Dear Parents and Guardians:

When you read a few pages of Ranger Rick Jr. each day with your child, he or she will enjoy the animals and stories for the entire month. Here are ideas to help increase your child’s comprehension skills.

Turn to page 6 and introduce Pete, a little prairie dog. Tell your child Pete wants to share information about his town and friends. After looking at the pictures and reading about prairie dogs on pages 6–11, turn back to page 6. Ask your child if he or she remembers how many animals live in the town and why they are called prairie dogs. As you go back to each of the pages, have your child tell you what the prairie dogs are doing in each picture.

Turn to pages 16–17 and explain to your child that different animals have a variety of experiences on the day they are born. A newborn gazelle can run to keep up with its mother. Baby wood ducks leave their nests to join their mother in the water and start feeding on soft plant leaves.

On pages 18–21, you and your child will learn what it’s like for other animal babies on their first day. Some newborns, such as mice and pandas, are tiny and helpless. These animals depend on their mothers for care. Other animals can take care of themselves. Sea turtles hatch from eggs on a sandy beach and quickly dash to the sea.

The next day, look at the photos of baby animals again. Ask your child to tell you what these animals were like on the first day of their life.

Mike Wilson, Founder
Prekindergarten Reading Encouragement Project
PREP – Helping childhood literacy one family at a time.
facebook.com/PREPDelaware