Parents’ Guide: Pre-reading and Early Literacy
Storybooks Are More Important Than Ever—And Now They Can Teach So Much More
For generations, storybooks have played an important role in helping children develop language, imagination, listening skills, and a lifelong love of reading. A simple story shared between a child and a caring adult can build vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, encourage conversation, and create positive memories associated with books.
Today, however, many parents, teachers, and speech-language pathologists are looking for resources that do more than simply tell a story. They want materials that actively engage children while teaching important speech, language, pre-reading, and literacy skills. As educational demands continue to increase, families and educators need resources that are affordable, effective, and fun.
That is exactly why retired speech-language pathologist and children’s author Lavelle Carlson created Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees.
This is far more than a storybook.
This beautiful 52-page educational resource combines a colorful storybook, a reproducible coloring book, interactive activities, flashcards, finger puppets, mazes, and a complete lesson plan into one engaging package. Children are not simply reading or listening—they are actively participating in the learning process.
The book helps children develop:
• Articulation skills
• Phonological awareness
• Vocabulary development
• Listening skills
• Pre-reading skills
• Letter identification
• Fine motor development
• Social interaction
• Story retelling abilities
• Early literacy success
Research consistently shows that children learn best when they are actively engaged. When they color, trace, point, listen, answer questions, manipulate finger puppets, use flashcards, and retell stories, they build stronger connections to language and literacy. The more children interact with a story, the more they learn from it.
One of the most exciting aspects of Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees is that it is now being offered as a FREE download rather than paying $14.95 on Amazon.
Even more generous is the author’s decision to allow subscribers of SLP Storytellers to make copies of the coloring pages and activity pages as often as needed for educational purposes. Teachers can use them in classrooms, speech-language pathologists can use them in therapy sessions, and parents can use them at home without worrying about running out of materials.
This means one resource can be used repeatedly with multiple children while continuing to support learning and literacy development.
The importance of children interacting with books cannot be overstated. Storybooks introduce new vocabulary, strengthen listening and comprehension, encourage critical thinking, and help children understand the world around them. When stories are combined with hands-on activities, the learning experience becomes even more powerful.
And the good news doesn’t stop there.
When educators and parents subscribe to SLP Storytellers, they receive access to far more than this free book. Subscribers gain access to thousands of additional interactive storybooks, coloring books, flashcards, worksheets, games, lesson plans, and educational activities designed by professionals who understand how children learn best.
The free download is only the beginning.
Inside the SLP Storytellers library, members discover an ever-growing collection of resources that help make teaching speech, language, phonological awareness, reading readiness, and literacy both easier and more enjoyable. Instead of spending hours creating materials, educators and parents can simply download, print, and begin teaching.
If you believe children deserve engaging, affordable, and effective learning materials, start with the free Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees resource and experience the difference interactive storybooks can make.
Because when children interact with stories, they don’t just learn to read—they learn to communicate, imagine, think, and succeed.
Visit https://www.slpstorytellers.com/register-2/ to download your free resource and explore thousands of additional educational materials designed to help children thrive.
Dinosaur Speech Therapy Unit: Interactive Book and Preschool Language Activities
Dinosaur Speech Therapy Unit: Interactive Book and Preschool Language Activities
This is a little different take on my usual book recommendations for speech, language, and teaching. I like these materials by Trish Friedlander for a couple of reasons. First, the story of dinosaurs is relevant to children. Then, the most important reason is that the activities are so interactive to increase brain development and keeps children involved.
Ask a four-year-old to name a dinosaur and brace yourself. Stegosaurus, triceratops, ankylosaurus, they know them all, and they will tell you about every one. Dinosaurs are one of those themes kids already love, which makes them a perfect way to get little ones talking.
This unit gives you a full week of preschool language activities built around one interactive dinosaur book. It has moveable props and picture symbols, so children don’t just listen to the story, they get their hands in it.
One story turns into seven different activities, so you plan once and target a lot.What it covers: (1) Articulation: a feed the dinosaur tissue box dino head turns artic drill into a game instead of a worksheet. (2) Language: Wh- question task cards (what and where), a dinosaur match and size sorting activity with 10 different dinosaurs, and a smash mat for motivating warm-ups. (3) AAC: two communication boards are built right in, so every child can take part in the story. (4) Sequencing and story retell: sequence picture cards with a grid to use during and after the story, plus a take-home option so kids can retell the story to their caregivers.
Everything comes in color and black and white, and it works for every level, from a toddler pointing to a picture symbol to a kindergartener answering wh- questions independently. It is excellent for a speech room, a preschool center, or a home program with zero extra planning.
Click here to get more information.
Paws for Progress – Sharlet Lee Jensen
Thanks to Scarlet Jensen we have another book that was written by her (SLP) that is a topic near and dear to my heart as dogs are so important for therapy. Here is the story she gave me on why she wrote the book and how it can be an effective tool in our work as SLPs.
