Learning to Read with Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures

Watching a child learn to read feels magical. I remember the first time my son read a book all by himself. I watched in amazement as my kindergartner slowly made his way through an easy reader, sounding out words with incredible focus. And when he reached the last page, he looked up with wide eyes and said, "I love this book. I am going to read it again and again."

That moment felt simply magical, but there is a lot of science behind that magic. Reading is a complex process. Phonics is a way to help kids learn to read and spell words by learning how to connect letters and sounds. (It's a bit like learning a special code that helps you read and spell words!) When learning to read, kids learn the names and shapes of letters; they learn which sounds are represented by letters and letter combinations; and they learn how letters and letter combinations make up words.

As parents, we don’t need to be reading pros. We can do simple things to help young children read, like helping them learn letters and sounds by turning to fun books and shows we can trust.

When my kids were younger, our whole family loved watching the original “Super Why!” In this classic PBS KIDS show, a group of Super Readers used their literacy powers to overcome obstacles and solve social-emotional, preschool-relatable problems.

This fall, a new series called “Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures” debuts. Each 3-minute episode is made for preschoolers, focusing on early reading skills.

Mike Pecoriello, a series producer from 9 Story Media Group, is excited to introduce the show to families. “The hilarious villains of the series wreak havoc and create problems that our Super Readers need to use their literacy skills to solve,” Pecoriello said.“But they can’t do it without the home viewer — Super YOU!”

These short episodes also include catchy songs — such as “Start with the Sounds,” “S is More,” “Spell It Out,” “Nothing Stops a Sentence Like a Period,” and “The Long Vowel Song” — that help kids remember the reading skills they’ve learned.

I started writing for PBS KIDS when my kids were tiny tots in diapers. Like most parents, I worried about how much screen time they had — and wanted to find shows that matched my parenting goals to support my child’s growth and development. So, you can imagine how excited I was to learn that every PBS KIDS show has a whole team of experts behind it.

That means that every episode of “Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures” has been given the thumbs up by literacy experts who understand the science of reading and the need to explicitly teach foundational reading skills.

“Reading is not something that kids are able to start doing automatically; they need to learn how to do it,” said Jess deMonsabert, Director of Research and Curriculum at 9 Story Media Group, which produces “Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures.”

A team of seasoned educators and researchers help create the fun short episodes. This team of reading pros work together to make sure that they’re teaching kids in ways that are “clear, engaging, and will reinforce and extend what your children are learning in school.”

Children learn more from media when parents talk to them about what they're watching. These three-minute episodes are a great way to learn more about reading together. After watching a show, practice the skill at home. Did the show talk about rhyming words? Practice rhyming simple words like up, cup, and pup.

“Parents can help support their preschoolers start to read by working on these foundational skills with them — helping young children to identify letters, connect letters to sounds, and to put those sounds together to form words,” deMonsabert said.

Breaking down phonics for kids means naming the different sounds that make up a word. For example, it means you notice that “bat” starts with a “b-b-b-” sound and ends with a /t/ sound. (Young kids can build this skill even before they learn their letters!)

Here are three games that help kids learn phonics:

• I Like…: What do you like that starts with the /b/ sounds (or /s/ sound or /m/ sound)? As a parent, I would say:

  • “I like b-b-b-bananas and b-b-b-bubbles. What do you like that starts with b-b-b?” or

  • “I like g-g-g-grapes and g-g-g-giggles. What do you like that starts with g-g-g?”

• I Spy: Give the “I Spy” game a phonics twist. For example, say, “I spy with my little eye something that begins with ‘m-m-m.’” Then provide hints, such as, “It starts with m-m-m, ends with k-k-k, and you like to drink it.”

• What If?: Make a game out of replacing the first sound of a word. For example:

  • “What if every name in our family began with the /w/ sound? Mommy would be called . . . Wommy! Sophie would be . . . Wophie!” Or

  • “What if all the food at the table started with /t/ sound? This pickle would be a . . . tickle! Your milk would be . . . tilk!”

The new “Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures” shorts focus on the power of reading. Know what else is fun? Snuggling up and reading books to your kids. Go to the library and check out a stack (children’s librarians can help you find great books!). And don’t be surprised if your child wants to hear the same book over and over again. (That’s part of how they learn!) You can try pointing out letters and sounds in books and asking them if they recognize any letters or sounds (e.g., like the first letter of their name).

There is a science and magic to learning how to read. The creators of “Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures” know that the more we get the science right, the more we can help kids unlock the magic that comes from reading a good book on their own.