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Dick and Jane and Friends Treasury
Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends
Includes: "We Look and See; We Come and Go"; and "The New We Work and Play."
193 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2002
11 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 30, 2020
, My Dog Can Read at Second Grade Level
My dog Mocha knows many of the beginning words in this book. She is supposed to know some of this because she is a border collie and they can have a vocabulary of 1000 words or more. My husband and I learned to not say, "Come here and see this," meaning to look out the window, because she will be out her doggie door looking for a critter faster than you can stop her, and then the one who is supposed to come and look can't see what was out there, because by then the dog had disturbed it, and it has run off. We try different ways of telling each other to come and see something, but she has them all figured out. We have fun things to see outside like raccoons, possums, turtles, ground hogs, and neighbor dogs, to mention a few.
When I was little I saw a picture of Sally, the young baby in this book, at her mother's vanity table with a powder puff in her hand, and powder all over her face, but it wasn't in this book. That seemed to be my most memorable picture in the book for some reason.
These books were given to school children in the 30s throughout the 70s. They were fun to read back then when I was a kid; they are just okay now.
I talk to my dog Mocha much like how it is written in the Dick and Jane books: "Run, Mocha, Run," and she takes off running. "Mocha, Come here!" She will stand up so I can see where she is, for you see I often just want to know where she is, and she knows this somehow. To get her to really come I have to try a few different commands until I have hit upon the words that she knows means to really come to me. I never remember which string of words it is, but she does, and sooner or later I will fall upon them.
In this book Sally puts her kitty in a swing. Hmmm. Bet that didn't go so well. I had a border collie before Mocha that was named, Megan, and she walked up a playground slide with me and went down it as well. (The slide had sides, so I wasn't endangering her.) I had tried to grab her when we got to the top because I was going to hold her on our way down, but her front feet touched the slick slide and down she went. "Eyes as big as saucers," my husband said, and "She laughed when she got on the ground." She walked up one more time with me and went down the slide again in the same way, and after that she had had enough. She did like the Merry-Go-Round. "See Megan ride the Merry-Go-Round. Fun. Fun. Fun."
I don't doubt that this series didn't make me wish to live in an old fashioned neighborhood after I grew up. One where kids rode their wagons and played hopscotch.
I remember looking out the window in our neighborhood when I was four years old, one just like Dick and Jane's, and seeing kids getting on the bus to go to school and wishing that I could go too, but I was told I was too young. I also remember them playing hopscotch out in front of our house and being told again that I was too young. I heard that a lot when I was growing up. Usually, it was in regards to not being old enough to understand what adults were saying.
I believe I recall that Jane and Sally's mother allowed them to make cookies, but if not, she should have. I have a great recipe that they could easily make:
CHOCOLATE FROSTED GRAHAM CRA CKERS
2 ¾ c. powdered sugar
6 T. dark unsweetened cocoa
6 T. butterU
5 T. milk or half-In-half
1 T. vanilla
Mix all ingredients and spread on graham crackers. This will taste better when the crackers get softened from setting out on the counter. And i had to add, this is much better than getting the plain graham crackers that the teacher gave me to us in kindergarten.
My dog Mocha knows many of the beginning words in this book. She is supposed to know some of this because she is a border collie and they can have a vocabulary of 1000 words or more. My husband and I learned to not say, "Come here and see this," meaning to look out the window, because she will be out her doggie door looking for a critter faster than you can stop her, and then the one who is supposed to come and look can't see what was out there, because by then the dog had disturbed it, and it has run off. We try different ways of telling each other to come and see something, but she has them all figured out. We have fun things to see outside like raccoons, possums, turtles, ground hogs, and neighbor dogs, to mention a few.
When I was little I saw a picture of Sally, the young baby in this book, at her mother's vanity table with a powder puff in her hand, and powder all over her face, but it wasn't in this book. That seemed to be my most memorable picture in the book for some reason.
These books were given to school children in the 30s throughout the 70s. They were fun to read back then when I was a kid; they are just okay now.
