Petey the Peanut Man

Here is a favorite setting, the circus — and a favorite character, the clown. Young readers will feel for Petey in his efforts to become part of the circus. This story can easily motivate the building of a circus sight vocabulary, with a circus “dictionary” or original classroom “picture book.” This book has been carefully written to keep the young reader’s interest high. It is written in a simple, open style, with a strong rhythm that adds enjoyment both to reading aloud and silent reading. There is a very high percentage of words repeated. It is this skillful repetition which helps the child to read independently. Seeing words again and again, he “practices” the vocabulary he knows, and learns with ease the words that are new. Only 102 different words have been used, with plurals and root words counted once.