Learning to read can be tricky, but a good teacher can make all the difference!
When your feathered friends start begging for books, you want to be ready with all the right tools. First, find a cozy place to rest their chicken cheeks and help them peck the right story. Make sure to avoid the scary ones (and any books with fowl language). Help your chickens practice letter sounds, point out common words, and encourage every chicken scratch. Don’t forget to celebrate with a dance party! Before long, words will be flying off the pages . . . unless that fox gets in the way.
With warm colors, adorable characters, humor and hints of forthcoming mischief, How to Hatch a Reader is the perfect addition to any home, library or classroom, helping kids build confidence in their own skills while encouraging a love for books and reading with others.
Kari Ann Gonzalez is an award-winning writer of children's fiction and informational fiction with a heaping helping of humor and STEAM concepts. When she is not regaling her family with tall tales or creating colorful characters for her stories, you will find her reading voraciously. Two cats and six chickens are kind enough to share their home with Kari and her family in California. To learn more about Kari visit https://www.karianngonzalez.com.
In a Nutshell: An egg-cellent picture book filled with enjoyable learning.
Learning to read is an exciting plus scary prospect, but teaching to read is equally difficult. This book works for new learners as well as those who are teaching them to read, giving them simple techniques and a basic idea of milestones to reach on this journey towards textual grasping.
Written in second person addressed to the reader, this delightful picture book offers step-by-step instructions on how to train your chickens to read. Why train chickens, you ask? Well, aren’t they always going “b-b-b-book”? 😉 Going from letters to common words to guessing word pronunciations based on their sounds, the book provides a technique to its own readers about how they can learn to read with the help of their guardians.
The story itself is quite entertaining. There are plenty of humorous moments, courtesy the little girl’s tendency to make birdy booboos, such as showing her dear feathered friends a book about ‘deviled eggs.’ But as most of her approach is lighthearted and positive, it shows how pleasant a difficult task such as reading can be, if handled with the right attitude by both the learner and the teacher.
The story is written in simple prose. (Thank God for no rhymes!) There is plenty of wordplay, some of which are puns connected to chicken and eggs. While this demonstrates the author’s “eggceptional” creativity, I think adults will enjoy the puns even more than kids as there are so many hidden jokes that we will recognise and they won’t, such as ‘chicken scratches’ and ‘fowl’ language. At the same time, the book definitely will be hilarious to read aloud because there are many chuckle-worthy situations, especially with the refrain of “Sorry, Chickens!”
What furthers the fun quotient is the amazing illustrations, which are in a combination of digital and pencil art. The cover itself indicates the cuteness of the graphics. The hens and the little girl are sweet enough, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for the fox who appears on almost every page. There are many hidden Easter eggs also such as the title of the books the girl holds. Kids are sure to have a jolly time with the illustrations.
At the end, there is a page of instructions and online resources that can be used a beginners tools for reading.
Overall, this is definitely a great book for beginner readers to feel motivated about this new challenge in their lives, while also providing the adult readers a simple guideline of how they can begin teaching their wards. The content makes the book suitable to all early readers who are taking their first foray into independent reading.
4.25 stars
My thanks to Gnome Road Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “How to Hatch a Reader”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Here is this book about a little girl who is trying to teach the chickens in the barn. She tried to set a pattern to their learning and making them aware of the time-stealers like impersonating fox as metaphor. She taught them about letters, how these sounds, words, sentences. She told them to avoid any bad learning like fowl language; and homophones like, pluck-duck, etc.. She also made a valid point that readers do not hatch overnight. So, one must always practice and keep their eyes on the final learning gain.
However, I feel that the way to make children learn is not suitable but rather say, very typical and uneasy. Targeted young readers like of 5-8 years of age may not find it simple all through. It could have been way better if this whole thing was running like a classroom session, because that today's world this GenX do not get old school ways to early in their respective age.
Illustration, though, on other hand, were so good and colorful and very apt to describe the content through it like graphical novels run.