I talk to my dog Mocha much like how it is written in the Dick and Jane books: "Run, Mocha, Run," and she takes off running. "Mocha, Come here!" She will stand up so I can see where she is, for you see I often just want to know where she is, and she knows this somehow. To get her to really come I have to try a few different commands until I have hit upon the words that she knows means to really come to me. I never remember which string of words it is, but she does, and sooner or later I will fall upon them.
In this book Sally puts her kitty in a swing. Hmmm. Bet that didn't go so well. I had a border collie before Mocha that was named, Megan, and she walked up a playground slide with me and went down it as well. (The slide had sides, so I wasn't endangering her.) I had tried to grab her when we got to the top because I was going to hold her on our way down, but her front feet touched the slick slide and down she went. "Eyes as big as saucers," my husband said, and "She laughed when she got on the ground." She walked up one more time with me and went down the slide again in the same way, and after that she had had enough. She did like the Merry-Go-Round. "See Megan ride the Merry-Go-Round. Fun. Fun. Fun."
I don't doubt that this series didn't make me wish to live in an old fashioned neighborhood after I grew up. One where kids rode their wagons and played hopscotch.
I remember looking out the window in our neighborhood when I was four years old, one just like Dick and Jane's, and seeing kids getting on the bus to go to school and wishing that I could go too, but I was told I was too young. I also remember them playing hopscotch out in front of our house and being told again that I was too young. I heard that a lot when I was growing up. Usually, it was in regards to not being old enough to understand what adults were saying.
I believe I recall that Jane and Sally's mother allowed them to make cookies, but if not, she should have. I have a great recipe that they could easily make:
CHOCOLATE FROSTED GRAHAM CRA CKERS
2 ¾ c. powdered sugar
6 T. dark unsweetened cocoa
6 T. butterU
5 T. milk or half-In-half
1 T. vanilla
Mix all ingredients and spread on graham crackers. This will taste better when the crackers get softened from setting out on the counter. And i had to add, this is much better than getting the plain graham crackers that the teacher gave me to us in kindergarten.
November 8, 2011
Dick, Jane and trusty Spot introduced many of us
to reading in elementary school. So for me this book
is a complete nostalgia trip and as the intro says,
with 'heartwarming drawings'.
Interesting that the books go back to 1930, well
even that's before my school days.
If it's been a while since you thought of wooden
desks, clapping blackboard erasers, flour glue
and boxes of Crayola crayons, this book will
certainly bring those memories back to you.
There also is a Puff the cat, mmm don't remember
that one!
June 11, 2025
This story collection brings together some classic Dick and Jane stories we've all probably read, as they've helped generations of young readers learn vocabulary through the repetitive structure of the stories and the cute, wholesome illustrations. It’s a nostalgic and effective early reader tool.
May 25, 2015
Old time favorite for first time readers.
October 31, 2022
A sweet, classic old book to teach children to read.
November 24, 2020
My grandma was the one who gave me this book, and said all of her children learned to read through these books. As I read through it, I noticed there is a lot of repetition and it contains many sight words for first time readers. This book includes short stories that teach counting, colors, shapes, sizes, and actions. Even though this book is older, I could still see myself using this for beginning readers. The pictures match what the text is, and it can assist students in understanding the meaning of words. The repetition will help students begin to understand sounds of letters and slowly become familiar with seeing them in a sentence.
August 3, 2013
Look Dick. See Jane. See Baby Sally.
See Spot (the dog), Puff (the cat), Tim (Sally's teddy bear).
See Father and Mother.
See three illustrated books -- 193 pages-- in one.
1. We Look and See. 2. We Come and Go. 3. The New We Work and Play.
Read the books. Oh, oh, oh. Fun, fun, fun. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
..............................
Finding appealing-to-kids ABSOLUTE beginner new-reader books can be a challenge for kids, parents and other adults. These three Dick and Jane books, now gathered in one storybook treasury, were an option used once-upon-a-time in schools for thousands of kindergarten/ first graders, but in an era before multi-cultural sensitivity and more modern family changes.
There are no overtly problematic/offensive sentences given the extremely restricted word choice including up, down, see, oh, look, come, go, play, and, work, blue, yellow, cars, boats, something, help, ball, can, my, big, little, cookies.
