Leveled readers are not standardized across publishers, making it difficult to find books your kids can use to gain reading confidence.

So, I have been on the hunt for easy books. The books I've chosen for this list have large type, few words, simple vocabulary, predicative text and fun story lines. They are excellent easy books, but be sure to avail yourself of additional resources recommended to you by your school's literacy specialist and librarian!

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

The Easiest Easy Reader Books

These books have very few words, even one word, sometimes! They take advantage of rhyming text to move along the plot and employ gentle humor to keep kids reading.

Ball by Mary Sullivan. This is one word book. Now you may be asking yourself what is the purpose of reading books with only one word. One more word: Confidence. After my son read this book he had a huge grin on his face, not just because the book was amusing, with it's comic book-type layout, but because he felt a sense of accomplishment. Learning to read is not just about decoding letters and sentences. The word, "ball" is used to express emotion, convey action and reveal character. By reading this book, kids synthesize text, story, illustration and understand that words convey pathos, climax, and dénouement. This is crucial for reading comprehension.

Hug by Jez Alborough. A baby gorilla is searching for his mom, using a single word, "hug". Like Ball (see above) the single word is important, and even a single word can convey dramatic structure and emotions. The more beginning readers can feel connected with a story, they more likely they are to read it. Also included are the words, "Bobo" and "Mommy."

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett. This book uses the same 4 words in different sequences until the end, when a 5th word, "There!" is used. I like that my son could use the illustrations to decode words he didn't recognize (in fairness, orange is an advanced word) and he had to pay attention to read them in the correct order on each page. Some readers need to see the same word over and over and will still need help. Plus, the book is just plain funny and clever.

The Flip-a-Word books are not so much story books but an exercise in recognizing word family patterns. Each book includes three word families. For example Quack Shack, looks at -ack, -ick, and -ock words. As kids flip the pages, they see the same pattern revealed in a page cut out. At the end of each section the words are reinforced through simple phrases. Some of the pairings are a little silly, which my son loves.

Up, Tall and High by Ethan Long is another book with a very limited vocabulary. The book consists of three stories in which birds humorously contemplate three states of being (three guesses!). Fold out pages add extra interest and this book is also great for reading aloud to toddlers and preschoolers. A recipient of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, Ethan Long has many excellent easy reader books, like the very easy to read Clara and Clem series.

Cat the Cat, Who Is That? I love this series from Mo Willems. There is something so charming about the repetition. Only Willems can make a story so simple (saying hi to a slew of animals with names like "Duck the duck" and "Fish the fish") yet still bring a smile.

MORE: Easy readers with diverse characters

Easy Books - A Slight Step Up

Once your child has mastered the books earlier on this list, try these books which are still very simple but don't skip on engagement! Our summer reading list for first graders has more excellent easy readers!

See Me Run by Paul Meisel. Meisel has a number of excellent and easy "I Like to Read" books. This humorous tale is about dogs going about their doggy business. Very simple words and lots of repetition made this a good choice for my kids who balk at words more than four letters. There is action, a bit of suspense (what will the dogs dig up?) and a lot of humor that kept him interested. He didn't even try and get me to take over reading after 2 pages.

Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. More so than most publishers, I find Harper-Collins' "I Can Read" books at the "Shared My First Reading" level, the most reliable source of appropriately leveled books for my emerging reader. I never read Biscuit with my older son and sort of rolled my eyes at the thought. Do not make not the same judgmental mistake as I did! They have great repetition and words that kids can actually sound out and are surprisingly entertaining!

Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems. These books are so popular I hardly need go over any plot points with you. Most parents I talk to started out reading Willems books about Gerald the Elephant and Piggie aloud to their preschoolers, but they are actually written to be easy readers. I like that the books are longer than other typical earlier readers, although the text is nice and sparse so pages go quickly.

Mittens by Lola M. Schaefer. Mittens is the feline equivalent of Biscuit (see above). Each book has a bit of a mystery: where is Max? what's that noise, etc. that encourages my son to keep reading and brings a smile to his face when he comes to the answer or can predict ahead of time what it is. There are a few longer words that he needs help with like "scratching" but since the mystery keeps him going, he doesn't get frustrated.

What Is Chasing Duck? Jan Thomas's Giggle Gang books, with their simple, rhyming text are absolutely hilarious easy readers. Don't miss them.

The post Easy Reader Books That Are Actually Easy appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Frog and Toad Are Friends, voted #15 in SLJ's list of Top 100 Picture Books, is the first title in the classic early reader series by Arnold Lobel. Generations of children learning to read have fallen in love with the clever and humorous friendship stories featuring quirky characters, written in easy-to-read type, and accompanied by charming illustrations.

Arnold Lobel wrote four Frog and Toad books, as well as other charmers like Owl at Home and Mouse Soup but what can kids read after Frog and Toad? This book list will help! Print it out, take it to the library and your kids will be reading in no time!

Note: this list contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn a commission for this blog. Bookshop also supports independent bookstores.

Frog and Toad Read Alike Books

The following is a list of easy reader books like Frog and Toad. They are also great books for kids who love Elephant and Piggie!

Henry and Mudge (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This is a wonderful early reader series about the friendship between a boy and his dog. In the first book Henry is lonely. He had no brothers or sisters, no close friends. His parents tell him he can get a puppy (and Henry rewards them with a hug!) so he searches for the perfect pooch until he finds Mudge.

