Overview

Meet Langston Longwordsworth, a kid who isn't afraid of much at all-not rats, bats, bugs, or even most girls. But there is one thing this budding young reader is afraid of. Langston Longwordsworth is afraid of words! Oh, not words like ""ball"" or ""run"" or even ""jumping."" Those words are easy for him to read. It is when Langston encounters words he doesn't know that the trouble begins. Langston employs a number of tricks at school to avoid having to read words that are unfamiliar to him. At home, he simply shoves the books under his bed. (His mattress is taking on a funny shape from all the literary works there!) Find out what happens when Langston receives a book he just has to read only to encounter a word he does not know on the first page! Will Langston overcome his fear of unfamiliar words, or is he destined to sleep on a funny-shaped mattress forever? Teachers will appreciate this story as a springboard for lessons on decoding multisyllabic words. Parents will enjoy sharing with their little ones their own reading journey and brushes with unfamiliar words. Children will delight in the all-too-relatable Langston Longwordsworth as he triumphs over the formerly formidable words he feared.

Full Product Details

9781645387633

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Reviews

Delightfully engaging and brilliantly educational, The Kid Who Was Afraid Of Words is a treat for young readers. It is inspiring and creative while supporting readers to joyfully engage with multisyllabic words. -Catherine Wang, Superintendent of Schools The Kid Who Was Afraid of Words is a warm and encouraging story about facing your fears even when you might not want to. Young readers will delight in how Langston figures out that, with a little effort, nothing can hold us back. -Jane Pence, Former Sixth Grade Teacher This timely picture book is an eye-opening read-aloud for any teacher who wants to address the physical and emotional aspects of decoding and making meaning of text with students. The relatable character inspires students of all ages to conquer fear of decoding intimidating multisyllabic words. I plan to share this book with my preservice teachers during our phonics and syllabication units as a must-have read-aloud for students learning to read more challenging text. -Dr. Michele Byrne, Assistant Professor of Reading, Florida Gulf Coast University Even though Langston Longwordsmith is a helpful brother who helps his siblings with their fears of spiders and the dark, he has a secret fear that he hides from all. Langston is a struggling reader who is afraid of unfamiliar, long words! Children who struggle to decode words in reading are silent sufferers. Yet with the right reading materials and strategies for breaking apart challenging words, children can learn the skills needed to tackle tough texts and develop into fluent, happy readers. Theresa Dabney has written a lovely, humorous book that brings to light the obstacles struggling readers face comprehending challenging texts and the joys that arise from overcoming those roadblocks. -S. E. Greenwood, Reading Specialist The Kid Who Was Afraid of Words is an inspiring book for all developing readers. The delightful illustrations and text address the struggles and joy of reading. Highly recommended for kids, parents, and teachers. -Susan Meyer, retired school librarian

Author Information

Theresa Dabney is a retired elementary language arts teacher who thanks her parents for the amazing teaching career they helped shape. The slew of siblings they produced guaranteed an audience for the educational songs, skits, and stories that constantly swirled in her head. Honing her skills to keep family members captivated served Ms. Dabney well when at the helm of her own classroom. (Her background in theater didn't hurt either!) Theresa approaches writing the same as she did teaching: keep it fun and meaningful with true learning stemming from lots of exploration and self-discovery along the way. The Kid Who Was Afraid of Words is her first published book. The idea for the story came about her first year of teaching when she noticed her fifth graders were loath to read aloud. It was when she discovered why that Langston Longwordsworth came to life. Theresa hopes young children see themselves in Langston and that parents remember their own journey in reading and share it with their little ones. You can hear Theresa read aloud children's books using different character voices or hear some of her original songs by visiting her YouTube channel: Read Aloud Storytime Sing Along Songtime.

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