Rising Readers are colorful, inviting and informative leveled books designed for early readers in pre-kindergarten to first grade. Rising Readers Set B Complete Set includes forty-eight books. Twelve books are beautifully illustrated nursery rhyme favorites like Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Little Miss Muffet. A set of twelve math readers address basic math skills like counting, patterns, size, shape, length, and money. Twelve books use wonderful photographed images to tackle science concepts like matter, weather, the senses. The remaining twelve books start early readers with a pretty detailed overview of social studies by building an understanding of needs versus wants, explaining the importance of being a good citizen, the value of rules and the benefits of knowing family history.

Rising readers are written with state standards in mind. The books are designed to build reading ability and interest progressively with exciting content and appropriate word selections. All forty-eight books contain a final page that addresses language and comprehension. The fun doesn't stop once the book has been read. Final activities encourage readers to talk about what they've learned in the books, make connections to their own daily life experience and enjoy a drawing or writing activity that wraps up all their new knowledge in a fun and personal way. Each book is sixteen pages. They are meant to be read by your child in your presence. They will eat up all the praise they'll get from you for accomplishing the task of reading independently. Then share time together doing the activities. It doesn't take long and it really seals in their interest for the knowledge that reading brings.

I currently have three early readers in my home. I know the challenges of finding a good quality reader that engages the child's mind and gives them some eye candy too. Rising Readers does a fantastic job at both. They clearly understand the educational needs of early readers while also realizing that children this age are very visual. The illustrations and images are colorful and inviting. My children couldn't wait to read these books to me. They read them again and again just for fun. That is what we want right?

Our favorite set was the nursery rhyme set. We really got a kick out of Hickory Dickory Dock and Baa Baa Black Sheep. The social studies set was the least exciting to me, but still very good and readable. Social studies isn't really a topic I'm addressing for my youngest ones yet so it was less exciting to them and felt a bit more like work. One title in this category is called School is Closed. It talks about the holidays in which traditional schools are closed. I see the educational value of learning about holidays, but I wasn't crazy about tying them to days off school. I pulled this title from my family book pile because I don't stop teaching on holidays. In fact, I see them as great opportunities for education. This title was the only one I didn't love.

I think parents and kids will really enjoy Rising Readers. The price for the whole set looks pretty steep at first, until you break it down and see that each book totals about three dollars. They are definitely worth that! Rising Readers are well made and kids will want to read them. That is the key. I highly recommend them.

Product Review by Heather Randall, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2010