Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting REVIEW

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My oldest is dyslexic (you wouldn't hardly know it now), dysgraphic, and couldn't read until the end of 2nd grade.  My youngest was reading in kindergarten and is an avid reader and good speller.  Both of my kids always need handwriting practice.  I was glad to be able to review the Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting ebook (The Intelligent Parent's Complete Step-by-Step Program for Teaching Any Child How to Read & Write in 60 Days!) by Caroline Joy Adams from Everyday Education, LLC.  It can be used for ages 4 to adult.

Italics uses fewer strokes and is more fluid for the writer

It uses italic style handwriting which uses fewer strokes to write.  I received a digital copy of this 215-page ebook.  I was able to easily download it and print it out.  I chose to bind it in my binding machine to keep it neat and usable for Little Bug.  It is a consumable book and is not in digital format to be shared or copied except for those pages listed as reproducible in the Table of Contents for your own family only.

Notice Chapter 2 has a reproducible guide sheet

I am using it with my 1st grader.  Even though she can already read, she needs work on her handwriting!  Even though Chapter 2 covers the alphabet, it is suggested to go over it to acquaint your child with the italic formation of the letters.  Once they understand the simpler strokes you can move on to Chapter 6 for older students if necessary.

sample of the reproducible handwriting page

We went ahead and continued with Chapter 3 with lessons 2-23. She knows her short vowel sounds, consonant blends, plural words, and compound words that it covers, but she needs the writing practice. We could have just jumped to Chapter 6 but, she is only in 1st grade and though very advanced in reading, she still needs the content of the later lessons in the earlier chapters.

teaching suggestions from the foreword

The book includes a foreword, introduction, and 6 chapters that include 60 lessons and an entire chapter on handwriting practice (Chapter 6).  The foreward includes how to teach the lessons and scheduling options.  The introduction covers 4 ways to use the book (teaching young children to read and write, teaching children with reading difficulties to read effectively, teaching children to have fast, legible, attractive handwriting, and teaching yourself beautiful handwriting).  Daily use is best but for the younger ones it is not necessary to complete an entire lesson at once.  We use it daily for handwriting practice.

Little Bug working on a lesson

suggested scheduling option for younger student

If you use Model-Based Writing (ModelBasedWriting.com) there are suggestions and schedule options in the foreword.  It's also important to say that this is definitely a Charlotte Mason based approach book.  It is best to keep most lessons to only 10 to 15 minutes, especially for the younger ones.

A typical lesson in Chapters 3-5 (lessons 2-60) generally contains a list of words on the left side of the page and handwriting practice on the right side.  The left side of words is based on what the lesson is covering (i.e. short vowel sounds, consonant blends, etc).  The right side has sentences with blank spaces below each sentence for copywork practice.  I REALLY like this.  She doesn't have to flip pages back and forth or shuffle pages to do her copywork.  She writes immediately below the sentence she is copying.

List of words

Copywork page with first word started in each line

Little Bugs completed page

Chapter 6 begins with simple copywork then advances to slanted letters with guides.  Also included in Chapter 6 are:

• Joining Letters Together
• Using the Edged Pen
• Adding Serifs (beginning and ending strokes to letters)
• Variations (making letters fancier)

Joining letters

Practicing slant

Sample serifs

I wasn't sure when we first started but I am determined to continue this with Little Bug.  I know it will help her handwriting once I can get her to follow the guides.  She is so stubborn and wants to keep making the letters her own way.  Time and maturity will help that.  I did like the format and recommend that you check out Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting ebook by Caroline Joy Adams.  You can connect with Everyday Education, LLC. on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST.  Also, be sure to check out what my fellow Crew members had to say about this by clicking on the graphic link below.