the letter in a feely bag by touch alone. Once the letter has been mastered it is placed in a pot labeled ‘letters we know’. Another pot contains ‘letters we are going to learn’; the pupils enjoy seeing the transfer of letters to the ‘know’ box as they successfully learn them.' (J.D., Bexhill-on-Sea, UK)'
  
  

• Go Phonics - Teacher-developed to provide struggling and natural beginning readers with a strong foundation for decoding the English language. Skills are taught sequentially, one step at a time. With over 70 components, Go Phonics features 48 games that integrate with its workbooks and decodable storybooks.
  
  

• DIY Readers' Support Pack for Parents - Developed by the UK Dyslexia Institute for parents to help children who are beginning to read and those who continue to struggle. The pack offers a balanced approach to learning to read, comprising: a series of structured exercises to establish sound to letter links and early sound blending a range of activities for practicing and extending reading skills using books from home and school. The pack comes complete with a 25-minute explanation video and a 52-page booklet containing a series of timed exercises and activities (stopwatch included) together with guidance for parents. Also included is a special set of 144 cards incorporating picture alphabet cards,upper and lower case cards, vowel and short word ending cards. "Highly recommended" - John Bradford. (UK primarily)
  
  

• Beat Dyslexia - series of activities boxes with graded phonics program - recommended for home schooling parents.
  ‘T C’ and ‘J ‘ have worked on a Beat Dyslexia program which works through a multi sensory approach to learning. At the beginning of each session they have to make an ark of the alphabet and then have to pull out and feel the shape of the letter being covered in the session. They then go on to say the sound the letter makes. Next they have to draw the letter in the air as big as they can. I also get them to draw the letter on the back of each others hand so they can feel how the letter in written.
  The next step is to write the letter on paper, firstly tracing over the letter and then writing a row of their own. After that they have to listen to a tape and mark down in the correct box where the letter sound comes in the word. When they have done this we discuss their answers and if they have got any wrong we listen to the tape again and make any corrections. (K.H., Peterborough, UK).
  USA | UK
  
  

• Toe by Toe - The name Toe by Toe was chosen to signify that a student makes progress by the tiniest steps - one toe at a time. However, even though the steps taken are small, the student can clearly measure his or her progress right from the first page. You do not have to be trained in any field of Education to use Toe by Toe. 'A friend recommended “Toe by Toe” to me, and we are slowly working our way through it. It is a chore to him, but he is definitely starting to see the benefits because he is able to break down larger words into syllables now.' (N.A., Kent, UK)
  
  
• Mnemonics for Irregularly Spelt Words - Mnemonics (memory aids) are used to correct some common spelling mistakes & are presented in an entertaining & motivating way. Some of the most commonly used & irregularly spelt words are included from said (sed), does (dose/duz) through to any (eny) & friend (frend). The book has amusing pictures to color and a game to make up and play.
  
  
  
• 'Josh, a Boy with Dyslexia' - by Caroline Janover (Waterfront Books; ISBN 1-800-639-6063) - " I read 'Josh a Boy with Dyslexia' to my 8-year old daughter. It was excellent and helped her understand some of the things she was going through. She really related to his struggles. She took many things from this book, but the one that was most helpful was using a technique that Josh taught her to tell her left from her right hand. He used a wart on his left hand, my daughter to this day always looks for her birthmark on her right arm! Wonderful book to read to children!"
  USA | UK
  
  
  
• Chrysalis Books - Chrysalis Children’s Books has introduced READ™, a special new typeface used in educational books that makes reading more accessible to children. READ’s specially designed letter shapes and even letter spacing make books more inviting for all children. READ™ is particularly helpful for young readers, reluctant readers and those with learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
  
  Books include series on Wild Animals, How Things Have Changed, The Senses, A First Look at Art, Sing and Play, Everyday Food, and Little Hands.
  

• Special Needs Project Bookstore - Special Needs Project is a place to get books about disabilities. Located in Santa Barbara, California, SNP serves families, professionals, agencies and schools worldwide with the largest, most authoritative collection of disability-related materials. (USA)
  
  
• Better Books - UK bookshop specializing in books on dyslexia or for dyslexic children. Supply books worldwide and also undertake displays of books for UK dyslexia associations, etc.
  
