Key Words Reading Scheme facts for kids
The Key Words Reading Scheme is a famous series of 36 English language children's books. These books help young children learn to read. They were published by a British company called Ladybird Books. People often call the series Peter and Jane because those are the names of the main characters in the stories.
All the Books in the Series
The Key Words Reading Scheme has a total of 36 books. They are grouped into sets of three. Each set includes an 'a' book for reading, a 'b' book for more reading, and a 'c' book for writing practice.
- 1a: Play with us
- 1b: Look at this
- 1c: Read and write
- 2a: We have fun
- 2b: Have a go
- 2c: I like to write
- 3a: Things we like
- 3b: Boys and girls
- 3c: Let me write
- 4a: Things we do
- 4b: Fun at the farm
- 4c: Say the sound
- 5a: Where we go
- 5b: Out in the sun
- 5c: More sounds to say
- 6a: Our friends
- 6b: We like to help
- 6c: Reading with sounds
- 7a: Happy holiday
- 7b: Fun and games
- 7c: Easy to sound
- 8a: Sunny days
- 8b: The big house
- 8c: Fun with sounds
- 9a: Games we like
- 9b: Jump from the sky
- 9c: Enjoying reading
- 10a: Adventure on the island
- 10b: Adventure at the castle
- 10c: Learning is fun
- 11a: Mystery on the island
- 11b: The carnival
- 11c: Books are exciting
- 12a: The holiday camp mystery
- 12b: Mountain adventure
- 12c: The open door to reading
How the Books Teach Reading
These books haven't changed much since the 1970s. This means they can show us what life was like back then! The books use a special way of teaching reading called the "look and say" method. This means you learn to recognize whole words by looking at them. You don't sound out each letter.
Today, many schools also teach "phonics." Phonics is about sounding out letters and letter groups. Even though the "look and say" method is older, these books are still available for sale. They are usually quite affordable.
Popular Around the World
The Peter and Jane books are still very popular in some countries. This is especially true in parts of Asia. They are often used to help teach young children in nurseries and preschools.
