Hey - E&Cmom, my DS7 (1st grade) was spelling just like this a year ago. Our kindergarten teacher actually said this was normal developmentally for a early writers to either omit the middle vowels (because they're least easy to sound out), or to put another one that sounds more correct in it's place. Now my son rarely studies the 3rd grade words he's given for a spelling test. It's actually a little eerie what he can spell. Anyway - no suggestions, but hang in there!
On recommended media - my son is completely in love with the Spiderwick Chronicles and Lemony Snicket books.