A must read. Quite funny book about teaching the chickens with whom she is very comfortable. The little girl teaches they must find a comfortable reading spot. She suggests their beds where they can all be together and she can teach them their AB’C’s to form familiar words. Most pages kids will be able to find the fox lurking about. The chickens learn to scritch out. Words. The back of the book is a couple of pages instructing best practice when teaching to read for parents or anyone who is interested in helping children to read. This little girl is so overjoyed to know and love to read. She wants to teach her friends. I would suggest reading this to preschool children or let very young readers to give it a go.i definitely would encourage reading this book. The illustrations were subdued and highlight the book’s passages. I was given an early copy for which I have given my honest opinion. Special thanks to the following for allowing me to review early: #NetGalley #Gnome Road Publishing. #KariAnnGonzolez #HowtoHatchaReader Pub. Date: 15 Aug 2023 Prepare to secure your copy just in time for back to school reading.
How to Hatch a Reader is an adorable early reader book for the youngest readers by Kari Ann Gonzalez. Due out 15th Aug 2023 from Gnome Road, it's 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
This is a free verse, fully illustrated, and simply written book about learning to read. It's full of humorous wordplay and lots of "fowl" humor. The art, by Rachel Suzanne is bright and colorful and filled with small details that will invite readers to take a closer look. The entire book is exuberant and colorful.
The author/publisher have also included a short list of resources and tips for learning to read aimed at educators and parents in the back of the book.
Five stars. This would be a great choice for classroom, home, or public library acquisition.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
How to Hatch a Reader" by Kari Ann Gonzalez is a delightful farm-themed adventure that's perfect for teaching little chicks, feathered or not, the joys of reading. The book provides catchy lines and fun scenes, creating a playful atmosphere that engages young readers. With warm colors and wonderful, vibrant illustrations, Gonzalez brings adorable characters to life, making the farm theme come alive on every page.
The author cleverly incorporates humor and hints of forthcoming mischief, adding an extra layer of enjoyment for both kids and parents. The book not only guides readers on how to nurture a love for books but also emphasizes the importance of choosing the right stories.
From finding a cozy place for chicken cheeks to celebrating progress with a dance party, "How to Hatch a Reader" is a charming and educational read that builds confidence in children's reading skills. This book is a valuable addition to any home, library, or classroom, fostering a love for reading and creating cherished moments of learning and laughter.
This is a really cute story for new readers about learning how to read. Except that fortunately, it is packaged in the form of a story about a little girl who is teaching her friends, a group of chickens, how to read. Because let's face it, learning without feeling you're being taught something is far more fun.
The illustrations are sweet, and so is the way the little girl advises the chickens on how to get comfortable, how to spell out words and so on. The story is packed with puns (though free of "fowl" language) which young readers will get a giggle out of, as well as a built-in opportunity to chorus "sorry, chickens" at regular intervals!
There are also useful resources for parents and teachers provided in the book. All in all, a great little book to read along with or start the kids reading with.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Thank you so much to Gnome Road Publishing And Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
A little girl is teaching her chickens how to read, using all different methods to help them build up and learn.
This was so cute, with really adorable hand-drawn illustrations, the story is really sweet and a great book when your little ones are wanting to start learning to read themselves. It gives you the building blocks on what to do, and how to do it.
The story is really funny and sweet, following the chickens as they start to learn to read and write, you also have the fun of spotting someone that shouldn’t be there lurking on each page which makes it even more fun.
I recommend this book it’s really fun and funny and sweet, it has good friendship and good reading building skills throughout. I had a lot of fun reading it and I liked the way the little girl was teaching the chickens really simply but very effectively.
As a 1st grade teacher I am always looking for books to read to my students about being readers. This book is coming soon and is an adorable way to show new readers how to get ready to read and some strategies they will need along the way. The author uses a little girl in the story who is teacher her chickens how to read. She reminds them to find a cozy spot, sound out the letters, and so much more! The illustrations are very colorful and vibrant as they take you on the little girl’s teaching journey with her chickens. This book is a good tool to get your young reader excited about reading! #howtohatchareader #netgalley #netgalleyreads #karianngonzalez #bookstagram #childrensbooks #readwithmslucy #mslucysliteracycorner
This laugh-out-loud book about teaching chickens to read will keep children and adults engaged throughout the story. Kids will love the snappy and "punny" text (no "fowl" words, for sure), as well as the adorable illustrations. Of course, the kiddos will be learning along with the chickens, but they may not know because they will be too busy laughing. (Don't tell) The additional back matter provides adults with tools for helping their beginning or reluctant reader. Rachel Suzanne's bright and fun illustrations combine with Kari Gonzalez's text to create a thoroughly engaging book. I highly recommend it. ***I received an early digital copy in turn for an honest review.
