DS8 started reading just before his second birthday. He was fairly independent rather quickly. He liked me to read to him as well so we'd each choose a page and read to each other. I'd read the lefts and he'd read the rights. We still do it on occasion.
DS 5 liked the sharing too, I think was nervous that being able to do it himself meant we wouldn't read to him or with him, but once we assured him we would read together as much or as little as he wanted he was more independent. And then it became almost a compulsion. He is the kid who props up books while eating (when I let him) and wants to read everything he can see!
He read sight words at 3 but then went 0 to 600 in less than a year, almost frightening leaps - clifford starter books right before 4 by 4.5 when I found this group he was doing much more advanced and now at 5.5 is reading and comprehending books on his schools 5th grade reading list and is science comprehension is much higher.
All that being said, he has the emotional skills of.a 5 year old so a lot of content is too
scary or too inappropriate. It's a balancing act. I've gotten great book advice here but the best I got was on the wall of the library, it said just because your child can read the words don't forget the pictures. In one of his leaps forward DS was devouring nonfiction
and chapter books and because of that sign I realized I was ignoring his 5 year old parts in favor of the advanced parts. So in his library basket right now are 2 simon basher science books, a dragon slayer academy book, the newest Melanie watt picture book, and 2 older chapter books which he has finished but he wants to read with us too.
I go to the library constantly to keep the books flowing, but he sets the pace on how long we keep them. Also I found that DS liked pictures long after being a really
competent reader, there are great "picture" books that are more substantive, like magic school bus.
I could obviously go on and on
it's really fun when they are interested in reading like this but for us (and others here) it's also a bit like having to feed them. DS actually gets antsy without new material. There are a lot of flavors to the early readers - I would do a search, there are some fabulous threads and the book rec's are awesome here!
DeHe
