Dr. Michele Berg of the Family Service and Guidance Center in Topeka, Kansas was recently introduced to the TOON Books collection and our unique storytelling format. As the Director of the Center for Learning Disorders, Dr. Berg was quick to recognize the value that our books hold not only for beginning readers in general, but for struggling beginning readers in particular. Here’s her response after reading a few of our titles:
These are excellent and I am so happy to know about the books and all of the classroom resources on your website! I plan to meet with the literacy coaches from Topeka Public School District later in August when they return to duty. I will share these books and the website with them as I think this format will work very well with reluctant and/or struggling readers.
I am also sending your email/the link to your website to ERC Resource and Referral Center here in Topeka. This is an organization that provides training to teachers in this region. I know they will be very interested in the books as well as the resources/activities on your website.
I will also be introducing these books to the staff in our Early Childhood Intervention Program here at Family Service. I particularly appreciate the conflicts between the characters that are portrayed in the Benny and Penny books … our staff will enjoy reading these with the younger children and talking about the situations. I will introduce the upper level books to our staff in the Youth Intervention program … Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever and Otto’s Orange Day will be great for that group … older children who have trouble reading and also trouble resolving conflicts.