However, be forewarned that the old-fashioned illustrations feature a traditional family with a Mother and Father, cat and dog and three children (brown and blonde haired) with the girls wearing dresses.
Also Note: the pictures are sometimes quite necessary to make sense of the meaning of the simple sentences.
Finally, an added bonus for readers without children: Dick and Jane references have entered the American culture (perhaps you remember the film "Fun with Dick and Jane") and a look at even one Dick and Jane book will go a long way toward clearing up any cultural reference mysteries -- and I promise that the reading investment time wise will be really, really short!
December 17, 2013
I learned to read on Dick and Jane, and am now teaching our third with this same reader. I have tried other methods (flashcards, Learn to Read in 100 Easy Lessons), but nothing fascinates and holds their little attention like these simple stories. The repetition, introduction of new characters, use of punctuation, capitalization (for new readers recognizing upper and lower case), and illustrations are just perfect!
December 31, 2008
Great reminder of the very distant past.
January 27, 2022
Millions of Americans remember DICK and JANE (and SALLY and SPOT too)! The little stories with their simple vocabulary words and warmly rendered illustrations were a hallmark of American education in the 1950s and 1960s. There was fun and adventures around every corner of DICK and JANE’s world.
Generations of American children learned to read with DICK and JANE, and many still cherish the memory of reading the simple stories on their own. I grew up learning to read with these books. I was given a big stack of books recently and found this treasure included. I found myself reading it again like I was still in grade school (I know, gives my age away but at least it wasn’t McGuffey’s Readers, LOL)! This really was fun to do!
It became #6 in my AROUND THE YEAR IN 52 BOOKS BOOKCLUB LIST as (a book less than 220 pages OR more than 440 pages).
Generations of American children learned to read with DICK and JANE, and many still cherish the memory of reading the simple stories on their own. I grew up learning to read with these books. I was given a big stack of books recently and found this treasure included. I found myself reading it again like I was still in grade school (I know, gives my age away but at least it wasn’t McGuffey’s Readers, LOL)! This really was fun to do!
It became #6 in my AROUND THE YEAR IN 52 BOOKS BOOKCLUB LIST as (a book less than 220 pages OR more than 440 pages).
May 10, 2021
This is an easy reader that discusses the aspects of look and see. I learned to read from this book; back then my favorite section out of this treasury was Look and See. There are different sections based upon the characters of Dick, Jane, Baby, Spot, and Puff. I loved reading these when I was little and learning. They are very easy and enjoyable. In these books there are no diverse characters. However, I would definitely recommend for younger children because the older you are and more experienced with reading the easier and quicker it will be to get through.
August 26, 2024
Does it really matter what I rate this?
I can tell you why I read this whole thing, it's because I learned to read off of these pages. It seems to have worked despite how awful and boring they are, I haven't had a day where I was reading at least one book since. I was thinking that I would enjoy the art if nothing else, but nope. Turns out that the books that came on the heels of Dick and Jane were much better both in writing and illustration.
Thing is, I can still recall that moment, oh so faintly, when it all suddenly clicked what the words were. It changed my life.
I can tell you why I read this whole thing, it's because I learned to read off of these pages. It seems to have worked despite how awful and boring they are, I haven't had a day where I was reading at least one book since. I was thinking that I would enjoy the art if nothing else, but nope. Turns out that the books that came on the heels of Dick and Jane were much better both in writing and illustration.
Thing is, I can still recall that moment, oh so faintly, when it all suddenly clicked what the words were. It changed my life.
May 21, 2018
This was the series that we had when I was in first & second grade to learn how to read...
This was during the period of time when you were taught "sight" reading - no phonics, you learned to memorize your words & how to spell them.
I also got into trouble in first grade for taking the books home so I could read all the stories...
So it was interesting reading the old stories after 60 years.
This was during the period of time when you were taught "sight" reading - no phonics, you learned to memorize your words & how to spell them.
I also got into trouble in first grade for taking the books home so I could read all the stories...
So it was interesting reading the old stories after 60 years.