Frog and Fly by Jeff Mack

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

The subtitle, "Six Slurpy Stories" says it all. In each story, Frog manages to trick Fly into becoming his tasty meal. However, in the sixth story Fly manages to outwit Frog in a very surprising way. Jeff Mack's illustrations are bold and to the point, while the funny text is conveyed in dialogue bubbles with the occasional "zip" and "slurp."

Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! (series) by Grace Lin

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Chinese-American twins Ling and Ting share a lot of the same traits, but that doesn't mean they are duplicates of each other. Their hair is a little different and only one of them can use chopsticks. Six funny stories will charm your early reader.

Mr Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I confess, even though Rylant's series is written for kids working on reading fluency I LOVED reading Mr. Putter and Tabby aloud to my kids. There are not many series for young readers that feature older characters and Mr. Putter's adventures with his cat, Tabby, are simply marvelous.

Bink and Gollie (series) by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Alison McGhee and Tony Fucile

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Bink and Gollie are best friends, and as all best friends do, they make plans, explore their neighborhood together and even end up in a few spats. The writing is wonderful. It's not any ol' writer who can pen a child character saying "well-nigh" and have it seem natural!  The stellar illustrations add interest and humor.

Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover (series) by Cece Bell

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Rabbit and Robot make an unusual, but highly entertaining duo. Rabbit has created a detailed plan for his sleepover with Robot–pizza, television and a game of Go Fish. However, things don't go smoothly and Robot wants to deviate from the plan. Robot prefers Old Maid and Crazy Eights to Go Fish; he also likes nuts and bolts on his pizza. (You can see how this might present a problem.)

Want to Play? (Confetti Kids series) by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Confetti Kids is a "new classic" easy reader series! This great collection of beginning readers depicts a diverse group of neighborhood kids engaging in everyday experiences. In Want to Play? the children head out to the park for a day of fun.

MORE: Diverse Easy Reader Books

Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers (series) by Megan Litwin, illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Best friends, Dirt and Bugsy, love to catch bugs, but they also have a plan to protect them! This is an adorable story about having fun in nature.

A Pig, A Fox, and A Box (series) by Jonathan Fenske

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Very funny rhymes tell the story of a very silly duo. Each book is divided into three stories so if kids want to take a break mid-way, they won't lose momentum.

Baloney and Friends (series) by Greg Pizzoli

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Pizzoli's easy to read series is written and illustrated in comic book format. There are three hilarious short stories about a group of quirky friends–a pig, bumblebee, horse and a very grumpy rabbit.

Fox and Chick: The Party and Other Stories (series) by Sergio Ruzzier

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I adore this series about two friends who sometimes annoy each other, but ultimately remember the things that make them friends. I've always loved Ruzzier's illustrations and dry humor (after all, he wrote one of my all time favorite books EVER, Amandina) and the comic strip format makes it fun to read. A real winner of a book.

MORE: Over 300 Book Lists for Kids Organized by Age and Genre

Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole (series) by Wong Herbert Yee

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I used to read this colorfully illustrated short chapter book to my child, but the series is well-designed for beginning readers who want more books like Frog and Toad Are Friends. Friendly neighbors, mouse and mole, live in an oak tree, one above ground, the other below ground.

Snail and Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends (series) by Tina Kügler

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Goofy friends, Snail and Worm, have the silliest adventures you can imagine. Their utter sincerity over trivial and ridiculous matters will make your young readers giggle uncontrollably.

Houndsley and Catina (series) by James Howe, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This warm-hearted easy reader series about two animal friends is filled with gently humorous stories about a dog and a cat sharing meaningful experiences and showing compassion for each other.

MORE: Easy Readers that Are Actually Easy

Cork and Fuzz: Best Friends (series) by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Lisa McCue

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Cork, a muskrat and Fuzz, a possum are best friends. Their contrasting personalities and the droll humor of the writing make this a fun series to read.

Poppleton (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Rylant's classic series features the antics of a well dressed pig named Poppleton who goes around town, meets the neighbors and makes new friends.

Squirrel's World by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev 

Find it: Your Library | Amazon

This a fun series about an enthusiastic squirrel who tries to help all his friends, with humorous consequences. It's organized into short chapters so beginning readers can take a break if they need to.

The Ice Cream Shop (Steve & Wessley series) by J. E. Morris

Find it: Your Library | Amazon

This quirky duo is the classic comedy routine "straight man and clueless man." Although in this case it is straight bunny to clueless mouse. As you can imagine, their adventures are quite silly.

The post 18 Books Like Frog and Toad: Friendship Stories appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Take a class of first graders and you will find a wide spread of reading abilities and reading levels. This 1st grade summer reading list of books takes that into consideration! Find easy reader books for beginning readers, as well as very easy chapter books for those ready to read books with more text and (slightly) fewer illustrations.

Kids become readers when they are allowed to choose the right book that speaks to their interests. Therefore, this summer reading list includes funny books, superheroes, animal stories, nonfiction, sports tales and more. Once you head to the library to search for these books for emerging readers you'll find lots more.

As a parent, I did not restrict my kids to specific leveled books. Summer is a time to explore all kinds of books, no matter what the reading level! But if you have concerns, talk to your child's classroom teacher or school literacy specialist.

Note: this post contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn commission for this blog. Bookshop supports independent booksellers. You can see this list, in addition to our other summer reading lists curated at Bookshop.

Would you like a printable first grade summer reading list? You can grab one at the end of the post!