  
  My Year with Harry Potter - the story of a dyslexic boy who fell in love with the Harry Potter books! USA | UK
  
  
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
• Harry Potter on CD audio - The Harry Potter books are very attractive to a dyslexic child, but may be too difficult to read without help. Now on CD, a child can follow the story in the book as it read aloud to them. UK | USA
     
  
  
  
  
  
• The Alphabet War: a Story About Dyslexia - a story book for children about Adam, a young dyslexic boy learning to read. Adam represents the creative, talented and imaginative spirit in all of us and the author expertly describes Adam's frustration and near defeat as he learns to overcome his shortcomings with the help of his mother and tutor. Its impossible not to cheer him on as he learns to stop pretending and feeling behind and breaks the "code" to win the war against words. The confidence he gains in himself is emphasized by the colorful, life-like illustrations. Recommended for anyone with a child struggling with dyslexia.
  UK | USA
  
  
  
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Perseus is alive and kicking and living in Manhattan. He goes by the name of Percy Jackson, he's 12 years old and has been shunted from one special school to another. He suffers from attention-deficit disorder and severe dyslexia. Does this sound like the stuff of Greek legend? Rick Riordan's book Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief unleashes the extraordinary lurking beyond the mundane. ("Similar flavor to Harry Potter"). UK | USA
  
  
• Barrington Stoke (recommended by John Bradford, Dyslexia Parents Resource - 'pocket-sized story books printed on off-white paper, well-spaced out, with many illustrations and good subject-matter, these books are highly recommended for 9- to 14-year old dyslexic readers.'
  
  
• Tregear Books - valuable series of multi-sensory phonics books which can be photocopied. One book - 'Mnemonics' - is especially helpful in dealing with spelling errors commonly made by dyslexic children and teens, e.g. because, said and enough.
  
  
• Great as Gold - website of stories about famous dyslexic people, written with the help of the author's dyslexic daughter.
  
  
  
• Talking Book Club - recorded children's and adults' books for rent (UK).
  
  
• Lacewing Multimedia - educational resources for 7-13 year old dyslexic children, using colorful and original stories and poems which reinforce the teaching points. The website also features fully illustrated children's fiction with sample pages which can be downloaded.
  
  
• Learning Staircase - Ros Lugg is a specialist teacher and assessor, specializing in learning disabilities (including dyslexia). She and several colleagues set up a resource company to provide resources and support for both children and adults. The resources are designed to be used by specialist teachers, speech/language therapists, tutors, or parents who wish to work with their own children. Most of the materials are game-based and detailed instructions are provided. The resources concentrate on developing the pre-literacy and early literacy skills and there is a teaching manual which can teach parents how to teach alphabet knowledge and spelling and reading skills. Individual advice is available by e-mail. The Learning Staircase also retails leading international software for literacy and numeracy. Ros’s company are particularly proud that many New Zealand schools, speech language therapists, SPELD tutors and parents are now using these materials with great success.
  
  
  
• Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (USA), a nonprofit volunteer organization, is the nation's educational library serving people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability. Our mission is to create opportunities for individual success by providing, and promoting the effective use of, accessible educational materials. 'Amy has signed up for Talking Books program through the national Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (which will get any book for the student, even if they have to record it, but charges a small fee).' (C.W., Texas).
  
  
• Reading A-Z - Low cost downloadable materials to teach guided reading, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension. 'Reading AZ is affordable and the material is excellent. My kids loves it - both my kids fight over who is going to read first.' (S.W., Coventry, UK)
  
  
  
  
  
• Strive Books - a (USA) one-stop resource for parents and educators who are looking for ways to help children and teens, who struggle with a learning difference, succeed.
  The Don't-Give-up Kid - Interview with the author Jeanne Gehret
  
  
  
  
• AudibleKids - website exclusively dedicated to downloadable children's audiobooks. AudibleKids represents a fun way to help children enjoy great stories and learn to read better. A website where parents, children, authors and educators come together to discover and share great audiobooks.
  

• Gavin Reid's website - informative website by the author of many valuable books on dyslexia, with a range of printable articles.
  
  

Books for Parents

Children Coming to Terms with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Software

Special Education Law