Just Learning to Read

First books for newly independent readers.

Updated May 30, 2023
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Good dog
Doerrfeld, Cori
Paper Book
This charming picture book, from the author-illustrator of The Rabbit Listened, follows an adorable stray puppy who exemplifies what it truly means to be a "good dog." "Good Dog stole my heart. A satisfying tale of a stray dog who finds his person."--The New York Times Book...
Ty's travels : all aboard!
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
A Geisel Honor-winning series!  "Both an excellent book for guided reading and a winning read-aloud." --Kirkus (starred review) Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty's Travels: All Aboard!, a My First I Can Read series by acclaimed author and illustrator team...
Fox is late
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
Fun-loving, mischievous Fox is late for lunch, so he hops on his skateboard. Go, Fox, go! What is this winning trickster character doing, zooming over and under and around on his skateboard His animal friends follow him home to find out--and get a big surprise! ...
Sabrina Sue loves the sea
Burris, Priscilla
Paper Book
From the beloved illustrator of the Heidi Heckelbeck series comes a smart and sassy Level 1 Ready-to-Read story about a spunky chicken clucking her way toward the beach! Sabrina Sue is a small barnyard chicken with big dreams. She wants to see the sea! The other animals tell her...
The rock from the sky
Klassen, Jon
Paper Book
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! Look up! From the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the hat trilogy comes a new deadpan gem. There is a spot. It is a good spot. It is the perfect spot to stand. There is no reason to ever...
Monsters go night-night
Zenz, Aaron
Paper Book
Bedtime means brushing your teeth, putting on pajamas, snuggling, and kissing your family goodnight. For monsters, bedtime looks a little different. They brush their teeth, but not with a toothbrush. They get dressed for bed, but not in slippers and nightcaps. They snuggle, but not with a...
Duck, Duck, Porcupine!
Yoon, Salina
Paper Book
Meet Big Duck, Little Duck, and Porcupine, stars of the Geisel Honor-winning early reader series perfect for fans of Elephant & Piggie and Ballet Cat. Big Duck likes to boss around her younger brother, Little Duck, and she fancies herself the leader of their trio--when joined...
My kite is stuck! and other stories
Yoon, Salina
Paper Book
Salina Yoon continues her Geisel Honor-winning early reader series starring Big Duck, Little Duck, and Porcupine, perfect for fans of bestselling series like Elephant & Piggie, Ballet Cat, and Pig in a Wig. Loud and in-charge Big Duck, quiet and clever Little Duck, and...
Sabrina Sue Loves the Sky: Ready-to-Read Level 1
Priscilla Burris
Paper Book
In this fourth Level 1 Ready-to-Read story about a spunky chicken from the illustrator of the Heidi Heckelbeck series, Sabrina Sue takes to the sky. Sabrina Sue wants to fly like all the other birds she sees in the sky. Will her flying machine invention be what she needs, or will...
Sabrina Sue loves the snow
Burris, Priscilla
Paper Book
In this second Level 1 Ready-to-Read story about a spunky chicken from the illustrator of the Heidi Heckelbeck series, Sabrina Sue wants to play in the snow! Sabrina Sue decides she wants to see snow. There are all kinds of fun activities she's dreamed of doing like building a...
Biscuit loves the park
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin
Paper Book
Biscuit is going to play in the big park. Wait, Biscuit! Where are you going When Biscuit goes chasing a ball and at first doesn't come back, where could that little yellow puppy be Young readers will love reading about all the fun things Biscuit gets up to at the bustling...
Biscuit
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin
Paper Book
Snuggle up at bedtime or anytime with Biscuit, the very first book about everyone's favorite little yellow puppy.  It's time for bed, but Biscuit doesn't want to sleep! Before Biscuit gets into bed he wants one more snack, one more story, one more kiss. Will he ever go to sleep? Woof,...
Biscuit goes to school
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin
Paper Book
Go back to school with Biscuit and share the love of reading with your beginner reader!  Biscuit can't wait to go to school! Even though no dogs are allowed, he is determined to see and do everything that takes place at school. But what will happen when the teacher discovers a puppy...
Biscuit finds a friend
Capucilli, Alyssa Satin
Paper Book
For fans of Clifford and Spot, welcome everybody's favorite little yellow puppy, Biscuit, in an I Can Read adventure! Biscuit is back--and he's got a new friend! In this charming My First I Can Read book, everyone's favorite puppy Biscuit meets an adorable lost duckling. Perfect for shared...
Go, dog, go!
Eastman, P. D.