When I first started bringing a therapy dog to work at my pediatric private practice, I had no idea what I was doing. I couldn’t find any good resources at the time, but I could see the tremendous impact my dogs were having on clients (especially the more challenging ones).
As I learned what worked and what didn’t through trial and error and explored how related fields were incorporating animals, I decided to create my own resource for SLPs.Paws for Progress: Integrating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Your Speech-Language Pathology Practice (ASHA Press, 2024) is a practical guide to partnering with a therapy dog.
Combining stories from actual therapy sessions with practical strategies to demonstrate how the human-animal bond can support speech, language, literacy, and oral-motor interventions, the book strongly emphasizes safety, ethical practice, cultural considerations, liability, practice management, and—most importantly—the well-being of the therapy animal. Paws for Progress provides step-by-step guidance for determining whether a dog may be an appropriate therapy partner, establishing safe and effective practices, and navigating the practical considerations of working with an animal in a clinical setting. With more than 50 therapy activities targeting common speech and language goals, Paws for Progress offers concrete ideas that can be adapted for individual clients across various ages and skill levels.
The included dog-themed materials and additional professional resources make it a useful starting point for clinicians new to this niche. From an SLP perspective, Paws for Progress highlights how the presence of a therapy animal can increase motivation, engagement, and opportunities for functional communication while creating a positive and supportive therapeutic environment for both client and clinician. “This is the book I wish had existed before I started working with a therapy dog…I was yelling, ‘YES!’ from the very first page to the last! This is a must-have resource for SLPs in AAI, by an SLP in AAI!” Tamara Stroble, SLPD, CCC-SLPLearn more at https://lnkd.in/gYe9_PVv
Paws for Progress book — Speech Dogs | Animal-Assisted speech therapyPaws for Progress book — Speech Dogs | Animal-Assisted speech therapy
Prompts used to create above book with full color, coloring pages, flash cards, finger puppets, lesson plans and more:
Prompt 1 to create story: Please write a 14 page story for kindergarten children on Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees. Give some information on what each does to make life better for boys and girls. Please make it rhyming.
Prompt 2: Please illustrate each page as an 8 x 11.
Prompt 3: Please create finger puppets for a bunny based on the attached. Make it on an 8 inch by 11 inch. Place a bunny on the top two images. Place the letter b on the bottom two finger puppets.
Prompt 4: Please create finger puppets for a butterfly based on the attached. Make it on an 8 inch by 11 inch. Place a butterfly on the top two images. Place the letter b on the bottom two finger puppets.
Prompt 5: Please create finger puppets for a bee based on the attached. Make it on an 8 inch by 11 inch. Place a bee on the top two images. Place the letter b on the bottom two finger puppets.
Prompt 6: Please create finger puppets for a bird based on the attached. Make it on an 8 inch by 11 inch. Place a bird on the top two images. Place the letter b on the bottom two finger puppets.
Prompt 7: Please create 4 flashcards on a 8 x 11 page of a bird, a bee, a bunny, and a butterfly. Please outline them in my signature blue color.
Prompt 8: Please create a maze using the attached maze. Replace the letters “c” with the letters “b”.
Prompt 9: Please create it with capital “B” by replacing the small by with “B”.
Prompt 10: Please write a lesson plan for Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees storybook. Please stress articulation, phonological awareness and pre-reading and letter identification with interactive activities for increased learning through fun.
Prompt 11: Please create a front cover for “Birds, Butterflies, Bunnies, and Bees”. Below the title give the sub-title Storybook/Activity Book for teaching /b/ . Then under the subtitle Include By Lavelle Carlson.
Prompt 12: Please create a simple coloring page of each individual page, page 1 – 14 and the “The End” page. Make the coloring pages simple for kindergarten students.
Please note that the prompts that are provided will produce a specific item. BUT, you can make changes as you become more comfortable with altering prompts to meet your teaching goals.
New Prompt for rhyming, phonological awareness (word level) cards
Copy and past the prompt below into ChatGPT. Simply substitute your words in Row 1, Row 2, Row 3. “Voila!” You will have nice looking cards for activities below. Make as many as you need and for various activities.
Prompt: Rhyming Scavenger Hunt Rhyming “Create a set of award-winning, Rhyming flashcards (Print-Ready). Canvas: A4 portrait exactly 2480×3508 px, 300 DPI, clean ivory background. Add 3 mm bleed and a 60 px inner safe area on all sides. Title (top): Centered 3D bubble text, colorful, text = “Rhyming ”. Place one small Pixar-style Rhyming Emblem icon to the RIGHT of the word, icon height = 0.6–0.7× cap-height (smaller than text), vertically centered. No divider lines or extra decorations. Grid: 2 columns × 3 rows = 6 flashcards, equal size, evenly spaced. Outer margins = 160 px; gutters = 120 px; each card ≈ 1020×808 px portrait. Card style: Rounded rectangles with UNIFORM pastel border (same color for all cards) and UNIFORM soft shadow. Inner padding = 60 px. Inside each card: – One centered Pixar-style 3D icon only. – Label below icon: large bold child-friendly rounded font, UNIFORM dark navy color, Title Case, US English, single line. Locked set & order (no swaps, no repeats): Row 1 = bat, cat | Streamer Row 2 = mat, sat | Invitation Row 3 = rat, sat| Banner Strict QA lock: – Only title + 6 labels (no footer text, printer notes, QA notes, or extras). – Exactly 6 cards fully visible, nothing cropped. – One icon + one label per card only. – Equal card size, equal gutters, consistent padding. – Uniform border, shadow, label color. – Title “Rhyming ” + small Rhyming Emblem icon balanced (icon smaller than text).”
