Chinese Reading Step by Step
This series has published seven levels, comprising 68 engaging stories across various themes such as classic fairy tales, popular science, folktales, and ancient Chinese prose. Through the scientifically designed repetition of new characters within the picture book stories, children aged 3 to 8 can naturally and progressively acquire literacy and reading skills with zero barriers. The series helps them easily master 1,200 common Chinese characters and 30 reading strategies.
Building on a scientifically graded system, the series increases the repetition rate of essential and extended vocabulary to reinforce character recognition. It places greater emphasis on improving reading comprehension skills by incorporating game-based designs to cultivate children’s reading habits. Methods and strategies for both parent-child reading and independent reading are introduced progressively at each level. This approach truly supports children in transitioning to independent reading, enhancing their overall Chinese language proficiency, general knowledge, and aesthetic appreciation.
In level 1, children learn 60 Chinese characters, enabling them to read 10 storybooks. The learning focus is on basic numbers and simple characters. A character-recognition activity booklet is included to help build a foundational literacy path for beginners. The entire set comes with clear usage guidance for parents, review games at the end of each book to reinforce character memory, and a complete character list with flashcards to aid in revision and increase character repetition. The set is also accompanied by audio recordings and interactive read-aloud features, helping children learn to “listen” to stories and gain early cognitive development and good behavioral habits through engaging, age-appropriate stories on diverse themes.
Level 2 continues the step-by-step learning approach of Level 1, adding 100 new Chinese characters for a total of 160 characters learned. The learning focus at this level is word formation. The set includes clear usage guidance for parents, review games at the end of each book to strengthen character recognition, and a complete character list with flashcards to support revision and increase the repetition of new characters. A bonus set of attention training cards is also included. With accompanying audio recordings, children learn to “listen” to stories and gain age-appropriate cognitive development and positive behavioral habits through engaging stories across diverse themes.
Level 3 continues the step-by-step learning approach of the previous levels, adding 160 new Chinese characters, for a total of 320 characters learned. The learning focus is on basic sentence patterns. The set includes clear usage guidance for parents, end-of-book games to reinforce character recognition, a complete character list, and flashcards to support review and increase character repetition. A character recognition board game is included as a fun, educational bonus. The stories now incorporate elements of traditional Chinese culture, with more diverse and in-depth themes, covering classic tales, natural sciences, social life, and early math concepts—broadening children’s horizons in all directions.
Level 4 continues the step-by-step learning approach of the previous levels, adding 160 new Chinese characters for a total of 480 characters learned. The learning goal is to transition from reading long sentences to reading full paragraphs, with a stronger emphasis on developing reading skills. The set includes clear usage guidance for parents, as well as newly added mind maps and reading strategies at the end of each book to enhance comprehension. A complete character list and flashcards are provided for easy review and increased character repetition. A set of sentence-building game cards is included as an educational bonus. The stories feature a balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction, offering a well-rounded expansion of children’s perspectives.
Level 5 continues the step-by-step learning approach of the previous four levels, adding 200 new Chinese characters for a total of 680 characters learned. The goal at this stage is to further enhance reading comprehension and expression skills. The set includes clear usage guidance for parents, mind maps and reading strategies at the end of each book, as well as newly added extended reading materials. A complete character list and flashcards are provided for review, along with a bonus set of radical (character component) cards to make learning fun and engaging. The stories maintain a balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction, offering a comprehensive expansion of children’s knowledge and worldview.
Level 6 continues the step-by-step learning approach of the previous five levels, adding 220 new Chinese characters for a total of 900 characters learned. This level is designed to support a smooth transition from preschool to primary school, with the goal of developing independent reading skills. The set includes clear usage guidance for parents, along with mind maps, reading strategies, and extended reading materials at the end of each book. A complete character list and flashcards are provided for easy review. The stories feature a well-balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction, offering a well-rounded expansion of children’s horizons.
The brand-new Level 1 of the ‘Step into Reading with One Read’ series has been designed for young readers aged 6–8. It fills a gap in Chinese graded reading materials for the lower primary school years, helping children to take their first successful steps into formal schooling.
Upgraded cognitive development:
Story themes are more original and locally relevant, and are closely aligned with academic subjects and primary school life. The eight story themes include:
Diary writing, nature journaling, sports, household chores, traditional culture, logical reasoning, understanding society and moral character.
Each book concludes with an extended reading section that links the story to broader Chinese language and cultural knowledge.
Upgraded character recognition skills and methods:
It helps children firmly master 1,200 core Chinese characters — 300 more than in Level 6.
It introduces pinyin-based character learning that is fully aligned with the pinyin standards of the official Chinese language curriculum.
It comes with a free handwriting and dictation workbook that matches the curriculum and reinforces essential characters.
Upgraded reading function:
Each book has been extended to 64 pages and transitions from picture books to bridge books, matching the reading needs of lower primary school students.
At the end of each book is a mind map containing bridge diagrams, tree diagrams and bubble charts. These eight types of diagram correspond to eight thinking strategies, such as comparison, classification, sequencing and divergent thinking. These are all tools that help to improve reading comprehension.
Also included is a reading self-assessment handbook with exercises on character, structure, meaning, word formation and sentence construction, all of which are aligned with lower-grade exam objectives.
Chinese Reading Step by Step features point-to-read functionality, which helps children practice reading aloud and standardize their Mandarin pronunciation.
The online resources develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, using multiple methods to spark children’s interest in learning.
(Online resources include book audio-pointing, picture book audio, word dictation, stroke order animations, sentence repetition, and reading comprehension mini-games.)