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One of the major conversations taking place amongst educators, booksellers, reporters, and social media influencers alike is concern for literacy in the United States. Inevitably, the conversation boils down to pointing fingers: parents are not doing enough, teachers cannot do more, screens are perpetually in the way, and the statistics on both adults and children are flabbergasting. What is really needed are solutions, and Hajek's book offers one.
Hajek's book is a fun exploration of the sounds of each letter of the alphabet, accompanied by imaginative stories and activities for children to engage with the material. The book is not intended to be read by the child but by the teacher or parent. Teaching children to read is both a hands-on and auditory experience. They need experience holding books, flipping pages, and sounding out words, but they also need to see it demonstrated by being read aloud. Hajek carefully assembles these activities so the parent or teacher can make the story more engaging than simply listening to it. These activities range from drawing pictures that relate to the particular letter that was read about, to physical movements to perform when one hears the sound. And should the parent or teacher feel moved to use creativity with the activities and expand on them, there is plenty of room to do so.
The author's book proves that engaging in the conversation on literacy in the United States does not have to stop at describing the problem. Books like hers provide a simple, accessible way forward. Hajek's book is for parents wishing to reinforce literacy in their children while bonding and connecting with them outside of an academic environment. It also has a place in the classroom for teachers who are looking for fun and unique ways to encourage their students to engage with the material.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review