Customer Reviews

Peak with Books: An Early Childhood Resource for Balanced Literacy

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Peak with Books provides wonderful guidance for introducing young children to literature. We have especially enjoyed the inclusion of songs, poems, and art. The book selections include timeless classics and new favorites. The step-by-step instructions are a great help to the new teacher or homeschooler. Highly recommended by Ruth Beechick and others, this well-rounded program is a great place to start with your preschool and kindergarten aged children!

This book is a great resource for language arts Pre K to Grade 1. The authors have selected 40 titles in children's literature many of them Caldecott winners/nominees to be read aloud which incorporate activities such as poetry, songs, fingerplays, art, thinking skills, narration, vocabulary, drama, and cooking. There are also 500 storybooks referenced so you can expand on a particular story if you would like to. Dr. Ruth Beechick noted educational authority has commented on "Peak with Books": "I think this book is topnotch. Any parent who used these lesson plans for awhile would be getting a good education in using books with children and building upon them to expand vocabulary, experiences and thoughts. For people who want to do the "living books" thing that Susan Macaulay has popularized, here is the kindergarten program all worked out for them." This edition is the 3rd and has been rewritten to accomidate children from ages Pre-K to Grade 1. This volume is a great companion to Dr. Ruth Beechick's "Language and Thinking for Young Children."

I strongly disagree with the negative customer review that claims Peak
With Books is not balanced literacy. What better way to balance
literacy instruction than to explicitly teach phonemic awareness,
graphic awareness, concepts of print, creative dramatics, story
structure, and higher level thinking skills, all within the context of
beloved children's stories?

I find this approach in Peak With Books to be refreshing and
delightful. Children learn best when they are emotionally engaged in
relevant and endearing children's stories, as well as poems with
rhythmic gems for active learning. This is balanced literacy at its
best, a goldmine for any teacher!

This is my first experience with homeschooling products. I've just started using the program but I'm pretty happy with it so far. My daughter seems to be a gifted 3 year old. She loves books but doesn't do really well with worksheets so I was looking for something to keep her stimulated and encourage her learning. Some of the activities are a little advanced & tailored to a group/classroom setting but they give a variety of activites so that I can pick and choose what works for her. I especially love the additional book suggestions to support the book of the week & the Involvement section which she really loves. I've been able to find many of the books for free at the library. However, I have found all the books suggested on Amazon but if you had to purchase all suggested it could get quite costly. Sadly, I'm not in a position financially to acquire all the books suggested :( I believe that I could reuse this program as she gets older for the activities she is not yet ready for. I am VERY HAPPY that I was able to find it on Amazon for half the price charged by the website. I love Amazon!! I definitely would suggest it, especially if you get if for half price on Amazon.

We are a Waldorf family so we do not really do anything academic in the preschool years. I purchased this because our 3 yr old really wants to be part of our main lesson time. I have been choosing books from Peak with Books that coordinate with what the older boys are studying and using the poems, finger plays, and art activities with the little guy. This is working well and overall I think it is a great resource.

I have been using this book for the past couple weeks and love it. I love the layout and the literature-based approach while incorporating different subjects like Math and Science. After using this book with "Blueberries for Sal" and "Ask Mr. Bear", we're hooked! This is so much fun and educational at the same time. My very young son really enjoys all the enrichment activities.

I pick one story a week and really "dig" into it with "Peak Books" balanced approach. You will find everything you need for Language Arts in early ed., music, poetry, involvement, reproductions and retelling, innovations and caption books, writing process, print-rich environment, parent involvement, online resources, etc. Overall, I wish I found this resource sooner but am grateful that I have it now and not later!

This book does align literature with skills; however the term "Balanced Literacy" is misleading. It is not based on language blocks: phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. It is balanced in a different way.