February 13, 2023
Great book for very little kids that can teach early reading skills. A bit outdated, but that doesn't affect its usefulness in early development. It follows Dick and Jane around on their various "adventures" that would be interesting for kids to hear and maybe do themselves.
May 8, 2025
Nobody talks like this.
My two little boys applauded when they saw the last page—because they couldn’t wait to be rid of it. One said, “Donations! Immediately! I don’t want that book in my house!”
I concur.
My two little boys applauded when they saw the last page—because they couldn’t wait to be rid of it. One said, “Donations! Immediately! I don’t want that book in my house!”
I concur.
November 17, 2017
This book brings me back to my childhood. Vivid memories of being in school reading these books...out loud.
February 15, 2020
Found these nice hardcovers at a library sale. How could you give anything less than five stars to the books that taught you to read?
April 25, 2020
Hav loved it
September 4, 2020
I hate reading this book, but my son loves it. Guess this will be a book that helps him read.
April 15, 2021
Grandma gave it to me. This book taught me how to read.
July 4, 2021
I learned to read with Dick and Jane
February 28, 2024
this is too difficult, I couldn't read it
April 17, 2025
1.5 This book should be wordless.
September 18, 2015
We have been picking this up when we have run out of library books or been feeling pressure to do some easy reading at bedtime due to tiredness so it's dragged on a bit!
In terms of being a classic American kids book - it is classic! Men are superior, women are housewives, the male child gets his way etc!
In terms of being an early reading book, it was easy to read apart from the odd word. My daughter kept getting stuck on Jane as she doesn't know anyone by that name! Otherwise I think she was maybe too advanced for it really but enjoyed it as some easy reading when she was tired!
It's a classic, its historic, its chauvinistic, but had pretty pictures and simple words.
It's so boring for the adult but can be useful for the very early reader.
In terms of being a classic American kids book - it is classic! Men are superior, women are housewives, the male child gets his way etc!
In terms of being an early reading book, it was easy to read apart from the odd word. My daughter kept getting stuck on Jane as she doesn't know anyone by that name! Otherwise I think she was maybe too advanced for it really but enjoyed it as some easy reading when she was tired!
It's a classic, its historic, its chauvinistic, but had pretty pictures and simple words.
It's so boring for the adult but can be useful for the very early reader.
August 2, 2013
I gifted my oldest grandson with this book at Christmas 2004 when he was about 5. He had learned to read before he went to kindergarten by reading my old school readers which featured Dick, Jane, Sally, mother, father, Spot and Puff. This was a great gift to him because he could read the whole book and really feel successful. Now at almost 15 he is a prolific reader, especially interested in the Star Wars series. A few years ago he shared the Dick and Jane book with his younger sister who recently gifted the book to her 18 month old cousin. These stories are timeless, easy to read and proven educational tools for beginners. Recommended reading for early readers and their listeners!
July 21, 2010
Don't normally review kids' books, but I just had to stop and write how much we have enjoyed this one. It's a collection of a bunch of old school Dick & Jane books. I got it from the library thinking I'd help Cole read it, but Cole is reading this himself! This book has been a great springboard of confidence for him in the reading department. The repetition is great for his reading level. Cole also finds the stories truly entertaining. Bonus!
December 3, 2011
30 months - Dick and Jane was the first book I could read by myself. My grandmother was a school teacher and she had a first edition of the book that she gave me. It was very exciting to be able to read something without help! I remember we loaned the book to my friend Cory and never saw it again. I always wished I had that book. Anyway, I came across this treasury at the thrift store and just had to buy it for O for when she begins to read on her own.
March 15, 2016
This series of stories will always be near and dear to my heart. It is one of the ways I learned to read growing up. I remember my mom giving this book to me to help me sound out and understand specific words. The illustrations are adorable and the sentences and words are simple for young children to understand. Repetition is evident in this book. For young children learning how to read, I think the repetition of the words is great because it helps them practice.
May 29, 2008
Okay, so Dick and Jane stories are pretty boring in my opinion, but they are also so cool in my book, because they were the breakthrough for Rebecca with learning how to read. She knew all her letters and many of the sounds but once we started Dick and Jane she learned words and got excited about reading. So, I recommend Dick and Jane for a certain time of life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews