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The Reading Mountain® is passionate about engaging children with supportive phonic books as the first step to believing that they can decode and therefore, be successful readers.
Our Story
 

With over 30 years of literacy teaching experience Susan Spelic (Reading Advocate and author)  founded The Reading Mountain. With empathy for struggling readers, Susan writes to provide access to very simple chapter books featuring decodable words and writes to ‘hook’ kids into reading.

“All kids want to be the Boss of their reading. We are thrilled that we have little readers waiting for the next title releases!” – Susan Spelic

 

The Books
 

  • Semi-decodable chapter books (develop reading and comprehension skills)
  • Graphic novel and narrative structures to engage and support kids
  • Empower children and boost their reading confidence (struggling readers can sometimes feel isolated or ‘behind’ their friends)

More supportive features…

  • Simple to read
  • CVC (Consonant Vowel Consonant) and VC words
  • Decodable vocabulary and words with digraphs
  • Dyslexic and reluctant reader-friendly (well-spaced fonts, muted colour palettes and clean layouts)
  • Detailed artwork and speech bubbles
  • Characters and narratives suitable for children aged 4-7
  • Easily downloadable interactive eBook format (ePub 3.0) (compatible with Apple, Android, PC, Mac devices and iBooks / Google Play Books)
  • Australian made (written, illustrated, designed and printed in Australia)

 

How to use the books?
 

Father helping son to read

The Reading Mountain’s titles have been written to be part of a teacher’s toolkit to support reading and spelling programs. They. Our supportive titles are not a sequential program but are proving very useful when investigating spelling patterns and rules in early years classrooms namely in (short CVC and VC decodable words together with words containing digraphs). While our books support struggling readers (with dyslexia, ASD or other learning differences) they are suitable for all developing readers up to 7 years of age. The soothing colour palettes support children who have sensory issues.

Schools have our titles in their home reading collections. One way of preparing a child for a successful reading experience at home, is to make sure that the first time our books are read is ensure that the child has progressed through 7 stages of the Little Learners Love Literacy Program. Our titles are about practising what has been taught at school.  In doing so phonemic codes are being scaffolded and phonological awareness is continuing to be developed.

 

Here are a few hints about supporting your child when reading at home: Supporting your Child’s Home Reading

 

What makes our books Dyslexic and reluctant reader-friendly?
 

The Reading Mountain® books are dyslexic and reluctant reader-friendly.

How?

  • Muted colour palettes and engaging images
  • Large well-spaced font (Dyslexie) and graphic novel structure
  • Carefully designed to help grow a child’s reading confidence
  • Thoughtful layout of text, images and spacing

Visit our FAQs page to find out more about Dyslexie.

What is Dyslexia? >

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FREE:

IDA Dyslexia Handbook: What Every Family Should Know

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA)

Check out their webpage to find out more about the IDA and to download their free handbook.

Click here for a free Dyslexia Handbook from the International Dyslexia Association

The International Dyslexia Associations logo

Shelley Jack

‘Our once reluctant reader, is now more eager than ever , to read books and continue practicing her sounds. 'The Reading Mountain' have a fantastic range of children's books, designed to capture the imagination of every young reader! The books are bright, happy and easy to read and understand. Sophie is now starting to read the books word by word, as well as practice her writing skills. Very proud and happy mum!'

Mother of four, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:46:20+00:00

Mother of four, Melbourne, Australia

‘Our once reluctant reader, is now more eager than ever , to read books and continue practicing her sounds. 'The Reading Mountain' have a fantastic range of children's books, designed to capture the imagination of every young reader! The books are bright, happy and easy to read and understand. Sophie is now starting to read the books word by word, as well as practice her writing skills. Very proud and happy mum!'

Claudia Robinson

‘The children were easily able to relate to the concepts explored in the book because they were supported by the illustrations. This enabled the students to problem solve successfully and improve their confidence’

Reading Intervention Teacher, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T04:54:28+00:00

Reading Intervention Teacher, Melbourne, Australia

‘The children were easily able to relate to the concepts explored in the book because they were supported by the illustrations. This enabled the students to problem solve successfully and improve their confidence’

Karen Merry

‘Susan Spelic can engage reluctant readers with her well crafted range of books. As I photographed Susan in front of a group of reluctant readers in a school I could see that they were engaged in a really special way. As an ex teacher myself I remember the seeing kids tune out as they found reading a challenge. Susan's range of books have little hooks as well as great stories to keep them engaged while learning about language. If you have a reluctant reader I highly recommend The Reading Mountain range.'

Photographer at Merry Images, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:53:16+00:00

Photographer at Merry Images, Melbourne, Australia

‘Susan Spelic can engage reluctant readers with her well crafted range of books. As I photographed Susan in front of a group of reluctant readers in a school I could see that they were engaged in a really special way. As an ex teacher myself I remember the seeing kids tune out as they found reading a challenge. Susan's range of books have little hooks as well as great stories to keep them engaged while learning about language. If you have a reluctant reader I highly recommend The Reading Mountain range.'

