The Teach Monster team has been tremendously busy working on the latest update to the game. We're so pleased to bring you version 3.3 of Teach Your Monster to Read, which is packed full of fun additions and 'quality of life' changes for your children to enjoy. Let's check out what's new!

• You can now dress your monster up as a princess, a superhero, a unicorn or a dinosaur! These new costumes are hidden throughout the 3 games. A special prize goes to the first monster to collect them all! Let us know if you manage to hunt them all down :)
• There are snazzy new certificates for every game your monster completes. This much-loved feature of the web version of the game has now been brought to the app. Tap on the trophy icon on the login screen to view your achievements.

• You can now play practice mode with logged in monsters. We’ve also improved the interface to make it easier to jump into the game.
• The popular running mini-game (you know... the one with the flowers) has been updated so it’s smoother to play.

• There are more exciting prizes in the first game and the stars you collect are now carried across all three games.
• Many small bugs have been fixed, including a multi-logout error, a keyboard bug when entering star codes and a proxy-related issue. We’ve also improved our error reporting in case of future ‘monsters in the system’.

All of this is thanks to your wonderful feedback and reviews. We read and respond to everything we can, so please keep them coming.

Very occasionally, the Teach Your Monster to Read app is completely free to download for a short period of time. Once you've downloaded the app, there's nothing to pay after the free period ends.

If you don't want to miss out when our app goes free on all app stores, simply join our mailing list today and you'll be the first to know when the app is next free.

Teach Your Monster to Read fans love to share their passion for the game in all sorts of ways. We enjoy seeing pictures of your amazing monster creations and it's great to read all about how the monsters inspire children across the globe. Recently we received a beautiful poem written by Judith, from the perspective of her grandson, who loves to play Teach Your Monster to Read...

Most days I have extra fun

Teaching my monster to read

Dodging meteors then when done

I have my monster to feed.

We pop words into his mouth

He chomps them by the score

We journey north, west and south

Until we have some more.

I have trickies to chase and tickle

Until I catch them in my pocket.

Sometimes I get in quite a pickle

When I can’t guide my rocket

Lots of letter planets to explore

Adventures, challenges as we go

A secret gate, a hidden door

Stars to collect, paths to follow.

Passing goblins, spells to read

That part is quite hard

Because if I don’t succeed

My way ahead is barred.

So I try and try my very best

To read the goblin’s spell

I’ve done it ! (though it is a test)

I’m told I’ve done so well.

Soon my monster will love to read

Surrounded by his books

He’s had his words, a tasty feed

He grabs them with his hooks.

So now my monster lives with me

We both love reading together

As I sit upon his knee

Monster friend and I forever.

By Judith from the perspective of her grandson James.

Do you have any inspiring creations of your own? Let us know on Facebook. We'd love to hear from you.

This review by Peter Cassidy is based on his observations of his daughter, Emily Cassidy-Oki, using the product.

Peter’s daughter Emily playing ‘Teach Your Monster to Read’.

“Teach Your Monster to Read” is the perfect blend of game and teaching-tool for families or educators looking to get their children / students intrinsically motivated to read. Emergent readers can choose the beginning levels that offer captivating and achievable challenges in a framework of contextual narratives. Creating the monster is just the beginning and the gamers will soon realise that reading leads to advancing the story and to helping develop one’s monsters with add-ons that they can choose along the way. Rewards are gathered and the goal of exploring more planets is embedded in a strategic linguistic journey that teaches reading and phonemic awareness. Context-rich graphics and riddles presented in this wonderful journey lay the groundwork for choosing the right paths leading to learner empowerment. The wide variety of skill-based activities add a surprise element that is facilitated by a narrator who encourages every step of the way. Parents, teachers and children will not be disappointed by this free resource that was created for the purpose of supporting learners as they develop a foundation for lifetime reading skills.

We’re excited to announce that all three Teach Your Monster to Read games will be available on Android tablets and iPad in March 2016!

What’s new in the tablet version:

• Connects to the online version of the game – great for teachers and students
  
• Includes First Steps, Fun With Words and Champion Reader
  
• Hours of game play in one app – covers two years of learning
  
• Children can now change their monsters!
  

Keep a lookout for further announcements and the app launch in the coming weeks.
Keep on reading!

What do people think of Teach Your Monster to Read?

“My class have reaped loads of benefits from using the programme and the difference in some of their reading skills has been dramatic.
– Maria Andrews, Foundation Phase Teacher

This game is the absolute best quality phonics game I have come across for educational and fun value.
– Marie Lewis, Rochdale

It’s Halloween next week and the monsters are getting very excited!

We’ve put together a competition to decorate or design a monster hat in time for All Hallows Eve.

Three winners will each receive £50 worth of Usborne books for their school.

To help teachers with their phonics lessons, Teach Your Monster to Read has produced three physical phonics games. These games can be played in a classroom, hall or the playground and with a full class of children.

Find out more about the games and to print off the instructions.

We’re delighted to announce that Teach Your Monster to Read has been nominated for a children’s BAFTA.

Hooray!

The awards ceremony takes place on 22nd November in London. We’re up against some other fantastic interactive content such as, Escargot Escape Artistes, Virry and Monster Mingle. Wish us luck!

Here’s a full list of the nominations.

http://www.bafta.org/press/press-releases/childrens-awards-nominations-announced

Time for a monster dance!!

To help teachers into the new term, Teach Your Monster to Read have launched a digital flashcard resource which you can use on a computer or interactive whiteboard.

These monster flashcards are completely free to use and cover the earliest letter-sounds that children are introduced to.

Find out more about these Digital Flashcards.

We are giving away a free ebook to children who complete each stage of the Teach Your Monster to Read game. Here’s more about books on offer.

Dog Diary (Book 4), Moon Zoom (Book 8), Fight Knight (Book 14)

• Delightful stories to inspire beginner readers.
  
• Based on the principles of synthetic phonics, supports the “Letters and Sounds” programme used in thousands of UK primary schools.
  
• Child reads with an adult’s support, and gains practice reading longer words with groups of consonants.
  
• Fun puzzles test understanding, and provide opportunities for discussion and further reading practice.
  Internal Dog Diary Images

Find out more about Usborne’s Very First Reading series:

http://www.usborne.com/veryfirstreading/