A Dozen Dogs: A Math Reader

My first grade daughter loved this book! First of all, she thought it was really COOL because there were chapters! It is a very big deal for children to progress to "Chapter Books". Therefore, she thought it was super that she could read a chapter book. In addition, there was an opportunity for a little math while she was reading. The book was very easy for my daughter to read - not great challenge - but she enjoyed it very much. She enjoyed counting the dogs, adding and subtracting the dogs.

A Donezen Dogs is a wonderful book for kids who are trying to read. It incorporates counting and the activities the dogs take part in are appealing to kids because they can relate to them i.e. getting ready to go to the beach, swimming, and being timid of the water. The book consists of three small chapters, this is a huge deal to kids who have seen their parents and older siblings reading those "huge and difficult chapter books." A dozen dogs was the first book I read by myself from cover to cover, and to this day is still have my copy, some where. So, I think that a Dozen Dogs is a great book for kids who are learning to read, becuase they will feel a great source of accomplishment when they are done.

Both of my sons(ages 6 and 3) liked the story, and my older son could read it pretty well. But it is divided into 3 chapters, the first being a dozen dogs going to the beach, then a dozen dogs swimming, but the last chapter is about 2 dogs fishing. Huh? They don't even catch a dozen fish. So it was cute, but would have been better if it stuck with a dozen dogs theme.