Letters and Sounds (Get Set for Kindergarten!) [Hardcover]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Series: Get Set for Kindergarten!

Join Timothy, Yoko, Fritz, Nora, and the rest of Mrs. Jenkins's class in these fun-filled interactive picture books that introduce concepts taught in kindergarten. From counting to measuring to money, readers will learn all about the alphabet, sounds, rhyming and more in Letters and Sounds. Developed with the help of an expert in the field of early childhood education-and reviewed by kindergarten teachers across the country-designed for repeated use (without being written in) and also include creative suggestions for taking each activity one step further. Getting ready for kindergarten has never been so much fun!

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (January 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670896519
• ISBN-13: 978-0670896516
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in New York City, Rosemary Wells grew up in a house "filled with books, dogs, and nineteenth-century music." Her childhood years were spent between her parents' home near Red Bank, New Jersey, and her grandmother's rambling stucco house on the Jersey Shore. Most of her sentimental memories, both good and bad, stem from that place and time. Her mother was a dancer in the Russian Ballet, and her father a playwright and actor. Mrs. Wells says, "Both my parents flooded me with books and stories. My grandmother took me on special trips to the theater and museums in New York. "Rosemary Wells's career as an author and illustrator spans more than 30 years and 60 books. She has won numerous awards, and has given readers such unforgettable characters as Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko. She has also given Mother Goose new life in two enormous, definitive editions, published by Candlewick. Wells wrote and illustrated Unfortunately Harriet, her first book with Dial, in 1972. One year later she wrote the popular Noisy Nora. "The children and our home life have inspired, in part, many of my books. Our West Highland white terrier, Angus, had the shape and expressions to become Benjamin and Tulip, Timothy, and all the other animals I have made up for my stories." Her daughters Victoria and Beezoo were constant inspirations, especially for the now famous "Max" board book series. "Simple incidents from childhood are universal," Wells says. "The dynamics between older and younger siblings are common to all families."But not all of Wells' ideas come from within the family circle. Many times when speaking, Mrs. Wells is asked where her ideas come from. She usually answers, "It's a writer's job to have ideas." Sometimes an idea comes from something she reads or hears about, as in the case of her recent book, Mary on Horseback, a story based on the life of Mary Breckenridge, who founded the Frontier Nursing Service. Timothy Goes to School was based on an incident in which her daughter was teased for wearing the wrong clothes to a Christmas concert. Her dogs, west highland terriers, Lucy and Snowy, work their way into her drawings in expression and body position. She admits, "I put into my books all of the things I remember. I am an accomplished eavesdropper in restaurants, trains, and gatherings of any kind. These remembrances are jumbled up and changed because fiction is always more palatable than truth. Memories become more true as they are honed and whittled into characters and stories."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great begginer level letters and sounds, November 29, 2001

By 

Emilia Palaveeva "ema-in-seattle" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Letters and Sounds: Timothy Goes to School Learning Book #1 (Get Set for Kindergarten) (Paperback)

My 3.5 year old loves the Timothy Goes to School series on PBS. That is why when I saw this book, I grabbed it immediately and I was not wrong.

Based on the Timothy characters, the book is not as much a story as it is a set of fun excersises that let kids learn and practice letters and sounds. The level of difficulty is manageable for a 3 year old who knows some of the letters. The activities are fun and not complicated. We read this book on our bus commute every day and it helped my son grasp not only letters, but also sounds and rhymes.

Definitely a good one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book, brilliant author!, January 10, 2007

By 

Guinevere Y. Lorenz "Guinevere Lorenz, mom of... (Saint Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Letters and Sounds: Timothy Goes to School Learning Book #1 (Get Set for Kindergarten) (Paperback)

"Letters and Sounds. . ." is highly interactive and educational. Your child will enjoy participating and feel a part of Mrs. Jenkins' class, as he/she answers the questions outloud. These books are all packed with great teaching tools that are fun and go beyond traditional books on letters and sounds. I highly recommend all the books in this series. They have great educational value, and are by far the greatest books for pre-K.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Familiar Characters Teach Early Reading / Writing Concepts, March 6, 2007

By 

George Buttner "Agent0042" (Dayton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters and Sounds: Timothy Goes to School Learning Book #1 (Get Set for Kindergarten) (Paperback)

"Letters and Sounds" is the first book in a series called "Get Ready for Kindergarten," teaching important concepts that will help readers get ready for this important step in their lives. It's also a gtreat book for any fan of the wonderful characters in Rosemary Wells's "Timothy" series.

"Letters and Sounds" teaches many concepts. It was some games and activities related to rhyming. It teaches the old classic "The Hokey-Pokey." It helps kids to get interested in making word associations and finding words that begin with the same letters. One character even becomes a magician by creating new words via the changing of letters in other words.

This book is full of life and is a great tool to help get kids excited about words, reading, writing and language. Each page of the book contains "The Next Step" at the bottom, featuring advice on a continuation for an activity presented within the story text. The book ends with a Letter to Parents and Educators, explaining the rationale behind the series.