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Rating: 
Summary: Roaring approval for "Between the Lions"
Review: How did we get along without this book? It is indispensible for anyone who wants to help their children master their reading skills. And who wouldn't want to do that? "Between the Lions" opens up whole worlds to all levels of the family and is the perfect antidote to the piles and piles of plastic that accumulate in homes this time of the year. It's the best gift I received this holiday season.
Rating:
Summary: Roaring approval for "Between the Lions"
Review: How did we get along without this book? It is indispensible for anyone who wants to help their children master their reading skills. And who wouldn't want to do that? "Between the Lions" opens up whole worlds to all levels of the family and is the perfect antidote to the piles and piles of plastic that accumulate in homes this time of the year. It's the best gift I received this holiday season.
Rating: 
Summary: Good But Over Emphasizes TV
Review: The creators of Between the Lions have written an interesting well laid out book however, I believe they over emphasize the *need* of children to watch their show. The writers believe that it is virtually impossible to show some pre- and emergent readers concepts without using the TV to illustrate their point such as the alphabet done in verbs. In fact there is a book called _Action_Alphabet_ that does just that. The authors believe their concept of switching around the letters in a word (the Fred segment) and adding letters can only be done on TV, in fact the book _The_Alphabet_Keeper_ shows it being done. We can also easily do this on our fridge at home using the magnetic letters. If you (and your kids like the TV series) this is probably an okay book. In addition, by kindergarten chapter the authors discuss how to teach help your child without interfering in the school's reading instruction. It becomes clear that emphasis is not on how to teach your child how to read, but how to support emerging literacy. This is a good goal, but not what I was hoping for. On the plus side, after reading the first section, the authors do encourage you to skip around and read only the sections that are important to your child, so you can go straight to the first grade chapter and skip the others if that is where you child currently is.
Rating:
Summary: Good But Over Emphasizes TV
Review: The creators of Between the Lions have written an interesting well laid out book however, I believe they over emphasize the *need* of children to watch their show. The writers believe that it is virtually impossible to show some pre- and emergent readers concepts without using the TV to illustrate their point such as the alphabet done in verbs. In fact there is a book called _Action_Alphabet_ that does just that. The authors believe their concept of switching around the letters in a word (the Fred segment) and adding letters can only be done on TV, in fact the book _The_Alphabet_Keeper_ shows it being done. We can also easily do this on our fridge at home using the magnetic letters. If you (and your kids like the TV series) this is probably an okay book. In addition, by kindergarten chapter the authors discuss how to teach help your child without interfering in the school's reading instruction. It becomes clear that emphasis is not on how to teach your child how to read, but how to support emerging literacy. This is a good goal, but not what I was hoping for. On the plus side, after reading the first section, the authors do encourage you to skip around and read only the sections that are important to your child, so you can go straight to the first grade chapter and skip the others if that is where you child currently is.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have For All Parents
Review: There are scads of studies linking the ability of children to read well with all kinds of other things: future academic achievement, success in the job market--you name it. This book artfully takes the mystery out of the process of helping your little one tackle the task of reading--in a very conversational and commonsense way. There are fun graphics throughout, and the book is not at all "academic". It also has terrific age specific reading lists--for your child to read alone, and for you to read aloud to your child. The late Captain Kangaroo and Fred Rogers would have approved--and so will your children!! Buy it today!
Rating: 
Summary: Nice companion to the show
Review: _Between the Lions_ joins Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street on PBS. The creators of BTL have created a companion book for parents. It has everything one needs to help a child discover, learn, and enjoy reading, beginning with preschool and ending with third grade. An important section to read is "How to Use the Book." At first glance it seems almost too technical, but don't worry, the reasons will eventually become clear. The authors' believe "children learn to read when they receive both instructions in reading skills and introduction to the value of understanding what they read." Their approach, in both the show and the book, is "practical, comprehensive, and fun." In the series, the writers use wonderful, lively characters to keep the young ones' attention. In the book, the writers use various methods to keep the parents reading. The chapters are marked by grades and throughout the book are patterned pages with vital information and explanations about reading, writing, and sounding out words. The patterned pages make for quick access. The book gives explanations of the five key areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. There are grade-by-grade guides for preschool through third grade, as well as information on reading and learning disabilities; also lists of resources, including books and web sites and a glossary. It's the most comprehensive companion book I have ever seen. Parents, be sure to do your child's preschool or elementary teacher a favor and bring this book to their attention.
Rating:
Summary: Nice companion to the show
Review: _Between the Lions_ joins Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street on PBS. The creators of BTL have created a companion book for parents. It has everything one needs to help a child discover, learn, and enjoy reading, beginning with preschool and ending with third grade. An important section to read is "How to Use the Book." At first glance it seems almost too technical, but don't worry, the reasons will eventually become clear. The authors' believe "children learn to read when they receive both instructions in reading skills and introduction to the value of understanding what they read." Their approach, in both the show and the book, is "practical, comprehensive, and fun." In the series, the writers use wonderful, lively characters to keep the young ones' attention. In the book, the writers use various methods to keep the parents reading. The chapters are marked by grades and throughout the book are patterned pages with vital information and explanations about reading, writing, and sounding out words. The patterned pages make for quick access. The book gives explanations of the five key areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. There are grade-by-grade guides for preschool through third grade, as well as information on reading and learning disabilities; also lists of resources, including books and web sites and a glossary. It's the most comprehensive companion book I have ever seen. Parents, be sure to do your child's preschool or elementary teacher a favor and bring this book to their attention.
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