Easy Readers

FOX THE TIGER (series) by Corey R. Tabor

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This is a giggle-inducing story about a mischievous fox who admires tigers so much he wants to be one. After all, tigers are big, fast, sneaky and "the best." So what does he do? Why he gives himself stripes, of course! Your kids will love the whole Fox series.

GOOD NIGHT OWL, or anything by Greg Pizzoli

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This is a very cute book about an owl who wants to get to bed, but can't because of noises in the night. I love all of Pizzoli's early readers, and they even make fun and simple read alouds, which is not an easy feat for easy reader book!

MORE: Hilarious easy reader books

THE GIGGLE GANG series by Jan Thomas

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I was so excited to learn that my favorite story time author has a funny early readers series! If you have never read a Jan Thomas book, you are in for a real treat and if your child is still reluctant, pick up one of her picture books to read aloud. Your child will laugh so hard he or she will want to make sure not to miss the giggles in the early reader books, too.

BIG CAT, or anything by Ethan Long

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I had a hard time singling out one title by Long. He has several in the "I Like to Read" series, and they are all funny early readers. They are all truly easy to read, too! Getting kids who may not want to read but are at the stage where reading ability is starting to emerge are helped along by humor and this book stands out.

DON'T THROW IT TO MO (series) by David A. Adler, illustrated by Sam Ricks

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I found this series charming. Mo loves sports but he's not necessarily the most talented kid on the team. It doesn't matter, though. His perseverance pulls him through. Both boys and girls will see themselves in Mo, even if their passions lie in a non-sporty direction.

WANT TO PLAY? (Confetti Kids series) by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

1st grade summer reading lists usually contain well-known classics like Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad and Little Bear. I think Confetti Kids is the new classic easy reader series! This great collection of beginning readers depicts a diverse group of neighborhood kids engaging in everyday experiences. In Want to Play? the children head out to the park for a day of fun.

MORE: Easy reader books with diverse characters

A TRIP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD (series) by Frank Viva

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Viva's own experience traveling to the Antarctic inspired the story of a mouse and his owner. Dialogue is told in comic bubbles, with the mouse repeating the familiar refrain, "Can we go home now?" You really can't go wrong with any of the TOON books. They are labelled with different reading and interest levels. If graphic novels motivate beginning readers, you will do well to bring home stacks of TOON books for your child. I've never read one I didn't like. See all their level one books here.

Very Easy Beginning Chapter Books

BUNJITSU BUNNY (series) by John Himmelman

Find it Amazon | Bookshop

Bunjitsu Bunny one of my favorite easy chapter book series! Each book is composed of short vignettes about Isabel and her friends who all study martial arts. The clever and funny stories convey a zen-like lesson without being at all preachy. My then-6 year old was very into the idea of battles and fighting so he of course loved reading a book in which the first action sequence involved the possibility of one character head-butting a door (they don't actually get that far...). I, however, was delighted with the "sneaky" lessons in non-violence, friendship, compassion and self-discipline!

MIA MAYHEM (series) by Kara West, illustrated by Leeza Hernandez

Find it: Amazon |Bookshop

This is an easy chapter book series with large text and lots of illustrations. Mia is an 8-year-old girl who finds out she is a superhero when she receives an invitation to attend an after school Program for In-Training Superheroes. Now she must figure out a way to be both a regular girl AND a secret superhero.

MORE: Superhero easy chapter books

KONDO & KEZUMI VISIT GIANT ISLAND (series) by David Goodner, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

The colorful illustrations in this series will appeal to reluctant readers. Kondo and Kezumi are great friends who spend their days frolicking and looking for berries. One day a message with a map in a bottle washes up on shore and the pair build a boat and set out to see the islands on the map. After visiting Dairy Isle and Fireskull Island, they land on Giant Island where they meet Albert, an anthropomorphized mountain who is so delighted to have some company he doesn't want them to leave. Not to worry, it all ends happily.

MORE: Graphic Novels for Beginning Readers

CHICK AND BRAIN: SMELL MY FOOT! (series) by Cece Bell

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

When first graders needs a little summer reading motivation, give them a book that will send them into fits of giggles. The rule-following Chick and the not-so-smart Brain work out a misunderstanding about the proper protocol of offering your foot for a sniff. It's a lesson that is sure to come in handy many times during one's lifetime.

FOX AND CHICK: THE PARTY AND OTHER STORIES (series) by Sergio Ruzzier

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I adore this series about two friends who sometimes annoy each other, but ultimately remember the things that make them friends. I've always loved Ruzzier's illustrations and dry humor (after all, he wrote one of my all time favorite books EVER, Amandina) and the comic strip format makes it fun to read. A real winner of a book.

Nonfiction

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (series) by various authors

Find them: Bookshop | Amazon

Kids are naturally curious about all sorts of topics and learning obscure facts which they can use to dazzle others. National Geographic publishes books on a wide array of topics and in a number of different reading levels, so it should be easy to find a book that will interest your child.

GIGGLE AND LEARN series by Kevin McCloskey

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

The graphic novel format in this five book series brings to life facts and stories about underrated animals. Snails, worms, pigeons, fish and ants all have their day. True to the moniker, "Giggle and Learn," each TOON book holds lots of humor as well as science.

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT by Matt Lamothe

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

The book follows seven children from different countries: Italy, Japan, Uganda, Russia, India, Peru and Iran. Each child describes their home, school, family, food and  daily life. This is a great starting point for conversations about the differences and similarities between life in different countries, but also how children in the same country don't all live the same way. At the end, photographs reveal the actual families depicted in in the book. I love the large size of the book, and how the illustrations invite a lengthly perusal.

