Book Review: Budding Reader Book Set 1: Cat and Rat by Melinda Thompson with Melissa Ferrell

Ok so I know I've mentioned it many times on my blog but my son has multiple learning disabilities. He is seven years old and while other children his age are starting chapter books he is learning site words. He is not even ready to have chapter books read to him. But he'll gladly sit through picture books. We've done a few early readers and as long as they have pictures on every page he'll let me read them to him.

When I saw the Cat and Rat book set on *Netgalley I'll admit at first I judged it by its cover. This was a HUGE mistake on my part. These book sets are PERFECT for special needs children. Basically it is a set of books that tells the same story. However, it starts with just the pictures then each book adds more and more words till your child is reading a whole story.

Ok I cannot stress enough just how much I love this book set!! I found another set up on Netgalley and immediately swooped in to request it. I also think I'm going to buy the other sets. You might be asking why I'm so excited about these books. Well lets see as we progressed along my son got more and more excited about reading more and more words. He craves positive feedback in a way I can't even begin to describe. These books set up the child to gradually read more and more words and longer and longer sentences. My son was giddy and smiling like crazy as he realized that he was actually reading. And not just reading words he knows but actual sentences. We made it about half way through the books before he had to take a break. But he was so happy and I let him know how proud of him I was. He begged me to write a note to his teacher to let her know. He then said, "Can we call daddy and tell him? I can read it to him over the phone."  I plan on continuing the rest of the set over the weekend.

If you are a parent with a child who is just learning to read, struggling to read or like my son has some form of learning disability you HAVE to check out these books. They are confidence building and really are the best learn to read books I've ever come across. And trust me I've gone through more of them than you can imagine.

I'm giving this 5 out of 5 but really as a mommy who for the first time got to hear her son read a book it is worth more stars than I could ever give.

Oh! I forgot to mention that for every Ebook set that is sold they will donate one set to a child in need. How awesome is that!?!?!


*I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion
**This book was read with my special needs son who is severely learning disabled. The review reflects not only my opinion but his as well