Easy Readers

1. Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan by Cynthia Rylant

Ages 6-8

Henry and his dog Mudge see a sign in a store window saying there will be a snowman contest in the park. Henry asks his father if he can enter and his father says yes. There is limited text on each page, making it easy for beginner readers to read. There are also great illustrations to keep them entertained. I think children would especially like seeing the other contestant’s snow’men’ (cats, dogs, aliens etc). 

2. Fly High, Fly Girl by Tedd Arnold

Ages: 5-7 Interest Level: K - 2

Buzz and his family are going on vacation. Buzz’ dad says his pet fly, Fly Guy, can’t come, but Fly Guy ends up with the family on the trip by accident. They go to places such as the beach, the art museum, and a fun park. When the family gets lost on the way home, Fly Guy comes to the rescue. This series is a favorite of students of mine and I can see why. The pictures are great, the chapters are short, and the words are limited; perfect for first-time readers. 

3.    Arthur’s Pen Pal by Lillian Hoban

Age Level: 4 and up, Grade Level: K and up

An “I Can Read Book”

Arthur the chimpanzee thinks his sister Violet is a pain. He writes a letter to his pen pal Sandy, thinking that that will be more fun than playing with Violet. Arthur thinks Sandy is so cool because “he is learning karate and he plays the drums” but soon learns that Sandy is not as great as he thinks. Arthur also learns that Violet isn’t as bad as he originally thought. The illustrations are very cute; a little outdated but still nice. Words are also limited making this a great easy reader. 

4. Bravo, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish

Age Level: 4 and up, Grade Level: K and up

Amelia Bedelia Series

Amelia Bedelia is a hilarious character that takes directions literally and always messes up. For example, when the musical conductor asks her to play the violin by ear – Amelia thinks she must literally play the violin next to her ear. This is a great series for beginner readers as it is widely entertaining and silly. 

5. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel

Age Level: 4 and up, Grade Level: K and up

This is another “I Can Read Book”, as well as a series, and a Newberry Honor winner. Frog and Toad are friends and enjoy each other’s company. The pictures in this book are also a little outdated, not because of the copy, but because it was published in 1971. I know that children are visual learners, but nonetheless my students love hearing and reading about the adventures of Frog and Toad. 

6. Pinky and Rex and the New Baby by James Howe

Age Range: 5-8

Rex and Pinky are best friends. Rex’s family is about to adopt a baby but she’s not so sure that’s a good idea. Pinky helps Rex not be upset. This is also an older series but still is great today. There are more words on the pages than the previous observed books, so I think this would be good for higher-level beginner readers (if that makes sense!). 

7. Rotten Ralph Helps Out by Jack Gantos

Age Range: 5-8

Grade Range: 1-3

Sarah’s cat Ralph is always misbehaving and getting into trouble. In this book, which is also a series, Sarah needs to do a school project on Ancient Egyptians. Rotten Ralph learns how to help Sarah with her assignment. There are few sentences on each page. The pictures are bigger proportioned than the words, which works fine for beginner readers. 

8. Stop, Train, Stop! A Thomas the Tank Engine Story by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry

Age Level: 5 and up, Grade Level: K and up

This book is part of The Railway Series. It tells a story of Thomas the Tank Engine not being able to stop, sending the people aboard into havoc. The pictures cover the pages from top to bottom with a few words on each page. This would definitely grab the interest and attention of those who like Thomas. 

9. Bones and the Roller Coaster Mystery by David A. Adler

Age Level: 5-8, Grade Level: K-2

Detective Jeffrey Bones and Grandpa are at an amusement park and must find the missing roller coaster tickets. The pictures are great in this book; updated and colorful. The storyline is easy to follow, the sentences are short, and the illustrator provides visual clues to help solve the mystery. I love David Adler. He is a great author and he came on an author visit to my school! 

10. Harry in Trouble by Barbara Ann Porte

Age Level: 6 and up, Grade Level: 1 and up

Harry has lost his library card and tries to remember where it can be by tracing his steps. The font is nice and big, making it easy for beginner readers to see. The pictures are pretty decent compared to the publication date (1989).