The post First Grade Summer Reading List (Books for Ages 6-7) appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Thanks in part to funny beginning books, both my children are now voracious readers, and they still love funny books, so much so that I even made a list of our top 100 funny chapter books!

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

Happy reading!

The Giggle Gang series by Jan Thomas. I was so excited to learn that my favorite story time author also has a funny early readers series! If you have never read a Jan Thomas book, you are in for a real treat and if your child is still reluctant, pick up one of Thomas' picture books to read aloud. Your child will laugh so hard they will want to make sure not to miss the giggles in the early reader books, too.

Mr Monkey Bakes a Cake by Jeff Mack. I have loved Jeff Mack's books in the past and I stumbled across this one at the library because it was set out as a featured title. It was truly wacky, and full of hijinks, as you might imagine. It looks like it is the start of a series, so take a look!

Elephant & Piggie Like Reading series, various authors. These books are not by Mo Willams, but by various authors like Dan Santant, LeUyen Pham and Brian Collier. They are cheerful and appealing and while Elephant & Piggie should still be on your list of easy readers, be sure to expand out to these books, too.

Steve & Wessley series by J. E. Morris. This quirky duo is the classic comedy routine straight man and clueless man. Although in this case it is straight bunny to clueless mouse. These two books are extremely easy to read and quite silly.

Get the Giggles by Bronwen Davies. This book was a real winner when it came to my son learning to read independently, as I wrote about in how to use jokes to enhance literacy. The jokes are actually quite funny but beware! You might hear them over and over and over again.

Books by Ethan Long. I can't really single out one title by Long. He has several in the "I Like to Read" series, and they are all funny early readers. In fact, I like all the books in this easy series, not just Long's. They are all truly easy to read.

Noodleheads series by Tedd Arnold. This is another very silly series by the author of the popular Fly Guy series. I recommend Noodleheads books for kids who have mastered level one reading books because there are some more challenging words, and not as much repetition. Still, who wouldn't love a story about talking ziti?

Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run!: An Alphabet Caper by Mike Twohy is a simple alphabet book with a twist. Each page consists of one word beginning with subsequent letters of the alphabet. But on their own, the words are meaningless. Here the story is in the illustrations, which is an excellent lesson in reading comprehension. Kids might need help with a few of the words -- "catch," for example -- but they will be easy to figure out by looking at the pictures and there are plenty of easy words like "ball" and "dog" to keep the pace moving.

A Pig and a Fox books by Jonathan Fenske. Very funny rhymes tell the story of a very silly duo. Each book is divided into three stories so if kids want to take a break mid-way, they won't lose momentum.

Chicken Says, "Cluck!" by Judyann Ackerman Grant. I quite enjoyed this book! A pair of kids are growing pumpkins and the chicken comes over to "help" but just gets in the way. But the chicken does come in handy when the grasshoppers come around. A sweet and funny early reader.

The post Books Like Elephant and Piggie: Funny Early Readers appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

By the way, his list includes books about both girl and boy sports stars because sports books are not just for boys!

I define "early chapter books" as books appropriate for kids ages 6-10—readers who have moved passed Frog and Toad but not ready for Harry Potter. I have two dozen lists for parents looking for these types of beginning chapter books. Find them all here in my early chapter books archives.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

Early Chapter Books with a Sports Theme

Hockey Night in Kenya by Danson Mutinda and Eric Walters, illustrated by Claudia Dávila

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Set in modern day Africa, this book about boys dreaming of playing ice hockey is an inspiring read. Two boys, Kitoo and Nigosi, learn about Canadian ice hockey from a book they check out from the library. They are determined to play this intriguing sport, despite the lack of snow and ice in their home country. It's a wonderful, positive story about friendship, problem solving, and perseverance.

Lola Levine is Not Mean! (series) by Monica Brown, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Jewish-Peruvian Lola loves soccer, but when she accidentally hurts another player on the field, her classmates call her "mean!" Lola knows she has a big heart and wants others to know it too, so she uses her love of writing to change others' opinions. I love the way author Monica Brown integrates aspects of Lola's duel heritage throughout the book.

The Gold Medal Mess (MVP series) by David A. Kelly, illustrated by Scott Brundage.

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This sports book series features a diverse group of five friends. In this first installment, the kids are prepping for their school's field day. Kelly also authored the Baseball Mysteries series (see below) so as you might expect, the kids bump up against a mystery to be solved: someone is trying to sabotage the events and the kids need to find out who it is. Kelly has written all kinds of sports books for kids: plug his name into the library catalog and check them all out.

Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) (series) by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Bobby Ellis-Chan struggles with the fact that he is not interested in football even though his dad is a retired professional. "The Freezer," as his dad is known, is now a stay-at-home dad and while the siblings have their usual back-and-forths, it is a functional, loving family. Bobby's family is bi-racial and his friends come from diverse backgrounds.

Pedro's Big Goal (series) by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Tammie Lyon

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This is a good series for youngest readers, especially 1st and 2nd graders who are reading beginning chapter books. In this one, Pedro plays soccer and decides that his goal is to... well... make a goal!

Izzy Barr, Running Star by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Rob Shepperson

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

I've recommended The Franklin School Friends series before. Each book centers on one student and his or her special skill, from reading to math and in this case, running!

Horrid Henry and the Soccer Fiend by Francesca Simon, illustrated by Tony Ross.

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

This British import is funny and rather charming, really, despite the name "Horrid Henry." Ever the clever troublemaker, Henry takes on Moody Margaret. Formatted as four separate stories, rather than a traditional chapter book.

Harry Miller's Run by David Almond, illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino

Find it: Amazon

There are actually no chapters in this British import. I recommend this long-short story for the upper age limits of this list because of the vocabulary (If your child likes to listen to Roald Dahl, this is an excellent choice). Young Liam is looking forward to the Junior Great North Run and while he his helping an elderly neighbor, Harry Miller, he listens to Harry's memories about his own experiences running. I love the intergenerational aspect of this book, the quirky characters and storytelling. Of all the books on this list, I recommend it most as a read aloud.

My Secret Life as a Ping Pong Wizard (Hank Zipzer series) by Henry Winkler, illustrated by Lin Oliver

Find it: Amazon

Hank takes up ping pong and discovers he really likes it. However, he worries that the other kids will tease him about it. When he gets good and hopes to participate in a competition he has to decide if he will compete even if it means all his friends will find out.

EllRay Jakes Stands Tall (series) by Sally Warner, illustrated by Brian Biggs

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Ellray is the shortest kid in school, but his basketball skills are pretty good. But no one seems to notice, so Ellray comes up with a plan!

Ballpark Mysteries (series) by David A. Kelly

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

For kids who love baseball, these mystery books are a great choice because no one wants to put down a book with finding out who did it! There are dozens of books in the popular Ballpark Mysteries series, plenty to tempt your sports-obsessed child to spend all day reading.

Kylie Jean Gymnastics Queen (series) by Marci Peschke, illustrated by Tuesday Mourning

Find it: Amazon

The books in the Kylie Jean series all have a positive message. One of Kylie Jean's fellow gymnasts and new friend, Abby, is deaf and Kylie Jean has to decide whether sports or friends are more important.

Katie Woo Tries Something New (series) by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Tammie Lyon

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Your kids will love Katie Woo! In this funny and charming book, Katie gets the gymnastics bug after seeing the sport on TV. But she learns cartwheels are harder than they look.

Swimming with Sharks (series) by Betty Hicky, illustrated by Adam McCauley

Find it: Amazon

Rita wants to improve her swimming skills so she can compete on the same team as her friends. The Gym Shorts series also includes books about track, basketball, baseball, soccer and tennis.

The post Playful Early Chapter Books about Sports appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

I find it challenging to make lists for this age group because there can be a huge range of reading levels as kids are learning to read. I experienced this myself. One of my sons was reading chapter books at the age of 4, the other was just becoming a fluent reader around his 7th birthday. Because of this, what I have done is gathered graphic novels that cover a range of levels for this age group, but made sure that the content is age appropriate even for a 5 year old who is already a fluent reader.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

A Trip to the Bottom of the World by Frank Viva. Viva's own experience traveling to the Antarctic inspired the story of a mouse and his owner. Dialogue is told in comic bubbles, with the mouse repeating the familiar refrain, "Can we go home now?" On the journey the duo meet penguins, swim in a warm water lake (yes, it really exists!), spot an orca... in other words they have such a good time, that when it's time to go, mouse inquires, "Can we go back there soon?"

TOON Books:

You really can't go wrong with any of the TOON books. They are labelled with different reading and interest levels. If graphic novels motivate your beginning readers, you will do well to bring home stacks of TOON books for your child. I've never read one I didn't like and some of my personal favorites include the following:

• Tippy and the Night Parade
• Benjamin Bear
• Otto and the Orange Day
• Written and Drawn by Henrietta
• Flop to the Top!
• Nina in That Makes Me Mad
• The Shark King

Little Robot by Ben Hatke. Hatke wrote the popular Zita in Space series, and this nearly wordless graphic novel is equally wonderful. A young girl finds a robot and when she activates him, he becomes her friend. When some bigger robots come to bully them and take away her new friend, the girl rises to the occasion and through her own perseverance protects her friend. Utterly wonderful and a book worth taking time with.

NOTE: Little Robot and Owly (see below) may be nearly wordless, but there are great benefits to beginning readers to reading wordless books. I've discussed this in previous posts, "By reading [wordless books], kids synthesize text, story, illustrations and understand that words convey pathos, climax, and dénouement. This is crucial for reading comprehension."

Owly (series) by Andy Runton. I first learned of Owly a few years ago on Free Comic Book Day. Then I discovered a few books in the library and brought them home. Owly is pretty cute, actually. Owly is a sweet, kind owl and all of the stories I have read focus on friendship and helping others.

Sleepless Knight by James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost, and Andrew Arnold. A quirky knight and his trusty steed, Edward go on a camping trip. The knight needs his teddy bear to go to sleep but trouble starts when he can't find his teddy bear, that he is sure he packed! I found this to be a wonderfully charming story. It is part of a series "Adventures in Cartooning," which includes several graphic novels for beginning readers.

Hilda and the Troll (Hildafolk series) by Luke Pearson. I love Hilda and her folklore-ish world, but then I have a penchant for anything remotely Scandinavian, and Hilda inhabits a decidedly magical Northern landscape. Hilda is a curious, practical and spunky blue-haired girl. In this first book, Hilda sets off to do some drawing and comes across a mountain troll, but that is just the beginning of her adventure.

Hamster and Cheese (series) by Colleen AF Venable, and Stephanie Yue is a graphic novel series about the “world’s fluffiest detective”. In the first book, Sasspants, PI(G) is determined to solve the mystery of the missing sandwich, going so far as to set a trap by disguising a turtle as a sandwich in order to smoke out the thief. The cast of characters in the pet shop are highly entertaining and quite hilarious.

