7 Reviews/7 Giveaways-Day 1

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out the products and giving you my honest opinion. This week I will post one review and host a giveaway each day. Please read this review and make sure to leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway.

"Her nose is always in a book." I can't tell you how many times someone made that comment about me as I was growing up. I love to get lost in a really good book. On a hot, sunny day you will not find me outside. I'll be inside in the air conditioning instead, under a comforter reading. Want to know where you'll find me on a rainy day? Yep...same place. And I have a great desire to pass my love of reading down to each of my children.

Rime to Read is an online program for beginning readers. It's a set of 20 readers that you can either print or read right from your computer screen. What makes this program unique is that each book introduces a new set of rimes...no, not rhymes. Words that rhyme simply sound alike, but words that are rimes sound alike and look alike, (for example: cat, hat, mat, etc.). The rimes are also color coded to give a visual reminder to your young reader.

I decided to try this program out with my 5 year old and my 6 year old. E5 can recognize all the letters, but is still learning the sounds. A6 has been reading words for more than a year now, but still struggles to read fluently. I opted to have them read the books from the computer only because I like to conserve my printer ink whenever possible. Plus, Rime to Read sets each book up as a two page spread so that you can see the illustration on one side and the words on the other. The kids can click the upper corner of the 'book' to turn the page. There is also a sound feature on all of the rime words. They can click on the word to hear it spoken.

A6 read through these books easily. The fact that words are rimes helped her with fluency. I think its so important to give a child simple readers even after they are already reading fairly well. It builds up their confidence and gives them much needed 'reading practice'. The Rime to Read program is perfect for this. In addition to introducing the 20 sets of rimes, or word families, they also introduce 35 sight words. You should have your students read these books in order since the previously learned words are reviewed in each subsequent book.

I'm also happy to say that the Rime to Read books were also the first books that E5 has ever read. How proud I am to have three of my children reading now!

I think that it is important to note that while Rime to Read calls themselves a 'reading program', it does not teach students the sounds of letters and they will need a prior knowledge of them. You can purchase four of these virtual books for $9.95 or the entire set of 20 for $44.95. Remember, you can also print them and bind them if you prefer a hard copy. I would suggest laminating them as well if you plan on doing this.

I have to admit, as a thrifty mom who enjoys frequenting used curriculum sales, I do cringe a little at this price tag. Nevertheless, these cute readers have been quite successful at helping me to teach my 5 year old to read, and what kind of price tag can you put on that?

You can purchase these books or read a sample book for free at the Rime to Read website.




Now for today's giveaway...I am VERY excited to be giving away the TOS 12 Days of Christmas Gift Pack. You can purchase it now from the Schoolhouse Store for $17.95 but it is actually a $71.80 value!!!


There are all kinds of goodies in this gift pack. Here's what's included:

NEW 1 Year TOS Magazine Subscription

Homeschooling with Heart Tote Bag

E-Book: Homespun Holidays: Fall and Winter

E-Book: Amusing Mathematics Module - November 2008 Issue

E-Book: What About Socialization?

Oh, what a lucky winner one of you will be! And all you need to do to enter is to leave a comment, making sure to give me your email or blog address so that I can contact you if you win. Don't forget if you grab the button from my sidebar and paste it on your blog I will automatically enter you twice into all the giveaways (in addition to your entry for commenting.)

You have until Wednesday, December 17th at 8pm (EST) to enter this and each of the 7 giveaways. I will announce the winners and contact them that evening. They will have 48 hours to respond before I draw another name.

Good luck and come back tomorrow for another fun review and giveaway!

Pin It Now!