The Adventures of Doc Leeda - A Color-Coded Approach to Reading (Help for Dyslexia) by Mindy Reese + giveaway

The Adventures of Doc Leeda is a set of 11 books that use a color-coded technique for different phonetic sounds and features a fun female veterinarian that can communicate with animals. The color-coding approach for sound recognition helps children build reading confidence while simultaneously retaining the basic sound concepts and phonics lessons.

The Adventures of Doc Leeda - A Color-Coded Approach to Reading

by Mindy Reese
Subject/Genre: Fiction/Instructional
Interest Level: Ages 5-9 / Grades K - 5

Readability: Lexile 450-530
ISBN: 978-1-63402-369-6

Publisher: HNB
Doc Leeda is a vet with a magical power—she can speak to and understand animals. Join her as she cares for sick and injured animals—and helps young readers learn the many ways to spell vowel phonemes.

Designed for teachers, parents, and aides to use in one-to-one and small-group learning, each book focuses on one phoneme, which is highlighted each time it appears in the text. Engaging full-color illustrations appear on every story page. Each book includes directions for an adult helper, and a review of concepts for the student.

Trey the Horse Gets a New Home (“long a” sound)

Trey the gray horse has come to live at Jane’s farm. Trey is afraid, until he meets Kay, who also lives on the farm. They make friends and trot off to play.

Lilly the Monkey Becomes a Mom (“long e” sound)

Lilly the monkey is about to give birth. When Doc Leeda examines Lilly, she has a big surprise for her. Zookeeper Haley doesn’t know why Lilly makes such a screech.

Niles the Bison Gets Hurt (“long i” sound)

Doc Leeda takes a bike ride and finds a bison lying down with a cut in his side. Doc Leeda takes care of him, then makes sure no other animals get hurt!

Odin the Goat Gets Sick (“long o” sound)

Odin the goat has eaten something that made him sick. Doc Leeda can’t figure out what Odin ate. But Sloan the toad and Bo the crow solve the mystery.

Sister Elephants Disagree (“short e” sound)

Emma and Ellen are sister elephants who have had a fight. The elephants said it was about food! Doc Leeda helps the elephants make up and share better!

Nick the Stingray Needs Help (“short i” sound)

Doc Leeda and her friend Lynn go swimming. They find a stingray tangled in a fish hook and line. Leeda wants to help him, but he has to promise not to sting her!

Molly the Otter Is Rescued (“short o” sound)

After a storm, two otters and an octopus wash up on the rocks. One otter is hurt. The octopus has lost an arm. They can’t go home until they are well!

Hunter the Duckling Is Lost (“short u” sound)

Doc Leeda’s dog, Rusty, finds a young duck under a shrub. The duckling has cut his foot. Doc Leeda takes care of him. Then she has to find his mother!

Dawson the Hawk Saves a Fawn (“aw” sound)

Doc Leeda and her dog take a hike. They find a hawk with his claw stuck. They free the hawk, who launches into the air. Then the hawk finds a hurt fawn. It’s a busy day for Doc Leeda!

Helping Brownie the Cow (“ow” sound)

Brownie the cow has hurt her hoof. When Doc Leeda goes to the barn, she hears a loud squeak. It is Clouse the mouse. Both Brownie and Clouse need Doc Leeda’s help!

Lou the Kangaroo Gets Adopted (“long oo” sound)

The zoo has a new baby kangaroo named Lou. Doc Leeda and Zookeeper Lucy explain to a group of kids that Lou lost his mother. They want another kangaroo, Oona, to adopt him. Will Oona take him?

BUY LINK

About the Author:

Website

Mindy Reese’s book series The Adventure Doc Leeda was inspired by her children. Upon learning that her daughters had Dyslexia, she decided to use the background skills from her Master's research on visual stimuli effects on memory to help them with their reading difficulties.

Before writing children's books, Mindy was an engineer. After working in commercial aerospace, starting and selling an engineering consulting company, and working for the federal government she became a Stay-at-Home-Mom (SAHM) in order to focus more on her two children.  Mindy lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, two daughters, and a super sweet dog. She now homeschools her daughters full time and writes on the side.

GIVEAWAY

win a full set of 11 books

Giveaway link

https://form.jotform.com/213256441995159

Movie Review: Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians (2012) PG  97 min 
21 November 2012 (USA) 
Director: Peter Ramsey 
Writers: David Lindsay-Abaire (screenplay), William Joyce (book) 
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin and Isla Fisher, Jude Law 

movie Website

When the evil spirit Pitch launches an assault on Earth, the Immortal Guardians team up to protect the innocence of children all around the world.

Based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood book series and The Man in the Moon short film by Joyce and Reel FX. Peter Ramsey directed the film, while Joyce and Guillermo del Toro exec-produced. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Set about 300 years after the book series, the film tells a story about the Guardians (North or Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Bunnymund or the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman), who enlist Jack Frost to stop Pitch from engulfing the world in darkness.

I haven’t read Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood book series, so I didn’t know anything about the movie going in other than my 11 year old daughter practically swoons at the sight of Jack Frost. Overall, Rise of the Guardians is a fantastic movie. It is a fast paced action packed story with an excellent villain and bad ass heroes/heroines. It makes believing cool again.

North (Santa) is a Russian hulk of a man with his forearms tattooed with naughty and nice, he is the leader of the Guardians and the Guardian of Wonder. He lives at the North Pole in an ice castle along with an army of Yetis that build all the toys, although I thought they looked like Shih Tzus on steroids.                     

Sandy (The Sandman) is the Guardian of Dreams and the first Guardian ever picked by the Man in the Moon. He can’t speak, but forms images with sand to communicate. While he might not look like much he is one tough dude and you don’t want to mess with him.

                     

Tooth (Tooth Fairy) is the Guardian of Memories. She is part hummingbird and has a whole flock of little bird/fairies that help her collect children’s teeth, which hold their most special memories. Tooth returns the memories when the child needs them the most.

                
Bunnymund (Easter Bunny) is the Guardian of Hope. He travels through tunnels that appear when he stomps his foot, and he was one of my favorite characters. He has a chip on his shoulder because North keeps teasing him about his holiday not being as important as Christmas, and Hugh Jackman’s voice adds that extra bit of smexy to him.

               

Jack Frost is the Guardian of Fun and the movie is a sort of a coming of age story for him. He has lived the last three hundred years invisible to humans, and has no idea of where he came from or what his purpose is. The Man in the Moon chooses him to be a Guardian, much to the dismay of the other Guardians. Jack has to prove to himself and the others he is worthy of the position, and I found his story touching without being sad and sappy.

                    
Pitch (The BoogeyMan) is the perfect villain. He is a little scary, but tempered with humor. The Guardians only exist because the belief of children, and Pitch plans to destroy that belief so he can rule the world. He is able to manipulate Jack with dire consequences for everyone.

                    

There is the perfect mix of comedy, heartwarming story, action, visual humor and lovable characters. The voice casting was genius and the animation is beautiful. This is a must see for anyone, but be warned… your tweens will be crushing on Jack.

5 “I feel it in ma’ belly” Sheep 

Sharon Stogner (edit Kalpar)