Binky the Space Cat (series) by Ashley Spires. Binky is a house cat who dreams of rocketing into space and battling aliens. Of course, to Binky, this means going outside, battling bugs and other antics. One day he finds and application to Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel and his journey begins.  I love the deadpan humor of this book.

The Flying Beaver Brothers (series) by Maxwell Eaton III. This is a quirky graphic novel for beginning readers, as you might have figured out by the title. Ace and Bub and the Flying Beaver Brothers but they are also quite different, which makes for some funny situations. Ace is adventurous, Bub prefers to nap. But they both agree that saving their island via a surfing competition is of the utmost importance.

Mr. Pants (series) by Scott Mccormick and R. H. Lazzell. My 7 year old adores Mr. Pants. I frequently hear him giggling while reading it and he awaiting the next book in the series. Mr. Pants is an odd cat who engages in some standard hijinks and the humor is not exactly highbrow, but there is nothing inappropriate about the text and heh, my kid is reading - so get these from the library.

Beep and Bah (series) by James Burks. Burks also wrote Bird and Squirrel, which I have previously and heartily recommended. This is listed by the publisher as a picture book, but I think the format will make it appealing for kids who like graphic novels. Beep the robot and Bah the goat are friends, but they have quite different agendas. Bah doesn't like the trouble that Beep inevitably leads him into. This time, Beep finds a sock and is determined to find its match. The search takes them on a whirlwind adventure. I won't give away the ending but it is quite delightful.

Bean Dog and Nugget (series) by Charise Mericle Harper. This is a great series of beginning graphic novles for early readers. Bean Dog and his friend, Nugget, lose a ball in a bush. They spend some time discussing how they will retrieve it. There are lots of silly jokes and they whole thing is rather goofy but still great fun for kids who are starting to read.

Sticky Burr (series) by John Lechner. I never thought I'd find myself recommending a book about a taking burr. Yet, here I am. Sticky Burr lives in the forest with friends like Mossy Burr and a nemesis named Scurvy Burr. Sticky Burr becomes an unlikely hero, rescuing dragon-fly princesses and saving his village from dogs. Weird but fun.

The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson. Jamieson is the author of the popular Roller Girl. This is the first book in a new series, Pets on the Loose. A class pet, GW the hamster, has collected enough classroom debris to create a machine to allow him to escape his cage. He sets out to free the other class pets where chaos and hijinks ensue. My 3rd grader loved this one!

Kung Pow Chicken (series) straddles the line between graphic novel and chapter book. My then-6 year old LOVED this series and demanded I check all of them out of the library. A young chicken gains superpowers when he accidentally falls into a mysterious vat in his uncle's lab in their home town of Fowladelphia. In this first adventure, he and his sidekick must figure out what is causing the local population to lose their feathers. Silly and fun.

Graphic novel book lists:

• Graphic novels for kids grades 3-5 (and up)
• Graphic novels, grades 4-8

More books for early readers:

• Easy reader books that are actually easy
• Easy readers that won't make you want to poke your eyes out
• Diverse easy readers
• Classic easy reader books

The post Beginning Graphic Novels (Kindergarten - 3rd Grade) appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Previously, I tackled the issue of easy readers that are actually easy, and easy readers that won't make you want to poke your eyes out. I'm sorry to say, those lists lacked books with diverse characters. I'm hoping this list of diverse easy reader books filled with a cast of multicultural characters will help fill that gap. After all, from the very beginning of learning to read we want our kids to see the world reflected back at them from the pages of their books.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

Don't Throw it to Mo by David A Adler won the 2016 ALA 2016 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. So far there are two Mo Jackson books and I suspect there are more on the way. I read Get a Hit Mo! and both my son and I found it charming. Mo loves sports but he's not necessarily the most talented kid on the team. It doesn't matter, though. His perseverance pulls him through. Both boys and girls will see themselves in Mo, even if their passions lie in a non-sporty direction.

Confetti Kids series by Paula Yoo. Publishing house Lee and Low specializes in multicultural titles. I didn't realize they had a series of diverse easy readers until they sent me a selection of books to look over. In Lily's New Home, Lily makes friends in her new neighborhood and in Want to Play? a group of diverse kids (including Pablo, who "reads books in both English and Spanish") head out to the park.

The Ling and Ting series by Grace Lin is one of my all time favorite easy readers series. You can not go wrong with these winsome twins and their wholesome adventures. Plus, long-time followers of my book lists (virtual hug!) know how much I adore anything written by Grace Lin.

Luke on the Loose by Harry Bliss. My boys and I have long loved this book. My older son read it when it first came out and then he couldn't resist reading it again, when I checked it out for his brother several years later.I think the reason they loved it so much is that they lived vicariously through Luke's solo tour of NYC as he runs of in pursuit of a pigeon!

Katie Fry: Private Eye by Katherine Cox. I confess to having a weakness for books about kid detectives and Katie is a delightful companion for your beginning reader.

My Robot by Eve Bunting. Cecil the robot is good a lots of things. But he is best at being a friend. A perfect easy reader for kids who like robots.

Sam and Charlie series by Leslie Kimmelman. This easy reader isn't labelled with a level, but my non-expert opinion puts it on par with most books that are labelled "3" or "4". There are five stories about Jewish kids getting to know what it means to be a good friend. Jewish values are a theme in the stories, but they are certainly universal values as well. The other books in the series also explore Jewish holidays.

