The Tessy & Tab Fan Club

Raising a reader on Tessy & Tab...

From Robin, Autumn's mom:

Autumn has been receiving Tessy and Tab since before she was able to read and it has remained among her favorites.  She just turned 5 in April and began reading on her own earlier in the year so it is an exciting time for her and Tessy and Tab magazines/books are wonderful.  We just put them right on the bookshelf and keep them all, so it adds to our at-home library and Autumn gets to read them again and again.  Recently, she pulled out one of the issues where Tessy and Tab make masks and decided to do it herself too.  It was fun.

Her favorite thing, lately, has been to recreate Tessy and Tab adventures with her own animals and figurines.  She usually begins with a story line from one of the issues and then weaves in her own details and ideas and ends up with quite an adventure and attentively playing for 20-30 minutes. 

To say that we enjoy Tessy and Tab and find them useful and valuable, especially now that Autumn is a beginning reader, is an understatement and the excitement goes well beyond Autumn enjoying getting her own mail.  We were delighted to send a gift subscription to one of our nieces for her birthday in February and hear that she's enjoying them too.

Oh, and I think we'll enjoy the questions more than the coloring page.  Autumn never wanted to color hers because she views them as books rather than magazines so I think it was a good and value added move that will benefit all the young minds who enjoy Tessy and Tab.

Still excited to get mail after 2 years!

From Caroline's mom, Tracy:

My daughter, Caroline, who recently turned 5, absolutely loves her Tessy and Tab books. We have been subscribing for approximately 2 years, and my daughter has grown so much in that time. In the beginning, we read the books to her and she colored the pages. Now, she can read almost the entire book on her own. I love how you repeat words from book to book (for instance, you leave the teacher's name constant). I was excited to hear that your new issue is about money -- my daughter just started getting an allowance about a month ago, so it's very timely for us. As always, she will be excitedly awaiting her next issue!

The "big girl" journey....

From Helena's mom, Shawna:

Tessy and Tab books have been a part of my daughter’s world since she was three. As I send her off to kindergarten this fall, I know that Tessy and Tab have been a part of her preparation for this “big girl” journey. We look forward to receiving Tessy and Tab as she learns to read this year. Thanks so much!

Would the program be everything it said?

From Blake's mom, Tiffany:

I was a little bit afraid that the program wouldn't be everything it said it was, but it is just perfect! My son Blake loves his Tessy and Tab magazine for many reasons, however, the best reason is that he gets it in the mail with his name on it. I am very impressed with the magazine myself. Thank you so much for coming up with a magazine just for young people.

Magical Impact on the Mailman...

From Kalia's mom, Diane:

My daughter, Kalia (age 5), has had a blast with your magazine.  She sees a new issue as soon as we pull up to the house because the mailman clips it to the mailbox separate from the rest of the mail -- you have even had a magical impact on him!  He used to just deliver mail and not talk much.  But with time, he has taken to talking to us and even setting out Kalia's mail separate and that all started with Tessy & Tab!

Kalia also loves Tessy & Tab because of the hidden images and words. What fun art in these magazines! Thank you so much.

Really making a difference...

                  ***** Staff Favorite *****

From Bobby and Katie's mom, Theresa:

We just subscribed to the Tessy and Tab Reading Club and we LOVE it! We ordered the magazines for our kids, Bobby, age 5, and Katie, age 3 1/2. They already read lots of books and we visit the library often, but the reading club seemed like such a neat idea since the magazines came right to them every two weeks, so much better than the other monthly magazines they receive. They are so excited to get the next issue that we ended up ordering the starter pack after we ordered the annual subscription, just so that they would have several magazines to look at--since they actually fight over the magazines!

Bobby is in Kindergarten and likes books, but this magazine really has made a difference in a short time. He is reading them all by himself, with some help on new and big words, and he is super proud of himself (and we are too). Katie loves the stories, as well as the fun activities at the back of the magazine. She also enjoys having her big brother read the story to her.

In this picture, you only see Bobby with the first two issues because he did not want to share "his" magazines with his sister. My husband and I love books and we read daily, but this magazine has done a lot to encourage our kids to love to read!

Renting a Rolling Pin...

                  ***** Staff Favorite *****

From Douglas' mom, Jennifer:

Our son, Douglas, who is 5, has developed a sixth sense about when the Tessy and Tab issues are going to arrive.  He’ll wake up in the morning asking immediately to get the mail.  And more often that not, on those days is the exact day that the issues arrive.  He loves getting his own mail and immediately wants to read the story.  He enjoys “reading” them again to his sister, who is 20 months old.  Both of them love the stories and illustrations.

Douglas was convinced that the Snowflake Cookie issue that came the other day was a cook book and that we should also make cookies to put in jars.  When I mentioned we didn’t have a rolling pin or a snowflake cookie cutter, he was not to be deterred and offered to go shopping.  It cracked me up when he suggested that we might be able to “rent” a rolling pin.  Not sure where he got that.  We ended up making chocolate chip cookies instead.

Not a big fan at first...

From Shantell:

My mother ordered Tessy and Tab for my 4yrs old daughter. When we first received the books she wasn't that excited about them. Now that we have received and read 13 books she wants us to read one every night before bed. She looks forward to receiving them in the mail. Now that she is 5yrs old, she tries to read them by herself first. I love the books because they help her count and learn new words.

Almost canceled her subscription...

From Connie's mom, Corina:

I had canceled our subscription, due to complete lack of interest by my daughter. You encouraged us to continue receiving the Tessy and Tab books to see if Connie would be drawn into the receiving of mail and eventually the reading. You were absolutely right! She loves them now, as does my star 5 year old reader! Elena, the 5 year old has started asking Connie (almost 4 years old) to read her a bedtime story now. Connie is always very pleased to comply. It is adorable. Connie has become very possessive of her collection and often won't let her older sister read or touch any. We love to hear and watch Connie tell the stories on the pages without even reading it to her first. She is just starting to pick out and recognize the letters as words and it is fun watching her be so curious and creative with the language and text. She is so proud of herself!!! Thank you.

 

Hanging out with Tessy & Tab...

                  ***** Staff Favorite *****

From his father, Jeff:

I just came across this photo of Hugh when he was 5 and was inspired to send it on to you. Hugh really loved Tessy and Tab. He would keep them in a little stash at the side of the bed and literally get them all around him and go through them one at a time. I know this photo may seem staged but it was very spontaneous. Tessy and Tab was instrumental in helping Hugh begin reading on his own.

Kamile is SO Proud...

From her mom, Greta:

I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THE MAGAZINES IN THE MAIL FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND MY DAUGHTER KAMILE TOTALLY LOVES IT. IT IS LIKE HER OWN MAIL, SO SHE CHECKS THE MAILBOX EVERYDAY AND LOOKS FOR HER NAME ON THE ENVELOPES. YOU SHOULD SEE THE JOY IF THERE IS A TESSY AND TAB BOOK IN THAT MAIL -- IT MAKES HER DAY AND SHE GOES AND READS IT RIGHT AWAY.  SHE CAN`T REALLY READ YET BECAUSE SHE IS ONLY FIVE BUT IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR US. IT’S NICE TO HAVE OUR LITTLE TIME TOGETHER. THE BOOKS HAVE A LOT OF TEACHING STUFF IN IT, TOO. IT TAUGHT HER TO RECOGNIZE HER OWN NAME AND SHE IS VERY PROUD OF HERSELF. SHE SHOWS IT TO ALL OF HER FRIENDS AND SAYS "DO YOU SEE? IT HAS MY NAME ON IT, IT`S MY MAIL!"

THANKS A LOT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THESE BOOKS IN THE FUTURE.