I thought this was a really great and hilarious story about teaching a flock of chickens to read! The puns were fantastic and will have kids ages 4-8 "cracking" up! The illustrations, made with a mix of digital art, pencil, and scanned textures are bright and eye-catching, and will captivate the viewers. Kids will enjoy pointing out the sneaky fox on each page, and the final reveal when the chickens catch a reader. The book also contains useful back matter describing parents/caregivers how to teach reading and incorporate early literacy skills. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy to read and review!
Oh, this book is hilarious! Sorry, chickens! Using straight-forward instructions, under the guise of teaching chickens (with a surprise learner who's welcomed at the end), this book walks parents and kids through the steps of learning how to read, scritch-scratching all the way. Filled with chicken puns and other hilarious set-ups (sorry chickens!), kids will want to read this book again and again until they can read it themselves. But I think they'll immediately want to participate in the refrain "Sorry, chickens!" A brilliant, well-executed concept for a picture book. Loved it, and I know that kids will, too!
My son and I read this book together to get some prospective from both his side and mine. Overall the book was good and kept my attention and my sons. I understood the comparison almost from the beginning and I think the author did a good job using the animals as an example of how to even become a good reader. My son is currently in the 2nd grade and not hugely interested in reading, but he was able to understand and really caught on. Maybe that is what he needs to do to find things that I like ! He thought the fox was fun and relatable since we know foxes and hens are not in line with each other. I think this is a great book that can be used to help children really grow to learn to read.
This is the cutest little must read books for kids (& adults) alike! Quite funny book about teaching the chickens with whom the little girl is very comfortable with. The little girl teaches they must find a comfortable reading spot & what better place to do that than your bed, DUH! The back of the book is a couple of pages instructing best practice when teaching to read for parents or anyone who is interested in helping children to read. This little girl is so overjoyed to know and love to read. She wants to teach her friends how to read and share her love of reading (which we definitely need more of in todays world). Can’t wait to see more from this author!
This is the cutest little must read books for kids (& adults) alike!
Quite a funny book about teaching the chickens, with whom the little girl is very comfortable with.
The little girl teaches they must find a comfortable reading spot, and what better place to do that than your bed, DUH!
The back of the book is a couple of pages instructing best practices when teaching how to read, for parents or anyone who is interested in helping children to read.
This little girl is so overjoyed to know how to and loves to read! She wants to teach her friends how to read and share her love of reading (which we definitely need more of in today's world).
I received an electronic ARC from Gnome Road Publishing through NetGalley. Gonzalez opens the world of reading by showing readers how chickens learn. This young girl patiently teaches chickens about letters, words and sentences. As they gain confidence with each, she introduces more reading concepts until they are performing using the text from a book. Don't miss the fox on each page. Readers will enjoy searching for him and then laughing at his attempts to catch a chicken. Everyone will appreciate the ending too. Be sure to read the book titles throughout for more connections and fun. Adults - informational text is provided at the end of the book.
"How to Hatch a Reader" by Kari Ann Gonzalez is an egg-cellent picture book! This is definitely a must-read! The main character is ready to teach the chicken how to read - starting with their letters, then sight words, and so on. However, the fox keeps trying to catch them! At the back of the book it gives a couple of pages instructing best practice when teaching to read for parents or anyone who is interested in helping children to read. It's always great to encourage the love of reading! This would be a great addition to your home, school, or classroom library! #HowtoHatchaReader #NetGalley
How to Hatch a Reader is an egg-ceptionally clever concept. I love how the adorable MC teaches the even more adorable chickens (if that is possible!) how to read (by incorporating key skills — letter sounds, word pairs, etc. in such a fun way). In turn, kids are learning strategies for how to read on their own without even realizing it. The word play is perfect and there are so many fun references that will make the reader smile (encourage every chicken scratch!, “peck” interesting stories to read, “fowl” language etc.). The illustrations are bright and cheery and a perfect match for the text! It is impossible not to feel happier after reading this book! It truly is egg-cellent!