Nikki Benjamin

‘The books arrived today!! Thanks so much!!! [Livi is] absolutely fascinated! She is loving them. As soon as she finishes one she grabs another for my mum to read. I think mum has read them each about 4 times already. I think they are fabulous. Love the concept. And the focus on vowels. My mum is heavily dyslexic and I am a bit so it is so important to me that Livi has all the access to books that help her with her sounds. She loved the counting in Clever Meg… She is so engaged.'

Arbonne Independent Consultant and Mother of two, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:58:41+00:00

Arbonne Independent Consultant and Mother of two, Melbourne, Australia

‘The books arrived today!! Thanks so much!!! [Livi is] absolutely fascinated! She is loving them. As soon as she finishes one she grabs another for my mum to read. I think mum has read them each about 4 times already. I think they are fabulous. Love the concept. And the focus on vowels. My mum is heavily dyslexic and I am a bit so it is so important to me that Livi has all the access to books that help her with her sounds. She loved the counting in Clever Meg… She is so engaged.'

Tony Ciavarella

‘The Reading Mountain's books are a welcome inclusion in our bookshelf. Our son is just beginning his foray into reading. The simple language and focus on phonetics and sound themes in the books allows us to reinforce pronunciations and consolidate how letters form words. Whilst we have been reading other stories to him for some time, the Reading Mountain publications provide engaging story lines in language that suits our son's progression from being read to, to being the reader. The illustrations work well with the text, encouraging the reader to take note of the words they are reading, their meaning in the context of the story, and in associating that with what is happening in the pictures.'

Father of two

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-12-04T01:35:00+00:00

Father of two

‘The Reading Mountain's books are a welcome inclusion in our bookshelf. Our son is just beginning his foray into reading. The simple language and focus on phonetics and sound themes in the books allows us to reinforce pronunciations and consolidate how letters form words. Whilst we have been reading other stories to him for some time, the Reading Mountain publications provide engaging story lines in language that suits our son's progression from being read to, to being the reader. The illustrations work well with the text, encouraging the reader to take note of the words they are reading, their meaning in the context of the story, and in associating that with what is happening in the pictures.'

Leigh Machler

‘I have been reading all of your stories to my boys 6 year old Eli and 1 year old Jonah. Jonah has been babbling the whole time we read and Eli loves it as Tim and Tommy are 6 like him. He also loves that Tim is the middle brother like he is. He doesn’t call ‘Tim and his sisters’ by its title.. He calls it ‘My life’ ?? We are really enjoying practicing Eli’s reading and sitting together to read on the afternoons. Thank you for your great stories!!’

Mother of three, Melbourne Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T01:50:09+00:00

Mother of three, Melbourne Australia

‘I have been reading all of your stories to my boys 6 year old Eli and 1 year old Jonah. Jonah has been babbling the whole time we read and Eli loves it as Tim and Tommy are 6 like him. He also loves that Tim is the middle brother like he is. He doesn’t call ‘Tim and his sisters’ by its title.. He calls it ‘My life’ ?? We are really enjoying practicing Eli’s reading and sitting together to read on the afternoons. Thank you for your great stories!!’

Sarah

‘My 5 and 7 year children LOVE the books. Our older son particularly loved ‘Tim and his Sisters’. Even after a short time, he was really confident reading the books, a lot more so than many of the readers he is currently reading at school. I really noticed the difference.’

Mother of three, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:20:41+00:00

Mother of three, Melbourne, Australia

‘My 5 and 7 year children LOVE the books. Our older son particularly loved ‘Tim and his Sisters’. Even after a short time, he was really confident reading the books, a lot more so than many of the readers he is currently reading at school. I really noticed the difference.’

Kirsty Kent

‘My 6yr old is loving that he can read a chapter book and i know my 4yr old will love these too.. I'm excited for the release of the ‘up for a challenge' range '

Mother of two, New South Wales, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:24:47+00:00

Mother of two, New South Wales, Australia

‘My 6yr old is loving that he can read a chapter book and i know my 4yr old will love these too.. I'm excited for the release of the ‘up for a challenge' range '

‎Silveanne Beaton‎

‘So today we read two of your delightful books to a new group of children. 66 [children] engaged and totally immersed in the story. I just love them. ❤️ Thanks again Susan!'

Teacher and Mother of four, Melbourne, Australia

The Reading Mountain
5
2017-11-23T02:39:55+00:00

Teacher and Mother of four, Melbourne, Australia

‘So today we read two of your delightful books to a new group of children. 66 [children] engaged and totally immersed in the story. I just love them. ❤️ Thanks again Susan!'
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