Here are several highly recommended new books for your new reader, beginning with emergent readers in each publication and working into the more difficult levels of 2 and 3. Remember, from last week’s advice, to read through the book first for your newest readers in order to help them achieve success and eliminate frustration.
Reading is a lifelong experience and if you begin this adventure with your youngster in a positive and fun way, that feeling will hopefully transfer to the love of reading. Next week, I will conclude with a reading list of emergent and easy chapter books finishing out at level 4.
Candlewick Press has a delightful series called “Brand New Readers” that are fun and funny. Three Little Bears Play All Day, by David Martin, and illustrated by Akemi Gutierrez is just one in the series. Zelda and Ivy: Keeping Secrets by Laura McGee Kvasnosky is more difficult.
Simon & Schuster’s “Ready-to-Read” series has Trucks, by Stephen Krensky, and illustrated by Ivanke & Lola. It also has the popular Dora the Explorer collection, Let’s Read With Dora! Others include Adventure of Meno, by Tony & Angela Diterlizzi, as well as Kay Thompson’s Eloise Visits the Zoo, Natural Disasters: Earthquake!, by Marion Dane Bauer, and illustrated by John Wallace, After-School Sports Club Soccer Day, by Alyson Heller, and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman and Annie and Snowball and the Magical House illustrated by Sucie Stevenson.
Hyperion has the popular Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems that kids love, with the newest book – Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, as well as Watch Me Throw the Ball! and Elephants Cannot Dance!
Houghton Mifflin’s newest book in the enjoyable series “Green Light Readers” is Beth’s Job, by Carole Roberts, and illustrated by Michael Garland as well as Rabbit and Turtle Go To School, by Lucy Floyd, and illustrated by Christoher Denise and Big Pig and Little Pig, by David McPhail. Others are Farmers Market by Carmen Parks, and illustrated by Edward Martinez, A Butterfly Grows by Stephen Swinburne, Curious George: Piñata Party by Marcie Goldberg Sacks, The Chick That Wouldn’t Hatch by Claire Daniel and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Horse in the House by Erica Silverman, and illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
Scholastic has many different types of beginning readers starting with the “Bob Books”. These books are packaged in sets of 10 small books with 2 new sets titled Sight Words: Kindergarten and Sight Words: First Grade. There’s also the newest “Noodles” books, I Love School!, by Hans Wilhelm, Please Write Back!, by Jennifer I. Morris, Buzz Said the Bee, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, and illustrated by Hans Wilhelm, Silly Milly by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, and Norman Bridwell’s Clifford’s Busy Week. Others include Ready for Kindergarten, Stinky Face? by Lisa McCourt, and illustrated by Cyd Moore, Animals Around the World and Farm Animals both by Wade Cooper, Astroblast! Code Blue by Bob Kolar, Fly Guy Meets Fly Girls by Tedd Arnold, Let’s Share, Grumpy Bunny! by Justine Korman Fontes, and illustrated by Lucinda McQueen, Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Brudges, The Rainbow Fairies by Daisy Meadows, and Deep Ocean Creatures by Lisa L. Ryan Herndon, which are all leveled higher.
HarperCollins has the “I Can Read!” series with many books about “Biscuit”, such as Biscuit Meets the Class Pet, by Alyss Satin Capucilli, and illustrated by Pat Schories, as well as What’s That, Mittens?, by Lola M. Schaefer, and illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. Mo Willems has a new “Cat the Cat” series which includes Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!
Random House has the “Step into Reading” series with Corn APlenty, by Dana Meachen Rau, and illustrated by Melissa Iwai. While Have You Seen My Dinosaur? by Jon Surgal, and illustrated by Joe Mathieu, There’s No Place Like Space! by Tish Rabe, and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman, and I Want to Be Somebody New! by Robert Lopshire are all leveled higher.
Lastly, Kane Miller has a new book, Froggy Green, by Anna Walker.