Paper Book
P.D. Eastman's canine classic--perfect for fans of the Netlix Original Go, Dog. Go! animated preschool series!   Written for beginning readers using only 75 different words, this beloved Beginner Book by P.D. Eastman--edited by Dr. Seuss--features all kinds of...
"Buzz," said the bee
Lewison, Wendy Cheyette.
Paper Book
As one animal sits on another in an accumulating progression, the reader learns the sounds each animal makes
Katie saves Thanksgiving
Manushkin, Fran.
Paper Book
Pedro's and JoJo's families are on their way to Katie's house for Thanksgiving dinner. But they get stuck in a snowstorm, and the Woos' oven suddenly breaks. Katie wonders what kind of Thanksgiving it will be without sweet potatoes, pie, and most of all, friends.
Ballet Cat : the totally secret secret
Shea, Bob
Paper Book
"Move over, Elephant and Piggie!" commands School Library Journal--the first book starring the vivacious Ballet Cat marks the launch of a new favorite friendship series for early readers. Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play...
The tricky tooth
Manushkin, Fran.
Paper Book
Everyone in Katie Woo's class has lost a tooth, except her! She tries everything she can think of to make her wiggly tooth fall out, but nothing works. Will she ever lose her tricky tooth?
Katie's lucky birthday
Manushkin, Fran.
Paper Book
Katie is happy to be the person of the day when she celebrates her birthday at school. But when she realizes that her friend Pedro's birthday is in August, she wants to find a way to share her birthday with him. Come celebrate with the lucky birthday girl, Katie Woo!
What this story needs is a pig in a wig
Virján, Emma J.
Paper Book
"A story with the echoes of Seuss and Willems."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A boatload of giggles will keep the reader returning for more easy-to-read fun."-- Kirkus Reviews The first book in the vibrant and laugh-out-loud funny early reader What This Story Needs...
See me go
Meisel, Paul
Paper Book
Short sentences. Simple words. Lots of dogs. Big fun! From two-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Honoree Paul Meisel, kindergarteners can read this Level C reader on their own. We jump off. We get out. We go up, up, up. We go down, down, down.<...
I see a cat
Meisel, Paul
Paper Book
A dog barks at everything he loves-a cat, a squirrel, and his favorite boy! This Level A book is perfect for new readers. I see a cat. I see a bird. I see a fly. Easy-to-read text and fun pictures follow a dog through his happy day. Sitting inside his house,...
See me run
Meisel, Paul.
Paper Book
Happiness is a day in the park for a pack of joyful pups, in this Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor-winning Level D early reader. See me run. A happy, fuzzy gold mutt is running through the park when he finds some friends. So he joins the crowd, and together they run, chase, and play in...
Flubby is not a good pet!
Morris, J. E.
Paper Book
A 2020 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book Meet Flubby--the lovably lazy feline who prefers a purr-fectly laid-back lifestyle! Flubby is a large, sleepy cat who refuses to do the things that other pets do. He won't sing, catch, or even jump! But when a scary...
Flubby will not go to sleep
Morris, J. E.
Paper Book
Flubby, the cute but aloof cat, refuses to hit the hay in this gentle story perfect for bedtime! Kami makes a new bed for Flubby, but the fussy feline won't settle into slumber. A squishy pillow, a warm blanket, and even a bedtime snack are not enough to do the trick! Flubby...
Flubby will not take a bath
Morris, J. E.
Paper Book
Flubby, the cute but aloof cat, refuses to wash up in this silly story about bathtime! It's time for Flubby to take a bath, but the fussy feline won't get in the water. Bubbles, shampoo, and even a toy cannot convice the cat to get clean. Kami is determined to get the job done,...
Flubby will not play with that
Morris, J. E.
Paper Book
Flubby, the lovably lazy feline, embarks on his next non-adventure! When Kami brings home a bag full of toys for Flubby, the uninterested cat isn't enthusiastic about the choices. A wind-up mouse? No thanks. A fish hanging from a stick? Yawn. But after Flubby rejects each...
Hop on Pop
Seuss, Dr.
Paper Book
Introduce children to Dr. Seuss's wonderfully witty wordplay with this classic rhyming picture book, known as "the simplest Seuss for youngest use." HOP POP We like to hop. We like to hop on top of Pop. See Red and Ned and Ted and Ed in...
Dance! dance! underpants!
Shea, Bob
Paper Book
Ballet Cat is getting her friend Butter Bear ready for her big ballet debut. 'Leap, Butter Bear, Leap!' Ballet Cat prompts. But Butter Bear would prefer to just point her toe. When Ballet Cat keeps pushing, Butter Bear gets hungry, then thirsty, then sleepy. The bottom line is that Butter Bear would...