Bradford Street Buddies by Jerdine Nolan. A diverse group of kids have fun in there backyards, hanging out and having campouts. From what I can tell, there are currently two Bradford Street Buddies easy readers. I hope they publish more.

The Pizza that We Made by Joan Holub. How can you not love a book which encourages your kids to get into the kitchen and make pizza?

A Bear for Miguel by Elaine Marie Alphin. In El Salvador, Maria and her father head out to the busy outdoor market where they trade some of their possessions for food. Maria must decide if she also wants to trade her toy bear. There are some Spanish words (glossary included). You may be thinking this is an odd topic for the normally theme-benign easy reader genre, but it is age appropriate and 1st or 2nd graders are compassionate kids who will sympathize with Maria's dilemma.

Juan Bobo: Four Tales from Puerto Rico by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. My youngest son adores trickster tales and we first read about Juan Bobo for my list of Latin American folktales. Four stories about the mischievous will bring a laugh to your child's reading experience.

Freckleface Strawberry: Backpacks by Julianne Moore. The book cover certainly doesn't indicate that this might be a diverse early reader. Freckleface's friend, Windy Pants Patrick, with whom she shares some backpack antics, has two moms. This fact is not a big deal in the story, it's just there.

Pumpkin Day! by Candace Ransom is a very simple easy reader about a fun day at the pumpkin patch. Perfect for learning to read in the fall.

Flop to the Top! by Eleanor Davis. My son found this TOON book to be hilarious. Wanda wants to be a superstar, but when everyone is interested in her dog instead of her, hijinks ensue.

Nonfiction Diverse Easy Readers

National Geographic Readers: George Washington Carver by Kitson Jazynka. The National Geographic Readers is a great series for nonfiction fans. I've chosen to feature this Carver biography for the simple fact that it was the most recent one I read, but there are many other great books in the series, including diverse easy readers about Sonia Sotomayor, Barack Obama, Anne Frank, Rosa Parks, and more.

Tomás Rivera by Jane Medina. Early readers will learn about Mexican-American Tomás Rivera who grew up to be an influential writer and educator. In this short tale from his childhood, Tomás's grandfather tells him stories, takes him to the library and inspires him to start writing.

More awesome easy readers:

• Easy readers that are actually easy
• Great easy reader books for kids
• Classic easy reader books for kids
• Summer easy reader book list
• Need more books? The index of all my book lists (there are more than 200 to choose from!) is right here.

The post Diverse Easy Readers that All Kids Will Love appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

I created this book list for beginning readers with summer reading in mind. Our summer reading style is very casual. No book logs, no page requirements, just tons of books scattered all over the apartment to inspire reading any time, any where. This is a great summer reading list for kindergarteners, as well as  1st grade and 2nd graders.  (Note: book titles are affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

MORE:

• Easy readers that are actually easy
• Classic easy readers
• Diverse easy reader books

Books for beginning readers

You Are Not Small.  All of Anna Kang's wonderful books belong on a book list for beginning readers! Whenever my son starts to read aloud a book with me without my begging and pleading, I know I have a winner. This clever and amusing book about comparisons was also this year’s Theodor Seuss Geigel award recipient. It is well suited for back and forth reading, so my son would read one character’s dialogue and I would read the other’s. He loved switching up the parts, and I loved how that got him to keep reading.

Benjamin Bear in Bright Ideas! My son loves the TOON books and I love that he is reading a graphic novel that does not involve licensed superhero or Pokemon characters!  In the Benjamin Bear books, each page is its own self contained comic so kids can read as much or as little as they wish.

Ling & Ting: Twice as Silly. Grace Lin has a great series for beginning readers. I am always on the hunt for silly, funny books because those are the ones that grab my emerging reader’s attention. He loves to laugh and find the ridiculousness in every situation. As a result, he loves this easy reader about twins.

Good Night, Knight. Betsy Lewin. The “I Like to Read” series is a great addition to any summer book list for beginning readers. We particularly enjoyed this one about a knight and his horse who wear themselves out looking for golden cookies. If this book is a good level for your child, be sure to pick up some of the other books in the series.

The Littlest Leaguer. It's always nice to have a classic on the list so parents can feel nostalgic while helping their kids learn to read. It's also much, much longer than contemporary easy readers, although it also has a nice story arc to keep kids' attention span. I'm still working on getting my son to read longer books so I'm hoping this story about a small boy with big baseball dreams does the trick.

The Watermelon Seed. I confess, I didn’t realize when I read this picture book a year ago that it would make a good book for beginners. The story draws upon the age-old facetious warning that if you swallow a seed, it will grow inside your tummy. Of course, any story about watermelon is perfect for summer reading!

Brownie & Pearl Step Out is a cute series by the author of Henry and Mudge, and Mr. Putter and Tabby, (both of which your new readers should also read!). Brownie and her cat, Pearl, have uncomplicated, friendly adventures around town and at home. Pick up any or all of the books in the series.

Bink and Gollie: Two for One is the second book in the much beloved series, and it is also one parents will enjoy reading aloud, or listening to as their kid sounds out words. In this installment, Bink and Gollie visit the fair where, among other things, Bink tries to win the world's largest donut! (yum)

Squirrel's World, a fun story about a squirrel who tries to help all his friends has short chapters so beginning readers can take a break if they need to. I'm a big fan of Valeri Gorbachev's illustrations.

