Bob Books Set 4 - Complex Words

BOB Books - Set 4 - Compound Words

by Bobby Lynn Maslen

Readers at this level are able to tackle longer sentences and longer books but still love the accomplishment of reading a book all the way through. Bob Books Set 4 continues to build reading skills, while also providing engaging stories that build success.

In Bob Books Set 4 , the simple narrative and design help children focus their skills on decoding, while introducing more challenging concepts and longer words. The delightful illustrations and humor help keep young readers engaged.

Inside the box you'll
- 8 easy-to-read books, 16-24 pages each
- Many four and five letter words (one syllable)
- Two syllable words 
- Many consonant blends (such as nd, sn, st, ck)  
- A few vowel combinations (such as ou, ee, oo )
- Many words can be "sounded out" (phonics based)
- Limited sight words
- Up to 150 words per book

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Kids

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Bobby and John Maslen developed the Bob Books, while Bobby was a teacher of 3 to 5-year-olds at a private school in Portland, Oregon. After many years of self-publishing, Scholastic became Bob Books’ publisher in 1995.

Reviews

[Hillary Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This set was a great progression from set 3. It was definitely challenging for my daughter. New concepts included consanent blends, vowel teams, and some long vowels. Up to 3 sentences per page. I thought these books were a "just right" level. CVC words are too easy for my daughter, but many easy readers are still too advanced. This set did a great job of introducing more challenging words at a good pace.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good progression into harder words for late kindergarten/early 1st grade.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for Little Readers; When Letters First Turn In To Words

Our local library has multiple sets of "Bob Books"; that includes the 5 sets currently available and various older and earlier editions. (There have been so many different original and updated sets and levels that the Bob Books website FAQ has a chart that shows which books over the years replaced which books at the various reading levels.) The books are only 5 1/2 by 4 inches, so the library keeps them in a long plastic shoebox. I mention this because our kids just set the box on a table and snack on the books like little mental potato chips.

As a treat, I got Set 4 for the kindergartener and Set 1 for his younger brother. They keep them at their homework desks. (The kinderboy has real kindergarten homework; younger bro has pretend but very important homework.) Having their own mini-library of Bob's has been very successful. In a while I'll get Set 5 and Set 2.

These are very friendly books. They are illustrated with drawings that are just a bit fancier than stick figures. The drawings are jazzed up with splashes of watercolor here and there. They are not set in formal type. Rather, the words appear to have been hand printed. That presentation may seem a bit spare and childish, but the practical effect is that the books look very inviting rather than challenging or demanding. They are fun and silly and cheerful, and tell simple and understandable little stories.

I'm not well versed in reading education theory, but these books do not seem to be based on any rigorous, inflexible or odd theory or approach. The books just progress from very simple words to more complex reading. Set 1, (with 12 mini-books), introduces all of the alphabet letters, (except "Q", which makes sense I guess), and consists entirely of two or three letter words that can be sounded out.

By the time you get to Set 4, (8 mini-books), you have longer books, many four and five letter words, consonant blends, (nd, sn, st), and some vowel combinations, (ou, ee, oo). Set 5 is the big jump to long vowels, silent "e", sight words and the like. Then, it's off to read "War and Peace".

So, I'm very happy with these books as a reading treat, and it was a bonus that the kids led me to these books instead of the other way around. (Please note: I find this stuff interesting but I have no connection to the author or the publisher of these books, and bought them with my very own money.)

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOB Books Set 1: Beginning Readers: 3.00
BOB Books Set 2: Advancing Beginners: 3.00
BOB Books Set 3: Word Families: 2.50
BOB Books Set 4: Complex Words: 2.75
BOB Books Set 5: Long Vowels: 2.75
This Book:

This is great and teaches young readers complex words. 2.75 because only 8 books. It makes me confused because there are usually 10-12 books.

Title: Bob Books Set 4: Complex Words
Author: Bobby Lynn Maslen
Illustrator: John R. Maslen
Reviewed By: Charlie

Book#/Title

1: Ten Men
2: Bump!
3: Cat and Mouse
4: The Swimmers
5: Samantha
6: Willy's Wish
7: Jumper and the Clown
8: Max and the Tom Cats

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

When my daughter transferred to an academically-focused preschool, we were pleasantly surprised to be introduced to the Bob Book Series. She began with Set 1 knowing very few sight words. But we read the books every day, and before we knew it, she had mastered sets 1-5 by the end of the year! Over the summer, she mastered the Kindergarten and First Grade sets as well. We also purchased the Level 1 books for her, and she LOVES them. We had her tested with the WJ-III the week before Kindergarten, and she was already reading at a first grade, seven month level! Her teacher already has her reading to the class, and she aced the examination they give the children the first week of the Kindergarten to track their progress over the course of the year. If you are committed to reading with your child every day, the Bob Book sets will give them an advantage over their peers.

This year, I started my three year old on Set One, and she has already mastered the first few books! When she began preschool this year, her teacher gave her the “Break-Out Student” award the first week of school, because she was already a more advanced reader than most of the four-year-olds. If you are looking for a book series to get your child reading, this is the way to go!

[Lorelei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've homeschooled five of my children, and every single one of them has learned to read by a different method. My youngest is using, and loves, the Bob Books. They are not for everybody - my oldest son taught himself to read with Calvin & Hobbes for instance - but if this sort of things suits a person's learning style, I haven't run into anything better yet.

[Alexandra Chauran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my 2-year-old's first checkout at the library after getting her very own library card. She spent about an hour and a half flipping through it and having it read at the library and took it to show and tell at preschool.

[Rochelle Sondae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I prefer "whole language" readers however, I do like that this series invites the reader to color and to interact with the characters by utilizing the included paper finger puppets.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for teaching kids how to read. I own the whole series and highly recommend it.