Ballet Cat : what's your favorite favorite?
Shea, Bob.
Paper Book
Ballet Cat and her cousin Goat are preparing a show for Grandma. Each is trying to outdo the other - Ballet Cat with an elaborate dance routine (of course), and Goat with his amazing (amazingly lame, that is) magic tricks. Neither act goes off quite as planned, but it doesn't matter . . . because...
Fox the tiger
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
Winner of the 2019 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Fun-loving, mischievous Fox wishes he were a tiger. Tigers are big and fast and sneaky. So he decides to become one! Soon Turtle and Rabbit are joining in the fun. But will Fox want to be a tiger forever In Fox the...
Fox at night
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
Geisel Award winner and ALA Notable Book of the Year! In his next I Can Read adventure, Fox--the hilarious trickster character featured in Geisel Award-winning Fox the Tiger--overcomes his fear of monsters when he meets real nocturnal animals. Fox is up late in the night...
Fox versus winter
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
Fun-loving, mischievous Fox--the hilarious trickster character featured in Geisel Award-winning Fox the Tiger--goes up against a surprising foe! Fox does not like winter. None of his friends are around to play. He is bored and alone. Then Fox has an idea. If he cannot escape winter, he...
Lab magic
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
"This installment in the Geisel-winning Ty's Travels series adds some much-needed diversity to the beginning-reader shelf" --Booklist  Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty's Travels: Lab Magic, a My First I Can Read book by acclaimed author and illustrator...
Ty's travels : zip, zoom!
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
Ty can't wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble! Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try. A 2021 Geisel Honor Book! Celebrate imagination and the power of persistence in...
Ty's travels : beach day!
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
A Geisel Honor-winning series * Author Kelly Starling Lyons selected as the 2021 Piedmont Laureate * A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year 2022 Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty's Travels: Beach Day!, a My First I Can Read book by acclaimed author and...
Ty's Travels: Camp-Out
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
Ty makes his I Can Read Comic debut! Featuring a bold comic styling by New York Times bestselling illustrator Niña Mata and a compelling easy-to-read text by Kelly Starling Lyons, this Level One I Can Read Comic is the perfect summertime story for beginning readers! ...
Best brother ever!
Trasler, Janee
Paper Book
Two friends, a young rat and mouse, discover how close they really are in this first book in the Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics series Figgy & Boone! Figgy is a mouse and Boone is a rat. Figgy thinks Boone is the best brother ever. Boone says Figgy is more like a cousin. Either...
The Big Cheese: Ready-to-Read Graphics Level 1 (Figgy & Boone)
Janee Trasler
Paper Book
In the second Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics book about a mouse named Figgy and a rat named Boone, the friends discover a big wheel of cheese! When Figgy and Boone find a big wheel of cheese, they try to push it up the hill to their house. They work together, but it keeps rolling...
Let's go for a drive!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, award-winning, New York Times best-selling creator of The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Unlimited Squirrels, presents best friends Elephant Gerald and Piggie.   Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald...
We are in a book!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, award-winning, New York Times best-selling creator of The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Unlimited Squirrels, presents best friends Elephant Gerald and Piggie.   Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald...
Should I share my ice cream?
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, award-winning, New York Times best-selling creator of The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Unlimited Squirrels, presents best friends Elephant Gerald and Piggie.   Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald...
Waiting is not easy!
Willems, Mo
Paper Book
Mo Willems, award-winning, New York Times best-selling creator of The Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Unlimited Squirrels, presents best friends Elephant Gerald and Piggie.   Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald...
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!
Willems, Mo
Paper Book
Having found a hot dog with no owner, Pigeon is excited to eat his tasty treat, but when a hungry duckling makes an appearance, Pigeon has to use his wits to keep the clever duckling from maneuvering in on his lunch.
Let's go for a drive!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Don't let the pigeon stay up late!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, #1 New York Times best-selling creator and three-time Caldecott Honoree, presents a bedtime Pigeon adventure. It's getting dark, but the Pigeon won't go to bed! Will YOU let him stay up late? As usual, the Pigeon has plenty of reasons he isn't ready for bedtime...
The duckling gets a cookie!?
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, #1 New York Times best-selling creator and three-time Caldecott Honoree, presents a sweet Pigeon adventure. The Duckling asks for a cookie--and gets one! It isn't fair! The Pigeon NEVER gets what he asks for. Do YOU think the Pigeon should get a cookie, too?
Let's go for a drive!
Willems, Mo
Paper Book

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