The parenting section of my local bookstore contains several shelves of workbooks designed for parents who want to help their kids with schoolwork. The books are nothing more than page after depressing page of the same dull exercises most kids get plenty of already in school. I assume they must be selling well, or the store would not order so many of them. But looking at those workbooks makes me want to cry. I think it is wonderful that parents want to help their children do well in school, but the parents who buy those books are getting cheated (and so are their children). The last thing kids who are struggling need is more worksheets. And they are even less useful for kids who are ahead of the curriculum and need more challenges.

The games in this book provide an antidote to the worksheet pushers. I am a huge fan of Peggy Kaye's books (She has three more in this series: Games for Reading, Games for Writing, and Games for Math, and all of them are excellent). Whether you are trying to find a way to help a child who is behind in a certain subject or skill, or looking for challenges for a kid who is ahead, this book has some fun ways to help. The best thing is that she has several games for every skill, because she recognizes that children like different things and learn in different ways. So if a game for a skill you are working on falls flat with your child, there are plenty more to try. A few of the games require a little investment of your time, like making playing cards or game boards, but a lot you can do without any advance preparation, and several are so no-fuss they are perfect for car trips, or time spent in a waiting room.

This is a first rate book, the best of its kind by far.

Whether you are tutoring, a classroom teacher, homeschooling, or a parent you will find this, and Kaye's other books, chock-full of great ideas to enhance learning. The best part is how FUN these activities are and how easy she has made it for you to implement them with any child.

I'm a very busy mom of four kids. I've read lots of this type of books and ususally came away feeling like a failure for not doing all of those complicated or time consuming activities to help my children. This book is GREAT! The activities are quick and easy and require few materials. (usually pencil and paper, cards, dice etc.) This are also quick distractors for in the car, at church or while stuck in a waiting room. If you only buy one book, buy this one!

A great book to have for teaching children how to read. The book consists of 76 games to interest and motivate a child to read. We have had great fun with it. It works!

My older children learned to read without any trouble, yet my youngest daughter has been struggling and worse "hates to read!"
She constantly says was when the word is saw, felt becomes left etc. Well, I read this book cover to cover yesterday and I am very encouraged. The author discusses children with problems exactly like my daughter, as well as other kinds of problems and the book is filled with many games to help. I believe that my daughter will enjoy most of the many games in this book and I do believe that they will help her. The book states that the most important thing is that children enjoy reading, so the games really are games. I can't wait to get started today!

I borrowed "Games for Reading" from a library for some ideas to use in speech therapy. I've enjoyed the games so much (and so have my kids) that I decided to buy the book for myself.

This book is the best! The games and approach have worked very well with the Title One kids that I tutor, providing a fun way to work on skills. The author has an easy writing style that talks the reader through each activity, explaining variations and "what if's". She also provides information on the psychology of learning (such as, "What is a 6 year old's concept of number?") that is geared to the parent and a separate addendum that is geared to teachers.

I recommend this book at almost every workshop I do. It contains fun, easy games and activities to do that teach math skills. The book itself is fun to read and the games are real games, not made up activities to do with flash cards. I highly recommend anyone who works with young children to get a copy of this book.

This book covers some very important concepts that parents can use to help their young children learn math. Through simple games, it is possible to stimulate kids to learn math without being stopped by "math phobia". I've read several math books for children lately, but this one impressed me the most! It is a very practical approach. Though the book is geared for K-3rd grade, I found that my 5th grader also enjoys playing these games with her younger sister, who is in K. I wish Peggy Kaye would write another book geared for older children as well. She has a refreshing writing style. This book is awesome and fun!

Most of the time when I read my daughter a book, we end up discussing little things relating to what's happening in the book. It could be something that she was reminded of, or something I want to share with her at that time. Books are not only for reading...they're for helping expand minds and imagination. There is no end to what a book can accomplish for its reader.

In the book, "Games with Books," the author takes 28 wonderful children's books and shows parents how to do more with those books than just reading the stories. Instead of just listening, children can now become involved in what they're reading. Playing games and doing projects helps grow a child's imagination, and allows them to do anything or be anyone they choose.

MyParenTime.com highly recommends the book, "Games with Books" - the author gives so many wonderful ideas that parents will find themselves creating games to play with other books they read with their children. There is no limit to a child's or a parents' creativity. This special book is sure to lead to some wonderfully creative ideas, and a lot of fun family times!

