Jack's Window

What do you see from your window?

Jack's Window is a gentle phonics children's book for ages 3 to 8, written by longtime educator Nancy Coury and illustrated by Taylor Lombardi. Inspired by a grandmother's love and the everyday wonder just outside a child's window, this early reader story invites children to listen, look, laugh, and discover how words can make the world feel bigger. Through Jack's view of his neighborhood, ordinary moments become full of sound and possibility. A cat, a man, a nap, a baseball bat, a bird, a hat, and the movement of children at play all become part of a rhythmic reading experience designed for young learners.

The story naturally introduces early short-vowel word-family patterns, including sounds such as at, an, and am, while keeping the focus on warmth, curiosity, and shared reading. Written with a teacher's heart, Jack's Window reflects Nancy Coury's more than 25 years helping children find confidence in reading and in their own voices. Her background in the classroom, including years connected to St. James in Lakewood, Ohio, St. Raphael in Bay Village, Ohio, and public-school tutoring, shaped her belief that phonics, rhythm, repetition, and imagination can help early readers feel capable and seen.

At its heart, Jack's Window is not only about learning words. It is about noticing the world, naming what we see, and discovering that language is full of endless possibilities. Parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers, and young readers can enjoy the story together as a read-aloud for bedtime, classroom circle time, early literacy practice, and quiet moments of connection. Illustrator Taylor Lombardi brings Jack's world to life with warm, painterly artwork full of character, color, and childhood wonder. Her illustrations help young readers step into the story and see how even a familiar window can open into imagination, language, and discovery.

Jack's Window is the first book in the Nani's Window series, a growing collection inspired by Nancy's grandchildren. Each story opens a new window into early reading, family connection, observation, rhyme, and the small everyday moments that help children learn.

The book also carries a wider mission. Ten percent of every sale supports St. Aloysius-St. Agatha School in Cleveland through the St. Raphael parish partnership, reflecting Nancy's lifelong commitment to children, education, literacy, and community.

For families seeking a gentle children's book, a phonics read-aloud, an early reader story, a meaningful gift, or a classroom-friendly book rooted in wonder and love, Jack's Window opens a place where words, family, and imagination meet.