Dick and Jane

The beginning readers that have been around for decades are still as pertinent and useful today as they were when they were introduced in the 1930’s. For years these basal readers, written by William S. Gray and Zerna Sharp, were the standard in school as children were introduced to the phonics that would be the basis of their reading capabilities.
Though not used in schools as the primary basal (or book that teaches reading) that all children use, the basic language used and simple illustrations on every page make the books a great choice for young readers to this day.

Gray’s plan was to create a set of books that focused on different subject areas such as health, science, arithmetic, etc. The books relied on the whole word or sight word reading method. Words would be simple, repetitive, and basic, so as to cater to new readers. Originally the series included texts meant for grades 1-8. In the 1960’s the readers were reedited so that the books contained more phonics and the artwork was also updated. Original Dick and Jane books sell for as much as $200 in today’s market.

The team of Gray and Sharp was a great one. William Gray was born in 1885 and was an educated teacher and principal. His education in children’s literacy and affiliation with Scott Foresman (the publishers of Dick and Jane) brought him to work with Zerna. He had a goal to make books readable for children. His attention to the content and style of the books is what made them so successful.

Along with Gray’s education and research, Zerna Sharp had noticed a decrease in literacy and felt the need for a new reading format in primers. She felt strongly that primers should introduce one word at a time. The Dick and Jane readers follow that simple rule. Even the names “Dick and Jane” were selected because they were easy to sound out phonetically.

While the titles may seem dated, the skills taught in these primer readers will make children successful readers today just as it did years ago. And while not always present in the schools as they once were, the Dick and Jane books will still be a favorite among young readers. Introduction to these classic stories will be a delight for parent and child alike!