An Innovative Play-Based Program Designed to Get Every Type of Learner Ready to Read! According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, two-thirds of fourth graders are not reaching fluency benchmarks. But, involved parents and caregivers can change that. The journey starts here with Letters Are Characters. Bring the alphabet to life in this fun book designed for both parents and children. When letters become characters, young learners can do what comes most naturally-play, laugh, and learn about the characters and their stories. They do this while simultaneously breaking the phonemic code… the essential first step to reading. Too often, we see otherwise bright, capable children's self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning plummet because they lag behind their peers in their acquisition of early reading skills. In Letters Are Characters, Dr. Wilcox Ugurlu has brought her unique perspective as scientist, educator, and parent to create a playful, compassionate, and well-informed program for parents to help their children begin to build critical reading readiness skills. -Paul B. Yellin, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, Director, The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education.