I See Someone Reading...

I see Heather.


I see! I see!


I see Heather reading.


Heather can read.


Heather can read I See Sam.
















Once upon a time, long, long ago, a little girl named Heather loved to read her I See Sam books...

Many, many years later, Heather had children of her own, and now they love to read the I See Sam books, too!




I see Ladybug
















I see Cowboy












and 
I see Firefly












ALL reading I See Sam books...with a smile!!

Isn't that amazing?? Thirty-eight years and six kids later, the I See Sam books are still a favorite with Heather AND with her kids.

Bubba read them.

Tex read them.

And now Ladybug, Cowboy, and Firefly read them.

Now that's durability!!



This is the reading suitcase.

This is where we keep my old I See Sam readers (set 1) and our other phonics readers.

This is where we now keep Sets 3 and 4 from Academic Success for All Learners which we reviewed this month.

I was so excited when I saw this product listed as a review possibility. 
I had no idea these classic readers were still around!

Before choosing which readers to review, each of the kids completed an online printable assessment using the customizable Learning Guide to determine their placement level. Tex and Ladybug tested for levels three and four, while Firefly is just starting to read and needed my old set of Level One readers (yay!).

Soon after ordering our readers, we received a sturdy box containing levels 3 and 4 in the mail, and we added our new books to our Reading Suitcase.

I typed up a progress chart to keep track of the Ladybug and Cowboy's progress in my binder, and we put the tracking sheets provided by the company for the kids on the fridge.

Several times a week I asked the kids to read a Sam book and write their name on the back cover when they were done. I told them to put a check next to their name if they read the book a second (or third) time and they think that is pretty nifty. Once they are able to read each book well ON THEIR OWN, they add a star to their chart to show their progress. I fill out my chart for my own records.

Ladybug and Cowboy LOVE reading the I See Sam books because they are never intimidated and are able to achieve advancement steadily and without too much trouble. They also work on leveled readers from our shelves or the Bookmobile (typical "Easy Reader" books), but these can really stretch them and sometimes "tire" them out (especially since they usually want to choose ones above their level because of content).

The Sam readers make them "work," but at a steadier, more relaxed pace, with LOTS of reinforcement. Since each of the readers builds upon the previous ones, and adds new words and phonics patterns gradually, as long as the children master the earlier books before moving on, they are sure to be successful...hence the company moniker of Academic Success for All Learners.

Each of the children feels a strong sense of progress as they add more titles to their "done" lists. Ladybug and Cowboy can't wait to finish Set 3 so they can move on to Set 4, which they have already previewed and think looks like fun...two stories per book!

Firefly is loving being "tutored" by Ladybug, and Boo loves to be "read to" by Firefly as she practices her early sight words and phonics.

It's amazing how classics endure. Quality lasts...and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Each set of I See Sam Little Books costs only $30, or you can go all out and purchase a Deluxe Set with the first four full sets of Little Books, teaching materials (instructor's guides, progress charts, etc.), flashcard sets, a Sam (lion) puppet that roars, a coloring book, and shelf organizers for only $160...that's 91 books and all you need to teach through them all!

The instructor's guide helps the teacher know what to do when working with the students each step of the way, and each book includes prompts (such as underlining or symbols that cue teacher responses) that help you use the books interactively with your children. Also, each book contains discussion questions, and certain books (different ones with each set) are assessment books that will help you determine if your child is on track.

There are eight levels/sets of I See Sam Little Books to choose from, ranging from Kindergarten level to level 3.6. You can check out the Scope and Sequence of the books, create your own customizable guide for using and teaching with the I See Sam materials, see a demo copy of one of the books, or watch a video preview of the books.




One set of I See Sam books, just thirty dollars. 


Books that help two generations of kids gain confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and a love for reading, well, that's priceless...










See what others have to say about these fine books at the TOS Homeschool Review Crew blog.



Blessings,








Disclaimer: I received two sets of Little Books to enable me to review them with my kids here on this blog. The experiences and opinions you read about here are my honest impressions about this product. If you have questions about our experiences with this product, please feel free to contact me or comment.