Listen Up!: Alexander Graham Bell's Talking Machine (Step into Reading)

Even though the story and illustrations skew the material for a younger audience, I've had good luck using this story about Alexander Graham Bell in adult literacy tutoring. My students like the history readers--they're based on true stories and give some information about famous historical characters that the new readers perhaps have heard of, but are not always certain what their claim to fame is. The students feel as if they've learned something. The vocabulary and sentence structure seems true to the level stated.

We are enjoying the Step into reading. We are choosing books about history and invention. Our son is dyslexic and he practices reading a book each day for 5 days before reading it to his grandparents on Saturday mornings. The stories keep him captivated and the grandparents enjoy hearing him read the book. He has grown as a reader. We are looking forward to moving to level 4.

I have purchase at least six of this series of readers, the kids love them. Not only are they reading , they are learning real history. The younger ones that cant read sit an listen as the story unfolds. Big brother reads aloud, builds his confidence, the story "Who knew" talking wires of a piano string. Lead to conversation about telegraph keys and Morris code, signal flares, mirrors and flash lights that lead to old school manual type writers, electric typewriters prints and iPad. One thirty minutes read lead to 3 days of learning. Truly priceless. We just finished Ben Franklin another success.

This is a good series for early elementary. The writing is lively and the colorful pictures are appealing to children who are used to cartoons. Each book describes an important historical figure or invention. This one describes the excitement when Bell invented the telephone. I think it's a good idea to choose one important characteristic to catch the child's imagination. Even though it doesn't begin to describe the whole character, it might help the children remember the name and perhaps even help them begin to grasp the significance of some historical events.

I love these series. But most important that my son does. I order 20+ books and he loves to read them (usually it is not that easy to make him read). I got mix of 2-3-4 levels for the second grader, second level is too easy, but it creates some fun and he reads them with pleasure. Love it, I would recommend it.

Love the book! I am a teacher and I am always looking for lower reader levels for my lower students.

This was a great book for my class to read aloud. It's easy enough for them to understand and they love being able to tell about a person using expression they can read. Thank you for your prompt delivery.

I have read and re-read this story with my son who loves trying to figure out how things work. It is a good way to take an understanding of how tin cans transmit sound and apply it to how telephones first began.

really interesting for older dyslexia child -at stated level

In confusion I bought a wrong reading level. It's too simplistic. I like the " who was/ is" series by Penguin publication I think. They give a much better holistic view of the person than the gloss over provided in this book.

Well written and easy for kids to follow. 6 year old got through it easily

What an awesome book. Thanks to the writers 😊 We all just love it😇😇

Good book