Pete the Cat strikes again.

As frequent blog readers know, I love a good Read Together book.

I introduced a client to Pete last week and sent her off with the book for some weekend fun.

When I saw her this morning, the child’s smile was enormous.

“I read Pete the Cat this weekend.” she said.

“Oh good.” I responded.

I wasn’t surprised. That is, after all, the point of a Read Together book. The grown up reads the bulk of the book but the child is able to read along with decodable or repeated text.

“No.” she said. “I read the whole thing!”

So we say right down and I opened the cover, ready to help her read.

But there was no need. The sweet little things read the whole darn book with only the tiniest bit of help.

Clearly buoyed up the confidence of reading together, my little friend and her mother read Pete the Cat again and again and again. Until she was able to read the whole thing by herself.

Did she essentially memorize the text? Yes. But with some instruction and finger pointing, was she able to use her new found knowledge of beginning letter sounds and sight words to demonstrate some true reading skills when memory failed her? Yes.

And that right there is the point of Reading Together books, repeated reading, a fun story and a likable character.

Thanks Pete!