Set 1: Beginning Readers 1-4 [With CD]

I have bought the whole set 1 of Bob Books for my great grandchildren. This is the only part of Set one that did NOT have the cd as promised. Very disappointed

We love Bob books and these are in good shape. But, both say they come with CD and neither one has it.

These are the first four books of the box set the comes as one hardback book. I thought it was the entire first box set, but it isn’t. I suppose that’s my fault. But how it can be considered ‘very good’ when it comes without the cd, I don’t know. But I’ve heard good things about this series and am excited to ready it with my son.

I purchased this book after I read the description "Book #1-4 + CD" , but I only received book #1 with no CD.

I've used many different early reader books with my son, and I like these the best. They follow a progression of words that can progress a child's reading skills. For example...learning to read the short vowel "a" words, and short vowel "O" words...without throwing in a lot of words they haven't learned at that time (silent e words or words that children are not able to sound out). This way, your child gets a lot of satisfaction that they read the entire book themselves. I really like this series.

My daughter knows her letters and is able to write words but couldn't get her to read the store available early readers. We bought these and she honestly read three books in one sitting and now has given her the confidence to read the early readers and more advance sets. IT WAS AWESOME!!!

Friends suggested Bob Books about 6 years ago when my first was starting to learn to read. I was not impressed with the simplicity of the books and passed over them for more "exciting" reading material and illustrations. I started purchasing Bob Books last year for my younger two children. I now fully appreciate the simplicity of the books and the step-by-step incorporation of new words for the new reader. My kids liked the cd; they could listen to it on their own with the book. I preferred to avoid the use of the CD when I was reading with them, so I could have more control over the process.

I bought this because he is going to begin Kindergarten and I was told that the "BOB Books" are what will be used in his school. He read the first story and was SO excited that he could do it. This is wonderful... can't wait until he visits again and gets to try more of the stories.

I use this CD with my two- and four-year-olds. We have a thirty minute trip to and from school each day, so we look for learning tools that can be used in the car. I was very excited to see Bob books in a CD format. They are word-for-word renderings of the Bob text. The hard-cover book that accompanies the CD is attractive and also a word-for-word rendering of the familiar loose-leaf books. Positives: * The reader is very engaging. Her voice does not get annoying, even after we have listened to it many, many times. * The reader effectively demonstrates how to sound out each new word the first time that it is used in the series (not necessarily the first time that it is used in a specific book). After the first time, the reader enunciates the word clearly and relatively slowly, but does not formally sound it out again. (This seems like the right amount of support for the new reader.) * The CD uses the familiar "ding-a-ling" sound to indicate a page-turn, so it is unobtrusive but effective. * Each story is read twice, first with instruction and then without. The two readings really help reading comprehension. * Each reading of the story has its own track on the CD, so, if you want to listen to book 3, it is relatively easy to find. Negatives: * Some of the pages are not numbered, even when the announcer says, "Go to page xx." (I have written the missing numbers into my copy.) * The page numbers get into the 20's -- beyond the number skills of some young children. It would be helpful if the alphabet letters were used instead of (or in addition to) numbers, or if the numbers were described -- in other words, instead of saying "page twenty-four," say "page two four." * Each story has three tracks instead of two, even though each story is only read twice. It would make more sense for the first and second tracks for each story to be combined into one track. * 'Sight' words (has, and, the, is, et cetera) that are used in the stories are not discussed at all. While I understand why they are not sounded out (even though some like 'and' really could be), the speaker ignores them entirely, except to read them. At a minimum, there should be a note to parents in the text of the book explaining how to teach these 'sight' words, because the speaker is not going to do it. The CD will not replace human-to-human instruction, nor should it. I end up stopping the CD regularly to give my four-year-old practice at sounding out the words. (I usually stop it right before the CD reader sounds it out.) Alternatively, you may want to work at home (face-to-face) for the first two or three readings so that the child really 'gets' the book before trying the CD format. I have already bought the other Bob CD that is available, and I hope to buy more when they are made.