Twelve years into educating my children at home, I am always on the lookout for products and curriculum that bring a renewed joy and excitement for learning into our homeschool.

Evan-Moor has produced a series of books called Reader's Theater, with the goal of allowing students to experience the fun of a drama production without the staging, costuming, and logistical issues that come with putting on a play. When I looked at the layout and scope of Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5, I knew this book had the potential to both excite my young students and bring a bit of joy into our schoolroom.

I have been using Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5 with my 6th, 4th, and 2nd graders. Two daughters, one son, and I have a chance to practice reading orally with fluency and expression, and we share a lot of giggles along the way. Each script is just short enough for them to tackle successfully and just long enough to tell a good story from start to finish.

Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5 contains 8 complete reproducible scripts, and the scripts are written for between 13 and 21 characters. We just double up or grab other willing siblings to participate with us.

The scripts are the exciting part of Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5. They've been adapted from classic fiction and drama and are stories my children are familiar with. I'm betting yours will be too:

* Tales From the Arabian Nights
* Follow the Drinking Gourd
* Tom Sawyer, Detective
* The IT That (Almost) Ate Chicago
* The Legend of Sir Owen
* The Red Badge of Courage
* The Island of Dr. Moreau
* The Midnight Rider

There's definitely something for everyone's taste, and boys and girls alike will be drawn to the scripts because they are age-appropriate and interesting.

Evan-Moor is so very good at integrating curriculum across the scope and sequence. Vocabulary lists are presented at the beginning of each script so that the students can become familiar with words they may not have previously known. Each script has an accompanying worksheet that asks the students questions about the play, either for comprehension purposes or simply to get the students to think about the story. There are also worksheets that teach something about the art of playacting, covering topics like props, sound effects, reviewing/critiquing, theater vocabulary, and elements of a well-written script.

If you think your students will need a bit of encouragement getting started, you'll be happy to know that Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5 comes with a read-along audio CD that models fluency. And in keeping with Evan-Moor's excellent teacher support, you can also hear a complete reading of each play by logging on to www.weeklyreader.com/readersaudio.

Reader's Theater, Grades 4-5 is a good leveling educational activity for the homeschool with varying grades and ages. Struggling readers can be paired with a parent or strong reader, while accelerated readers may be challenged to put on a fancy production worthy of presenting to a group of friends or a homeschool co-op. A reproducible "Playbill" is included for posting as advertisement for the play being produced in your home. What fun indeed!