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The statistics are staggering. In the US, one child in four grows up unable to read with proficiency above a third grade level. When Spanish children memorize their alphabet, they learn many of the reading sounds the letters make. The names of the letters and the sounds of the letters are often the same. In the American alphabet, the names of the letters and the reading sounds of letters are often different. Many children cannot make this abstract jump and fall behind. When a child falls behind in their ability to read, they often face a harder time achieving a successful future.

statista.com/Einar H Dyvik, Aug 8, 2024: The educational attainment in Iceland is high compared to the worldwide numbers. More than two thirds of the population either has an upper secondary education or higher. Over one third of the population has a tertiary education.

The success of Iceland's beginning reading program, despite the complexity of their language, produces a high literacy rate. Educators in Iceland understand when a child learns letters have their own special reading sounds, a child learns to read. They teach beginning readers, not through ABC books (sight reading), but through adventure stories–stories in which characters within the stories teach the reading sounds alphabet letters make. In Iceland these storybook children become as well-known as the Disney Princesses and Marvel Super Heroes. Examples: Shorri, a curious boy who loves adventures, Freya, a brave girl with a passion for nature and Bjorn, a friendly bear who helps his friends.

Babu Mischief, Bright Star, Captain Renaissance Red, Sir Turtle, The Wild Wild Wind, and other delightful characters fill the pages of a program to teach American children to read before they start school.

FOR CHILDREN FOUR YEARS OLD

An illustrated 'Picture Book' in which children meet each (alphabet) letter family and learn the reading sounds the letters make.

FOR CHILDREN SIX YEARS OLD

A 'Picture Book' with a four-minute adventure story, in which fantasy characters teach the reading sounds of alphabet letters.

FOR OLDER CHILDREN

FALLING BEHIND IN READING

'The Adventures of Taylor Keiko Mochizuki

and Sir Ruben Rainbow in the Land of Sounds'

Twenty 15-minute adventure stories. Each story is a complete adventure unto itself, with a beginning, a middle and end. Each sequential story leads to an ending of a saga, revolving around the heartbreak of a child falling behind her friends in school. Keiko struggles, but fails, to learn to read. It is a A 'Wizard of Oz' type story in which Keiko travels to the Rainbow and into the Land of Sounds. Sir Ruben Rainbow, a boy of many colors is her teacher.

On her journey Keiko encounters fantasy characters such as dragons, sea monsters, water angels, fairies and witches; witches who turn out not to be witches. And a flying pony. The adversary is a jealous Wild Wild Wind. "You will stay forever in this darkness, Keiko. I will do everything in my power to stop you from learning to read." And of course, the wild Wild Wind becomes a hero at the end, as overcoming jealousy is another of the many life-lessons Keiko learns on her journey in Rainbowland.

Taylor Keiko Mochizuki & Sir Rubén Rainbow in the Land of Sounds is a reading program developed by author and illustrator, Carla Janes, as she taught developmentally challenged children to read. She believes the following:

What a child hears lasts a lifetime. Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me. How sad, if believed. A child with a disability will often encounter hurtful words. Feelings of not being good enough or smart enough are universal themes impacting children around the world. A Disney CEO, after reading the 'Snow Queen' thought the main character's power to turn everything into ice was a disability. And that is what the theme of 'Frozen' became. And it is this writer's belief that for the one in four American Children growing up not being able to read above a third grade level--not being able to read is a disability.

REVIEW: Shepherd Siegel, PhD, author of Disruptive Play

Carla Janes-Heneghan has spun a tale as delightful as it is unique. With stunning illustrations that bring the reader into this fantasy world; we ride along with Keiko in adventures with Babu Mischief, Bright Star, Captain Renaissance Red, Sir Turtle, The Wild Wild Wind, and many more. Meant to be read aloud, Taylor Keiko Mochizuki & Sir Rubén Rainbow in the Land of Sounds teaches struggling readers how to break through to fluency, and teaches other children empathy for them...plus it's a wild and dazzling ride.

Two movie screenplays, adapted from the twenty consecutive 2,000 word stories, are in process.

Chapter 10 of the Storybook, The Invisible Babu Mischief, the Trickster of Rainbowland, was chosen as a finalist for the 2025 unpublished Pacific NW Writers Association.