Level 1 Readers

A gentle fable to read aloud

A lion slept under a tree while a little mouse ran across his paw. The lion caught the mouse, but let him go when the mouse promised to help one day. Later, hunters caught the lion in a net. The mouse heard his roar, came quickly and nibbled through the ropes. The lion was free, and he thanked his small friend. The mouse had kept his promise, even though he was tiny. Children can follow the repeated ideas of sleep, catch, help and free while they listen or read the short sentences. Lesson: A small friend can give great help.

Reading together with confidence

Read the title first and ask your child what the picture might show. Point to each word as you read slowly, then read the same page again and invite your child to join in with familiar words. Pause to ask simple questions such as, "Who is this?" and "What happened next?" Let your child answer in Hindi, English or another familiar language before trying the English sentence. Praise careful looking and thinking, not just correct answers. Older children can read a page aloud while you help with one difficult word at a time.

Simple activities after the story

Retell the story using three or four picture prompts, then ask your child to put them in the right order. Your child can colour a favourite scene, circle a repeated word or draw what happens next. Try a small role play with paper masks or soft toys, using the story's key words. Older readers can copy a short sentence, write a new ending or make a speech bubble for one character. Connect the tale to daily life by asking when someone helped your child, or when your child helped someone else.