If you're part of my generation, you probably remember Fonzie from the TV show Happy Days. His catchphrase, "Ayyyyyy!", and his big smile & thumbs up gesture helped to make him a household name in the 1970s. What you may not know is that Henry Winkler, the actor who played Fonzie, has dyslexia. He is also an author of children's books that feature a character with dyslexia.
The first Here's Hank book in the series,
Bookmarks are People Too!,* follows a second grader named Hank Zipzer and his best friend Frankie Townsend as their class prepares to put on a play. Everyone in the class is excited to audition for their parts except for Hank, who struggles to read the script. Even though he studies all weekend and highlights his lines, he can't seem to read them when it's his turn to audition.
Hank's teacher decides to create a special part for Hank without any lines, but during the performance, one of the other students gets stage fright and Hank ends up saving the day! He heard the other students rehearse their lines so often that he memorized the whole play!
This book is not one that beginning/struggling readers can read on their own, but it's a great choice for reading together or listening to. There are lots of topics to discuss, like bullying, making new friends, and trying to do things even when they're difficult.
There are several books in the Here's Hank series,* so you & your child can follow along as Hank grows up and learns to deal with his reading challenges. There are plenty of fun, interesting characters to read about, including Hank's friends and family, as well as his classmates and teachers. Hank is an intelligent, relatable character with many facets to his personality, and he's someone most kids would probably want to be friends with.
If you've been looking for a book to engage your struggling reader, this one is definitely worth a try! Please comment below if you've read it or have any questions about reading.
*This link will take you to an affiliate page on Amazon. If you purchase the book through this link, Tiny Dog Reading will receive a small stipend.
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