Subscribers click here to access the 502 prompts for teaching.
Non- subscribers click here to subscribe with discount.
Storybooks – Powerful tools for speech therapy and teaching
Speech therapy and teaching do not have to feel like work. Storybooks transform speech practice and teaching into an engaging and enjoyable experience for children.
Storybooks have been used for decades because they naturally improve articulation, vocabulary, and language and pre-reading and reading development.
Storybooks Provide Natural Repetition
Children hear speech sounds repeated many times throughout a story. For example, a story about Baby Bunny bouncing a ball reinforces the /b/ sound repeatedly in a meaningful way. This repetition strengthens speech learning.
Storybooks Increase Motivation
Children are more willing to practice speech when they enjoy the activity. Characters, colorful illustrations, and fun plots make children excited to participate. Motivated children learn faster.
Storybooks Improve Multiple Skills at Once Storybooks help children develop:
- Speech sounds
- Vocabulary
- Listening skills
- Attention
- Early reading skills
- Phonological and phonics skills
This makes storybooks extremely efficient therapy tools.
Storybooks Help Children Generalize Speech/learning Skills
Children must learn to use speech sounds in real situations.
Children learn to recognize the sound/symbol relationship for reading.
Storybooks simulate real communication better than drills alone.
This improves carryover into everyday speech.
Digital Storybooks Make Speech Therapy and Teaching Easier
Digital storybooks provide convenient and inexpensive access to structured speech/teaching activities.
SLP Storytellers offers over 4,000 downloadable storybooks and speech therapy materials designed specifically for young children.
These resources save time and improve outcomes.
Explore here what you can get to save time and money and teach effectively.
https://www.slpstorytellers.com/register-2/
END OF EXTENDED DISCUSSION WITH CHATGPT WITH NO CONTROL BY USER!
How to Teach /b/ sound to Pre-k and kindergarten students
This is an excellent blog for SLPs to give teachers and parents information to help young children. The /b/ sound is one of the earliest speech sounds children learn. It is a voiced bilabial sound, meaning both lips come together and the voice turns on. Because it is visible and easy to model, it is an excellent starting point for speech therapy and early literacy.
Many speech-language pathologists, teachers, and parents use structured activities and storybooks to help children learn the /b/ sound quickly and confidently.
Step 1: Teach Children How the /B/ Sound Is Made
Show children how to press their lips together and then release the sound.
Simple explanation for children:
“Close your lips, turn your voice on, and say /b/.”
Use a mirror so children can watch themselves.
Examples of /b/ sound words:
- ball
- baby
- bear
- bunny
- book
- bee
These words are familiar and motivating for young learners.
Step 2: Use Repetition Through Play
Children learn speech sounds best through repetition in fun activities.
Effective activities include:
- Picture flashcards
- Matching games
- Coloring pages
- Simple board games
- Storybooks with repeated /b/ words
Repetition strengthens the brain’s speech pathways.
Step 3: Use Storybooks to Reinforce the /B/ Sound
Storybooks are one of the most powerful tools for teaching speech sounds. Stories provide repetition, context, and motivation. One example is Bee, Honey Bunny and Me
For example, stories featuring characters like Baby Bunny, bears, bees, and balls naturally reinforce the /b/ sound.
Children learn faster when speech practice feels like fun instead of work.
Step 4: Practice at the Word Level
Start with simple words:
- baby
- bunny
- ball
- book
Then progress to short phrases:
- baby bunny
- big ball
- blue bear
This helps children generalize the sound.
Step 5: Provide Daily Short Practice
Practice for just 5 minutes per day.
Short, consistent practice is more effective than long sessions.
Download these /B/ Sound Materials and Storybooks: Honey Bunny’s Friends Coloring Book, Honey Bunny Lost Her B, Baby Bunny Learns His B Sound, Honey Bunny and Me Activity/Workbook, Baby Bunny Bouncing, Articulation Coloring Book /b/.
SLP Storytellers provides over 4,000 storybooks, activities, flashcards, and games designed to help children learn speech sounds like /b/ quickly and confidently.
These materials save speech therapists, teachers, and parents time while helping children succeed.
You can explore digital materials here:
https://www.slpstorytellers.com/register-2/