Ollie the Stomper. Dunrea’s books about geese Ollie, Gossie and Gerdie were originally board books, but they translate well to simple readers. My son loves the silly antics of Ollie and his friends.

The post Summer Book List for Beginning Readers appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

 (Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

The boys and I have been using dinner time to tell jokes to each other. I brought out Get the Giggles: A First Joke Book, which is a Scholastic Level 1 reader (Always preview leveled readers because there is no publishing standard.) My 5 year old's eyes lit up with the idea of being able to tell jokes that his brother and mom might not not already know the answer to!

He read us every single joke! The first joke was so ridiculously silly that we all burst out into laughter and our response inspired him to continue. I was so proud of how he was motivated to figure out the words and learn to read all on his own. There were one or two which I had to help him with, words that he was unfamiliar with like "cheetah", but unlike my previous attempts at helping him sound out words, he didn't cry out in frustration, "I can't do it! I give up!"

Side note: is my child the only one who constantly mixes up "what, when why and where"? I keep reminding him to look at the end of the word, too!

I also have to admit, the jokes were quite funny! He was also quite tickled to be able to make his brother giggle. I can only hope Scholastic comes out with more of these easy reader joke books.

So if you haven't tried jokes to help your child learn to read, go ahead! Try it out. It may be just the thing.

MORE:  Easy reader book lists that may inspire your child who is learning to read:

The post Learn to Read with Jokes: Laughter and Literacy Go Together appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

The wide variety of subjects in this list of easy readers means that all kids will find a book they enjoy. The titles include tales about animals, silly stories like Dr. Seuss and rhyming books to help kids learn reading with sight word practice, and phonics. Many of them can also double as a very first chapter book.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

MORE: Easy Readers that are ACTUALLY easy!!

Classic Early Reader Books

Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel. Most parents are familiar with the Frog and Toad series, but don't overlook Arnold Lobel's other books. Owl at Home contains 5 funny stories and my son especially liked "Strange Bumps" in which Owl cannot figure out the source of the bumps under the covers of his bed!

MORE: Books like Frog and Toad

Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant. In the first book of this series Henry is lonely. He had no brothers or sisters, no close friends. His parents tell him he can get a puppy (and Henry rewards them with a hug!) so he searches for the perfect pooch until he finds Mudge. Mudge, however, quickly grows up to be a very large dog! Rylant has several other very, very early chapter book series including the beloved Mr. Putter and Tabby.

Morris the Moose by B. Wiseman. I remember reading about Morris's "moose-take" when I was a kid. Morris insists a cow must be a moose because it has four legs and a tail. He makes the same error with a deer. This leads to a lot of round-about squabbling amongst the animals which is finally solved by the simple act of looking at their reflections in a stream. If your child likes Morris, he will find further moose books by Wiseman in the library.

MORE: Funny early reader books like Elephant and Piggie

Grizzwold. Syd Hoff is most famous for Danny and the Dinosaur but check out this silly easy reader about a bear who is on the hunt for a place to live after loggers clear his forest home. Nothing seems quite right, though! Should he live in the city? Become a rug? Where can he find some trees? In the end, he not only finds a forest, but his life's calling.

The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat by Nurit Karlin. A fat cat belonging to a witch sits on a mat and a hat, bat, and rat do their best to convince him to get up. This book had my pre-reader in stitches and I couldn't help smiling at the ending. This book is a nice combination of substantial length and simple vocabulary for kids who can read for a chunk of time but still need to work with easy words.

MORE: Easy Readers with Diverse Characters

The Fire Cat by Ester Averill. Pickles is a naughty cat, but Mrs. Goodkind sees his potential and gets the firehouse to adopt him. With the right training and some good friends, Pickles learns the value of kindness and helping others.

I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown. At first glance you might not realize this is a classic by Goodnight Moon author! The short story was first published in The Friendly Book, a compilation of short stories and poems, in the 1950s. This poem is all about (you guessed it) different kinds of bugs, from bugs "on the sidewalk", "in a rug" and "buggy bugs." This book is very spare on text, so it's great for level 1 readers. The new illustrations by G. Brian Karas are delightful and add nice dose of humor.

Little Bear by Elsa Holmelund Minarik. Minarik wrote 5 books in the Little Bear series. Each book contains several connected stories. I love how the stories reinforce values of friendship and family in an unassuming manner. My favorite story is "Little Bear Goes to the Moon," in with Little Bear decides to make a trip to the moon in his new DIY space helmet.  His mother simply responds, "be back for lunch!" With delightful writing and gentle humor, these are easy readers you will want to have in your home library.

MORE: Books like Mercy Watson

Put Me in the Zoo. Robert Lopshire is an author I used to get confused with Dr. Seuss because of the branding icon on the top corner of his books! Please don't tell me I'm the only one! In lively rhyme, a leopard tries to convince a pair of kids he belongs in the zoo. He can change the color of  his spots but the zoo still rejects him! How can that be? Fortunately, everyone realizes the "circus is the place to be."

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, I confess I had not read this classic book before sitting down to make this list. This book wins the prize for sweetness. A mother bird sits on her egg and when she realizes her egg will soon hatch but she has no food for the newborn she flies off to fetch some. Of course that is the moment the egg hatches; the chick falls out of the tree and goes in search of his mother, asking everyone and everything he meets, "Are You My Mother?" You and your kids will be happy (and not surprised) to know that he does, indeed, find his mother.

MORE: Wacky and Madcap Picture Books

The post Classic Easy Reader Books Like Dr. Seuss appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.