This book is a series of games for parents (aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, and other interested parties) to teach children the myriad skills necessary to read, write, and imagine. Each game is based on a classic of children's fiction. And for each game, the author, Peggy Kaye, tells the story of playing the game with one of her students. One of the great charms of this book is that it is so full of vivid characters. First, there are all the characters from the Pantheon of children's fiction--Stuart Little, Curious George, Pippi Longstocking--who fairly leap from the page in Peggy Kaye's shrewd and engaging recounting of each of these 28 classic tales. Peggy Kaye's students--Molly, Mathias, Sara, to name but a few--also come alive page after page with their individual enthusiams, frustrations, trepidations, and accomplishments. Finally, there's Peggy Kaye herself. It's no mystery why her student Bonnie wanted to make Friendship Necklaces with her. She comes through as charmed, empathic, and committed, with a flair for acting. By the end of the book, you'll understand why Peggy Kaye keeps a box of Teaching Treasures and why it's full.
As a book-lover, I've never wanted to read children's books so much as I do now after reading her descriptions of AND TO THINK I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET, THE SOMETHING, THE BORROWERS, of Kaye's best beloved Stuart Little, of tall-tale-telling Wanda Petronski, of the Clocks making off with furnishings for their hodge-podge house; the grinning trees, the smiling flowers, the chuckling cars in the world of Katy-No-Pocket. As a new father, I can't wait to share these stories and play these games with my daughter. This books is a gift--to book lovers, to children who want to learn, and to the adults who want to help them do it. Get this book for yourself, get it for your kids, get it for their friends, and get it for your friends, too.

In her introduction, Peggy Kaye indicates that games played with books should be "carefully chosen." One doesn't want to debase the wonder of a classic book with sleazy peripherals that distract a child's appreciation of the book.

Kaye's books are carefully chosen. So are her activities. They help children acquire and strengthen necessary skills, and they do it in a way that is fun for both the child and the parent. A gentle, respectful spirit pervades this book. There's respect for children, respect for literature, and respect for the time parents spend with their children. And besides this, it builds skills!

This is a wonderful wonderful book. Kaye says, "Pleasure is the guiding principle here." She delivers on her principles. Pleasure abounds.

I am both a writer and a former English teacher (besides being the mother of two), so I may be prejudiced, but I think writing is the most important thing children learn in elementary school. Once they get to high school, in most subjects it will not make any difference how much they know if they can not get clear thoughts down on paper. If you have a child struggling with writing, this is a very useful book. Some school districts get so obsessed with mechanics (spelling, punctuation, etc.) that the kids rarely practice doing any real writing. Others are more creative, but never seem to get around to things like spelling, punctuation and handwriting. In contrast, the approach Peggy Kaye uses is perfectly balanced. She is full of ideas for encouraging creativity, but also full of painless, even fun ways to practice spelling and penmanship. Both of my kids have loved games from this book, and ASKED to play them. They have no idea how much they are learning, they just enjoy the games. I have looked at a lot of books like this, and I have not seen any that are nearly as good.

Games for Writing is one of the best books that I have used with my children. Their skills have improved dramatically within weeks of using several of the suggested games. After using work sheets and finding my kids bored with the same types of skills, Peggy Kaye's book was refreshing and adaptable. I have taken many of the games and altered them slightly to fit the needs of my kids. Fantastic resource for teachers, tutors and parents, who want to teach children that learning is fun.

This book is a wonderful resource to help your child learn to write. It addresses five different levels of writing skill: those who need to learn to motor-skills to control a pencil; those who can form the letters but find writing words or sentences a daunting task; those who can write at a simple level but need help with spelling, handwriting, and grammar; those who have mastered the basic writing skills but need some encouragement to develop their own writing style; and those who are ready to write at some length and need practice. The author has developed games to assist children at each of these levels develop the skills and confidence they need for writing.

My six-year-old has been reading at the fifth grade level for some time, but she had absolutely refused to learn to write (beyond forming the letters and a simple word or two). I found this book at the library and tried out several of the games with her. She was delighted by the extreme silliness and sheer fun of the games, and had no protests about the writing part of the games. Now when she gets home from school, she insists that we play one of the writing games -- and I can already see the improvement in her writing and her confidence about it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to help their child improve their writing and excel at school. It is also a fun, low-pressure way for a parent to spend some time just playing with their child.

I enjoyed this book. My students enjoyed the moral lessons that it taught. The stories had a set of mathematical problems at the end for the students to work. Many of the problems could be changed to different grade levels.

These novellas are light and easy to read. It's a good book to curl up with when you don't want a complicated and adventurous story. The novellas are emotionally driven and the characters are well-developed. The stories are wholesome and there's an inspirational message woven within each story. I'd recommend this book to all who like a light Christian romance story.