Learning to read (in English) can be so much fun! The story shows a little girl teaching her chickens (while the fox hides here and there trying to catch a chicken). The principles are sound and make learning to read a lot of FUN. The illustrations by Rachel Suzanne are fun, simple, colorful, and DELIGHTFUL. Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library! I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Gnome Road Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
This is a delightful way to show children the progression of reading skills. It beginnings with the desire and end with reading full sentences. It shows how the skills are based upon one another. By using chickens as prospective readers, children will be anxious to see what happens. It is a great deviation from the normal ABC book. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and recognize the immense amount to time put into making it just right. the illustrations are funny and will be exciting for children. This is a must have for your children or classroom library.
Bawk! Let’s all read a b-b-b-book—with chickens! Chickenish charm abounds in this how-to-read-with-your-chickens book that encourages children to try sounding out words…and becoming readers themselves. Kids will adore hearing their adults read the poultry-related puns sprinkled throughout the text. And they’ll clamor to point out the wily fox in the background, trying to sneak into the henhouse while the plucky chickies are busy looking at books. A fun and encouraging introduction to the joys of reading!
Who doesn’t love chickens? I certainly do! So it begs the question, why teach not them to read? Better yet, why not teach them to read right alongside the kiddos in your life? I absolutely adore this story, which turn learning to read on its head, by providing a how-to guide for chickens, which coincidently, mirrors a how-to guide for kids!
Kids will love the humorous puns in this unique story. They'll recognize reading strategies they learn in school, and they will enjoy sounding out familiar words alongside their feathered friends. C-l-u-c-k!
A cute and very clever book that empowers readers to “teach” a flock of funny chickens how to read while learning reading basics on their own! Full of fowl language (haha) like how to “peck” a story to read, funny references (a book titled Winner Winner Chicken Dinner), and farmyard drama (a mischievous fox), this story will have little laughing as they sound out words and help the chickens avoid becoming dinner. Highly recommend!
This book about teaching chickens to read will keep children and adults giggling for hours. Teaching chickens to read is no easy task, but one little girl shows us all how it is done. Readers do not hatch overnight, but this book will inspire even the most reluctant reader. Children will love the "punny" text and cute illustrations. The book is cheerful, upbeat and thoroughly enjoyable. ***I received an early digital copy in turn for an honest review.
Witty and funny, HOW TO HATCH A READER is an entertaining book for children to practice their reading skills. The adorable characters make learning fun! Follow along on the farm with letters, common words, and paired words. Charming illustrations bring this fun story to life. A great addition to the classroom or child’s bookshelf. *I received an early digital copy from the author.
I got a peek (peck?) at an advance copy of this book and it is eggs-ellent -- and full of funny chicken puns and wordplay that kids will love. It's all about the familiar process of learning to read...by teaching chickens! A lurking fox adds an element of drama, until the chickens turn the tables on him. He must be after their books, right? New readers will love this charming story. Back matter includes a few helpful tips about helping someone learn to read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Gnome Road publishing for this Arc in exchange for an honest review
How to Hatch a reader is an absolute adorable book for little ones to teach them how to read. It's a fun, colourful and vibrant. The puns were my favourite and they are indeed punny lol. I highly recommend this book to teachers and parents that are looking for fun books to teach the little ones how to read, the book is so fun and engaging and educational.
Author Kari Ann Gonzalez and illustrator Rachel Suzanne have hatched a delightfully punny book about learning to read. Chicken-loving kids can learn about sounding out words and consistent reading practice, all without even realizing they’re learning. I adore Gonzalez’s breezy use of the second-person point of view and Suzanne’s humorous illustrations. An egg-cellent choice for home or classroom libraries.
HOW TO HATCH A READER is a punny and funny new picture book that is an egg-cellent read-aloud. Like pasta hiding vegetables, HOW TO HATCH A READER masks a step-by-step guide to help kids learn to read within a humorous story that kids will eat up. And because it includes jokes that adults will laugh at, too, everyone will be clamoring to read this sweet story again. Back matter outlines the steps to help your little ones master reading skills, and there’s an Educator Guide.
HOW TO HATCH A READER is an adorable, humorous book that has so many entry points for young readers. There’s a sweetness in the storytelling that promotes patience in learning to read while teaching reading strategies in such a clever way. Readers, of all ages, will enjoy the wordplay and humor throughout the book. And there are chickens! I think this book is a great addition to school and home libraries.
How to Hatch a Reader teaches us about learning to read, from the perspective of a young girl teaching her chickens how to "hatch" a reader. There are a lot of silly chicken jokes, but a lot of instructive text as well on the basic steps toward becoming a fluent reader.
Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).