Books for Emerging Readers (K to Grade 2)

Kids that are starting to read short books on their own need books that are shorter with illustrations to keep them from being overwhelmed. Early Readers are great options for books that feel manageable. They can be fiction or non-fiction as long as the topic interests the child. Not all Early Readers use the same rating system, so have your child read the first page or two, and if there are more than three or four words per page that they struggle to read, find a book that is a little less of a challenge.

Updated May 29, 2025
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Lambton County Library Summer Reading Challenge 2025
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Words are magic!
Avant-garde, Zaila.
Paper Book
Scripps National Spelling Bee champ Zaila Avant-garde shares her love of words with new readers in this level 1 Step Into Reading book. A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Words are magic! Have you heard? Pick a letter. Make a word!
Paddington plays on
Bond, Michael
Paper Book
Paddington Bear has delighted readers of all ages for almost 60 years! Now part of the I Can Read line, Michael Bond's classic character will drum up the interest of beginning readers with his charming antics. Paddington is having a wonderful time while on vacation with the...
Clifford, the small red puppy
Bridwell, Norman
Paper Book
Clifford wasn't always a big red dog. . . Clifford begins life as a very small, red puppy, but once he starts growing into a very large, red dog, there seems no limit to his potential size!
Clifford, the big red dog
Bridwell, Norman.
Paper Book
The most popular big, red, lovable dog that ever was! Clifford books have sold millions of copies in nearly half a century - and his series airing on PBS Kids TV has been enormously popular.
LEGO City awesome tales! : a collection of five early readers
Deutsch, Stacia.
Paper Book
Five LEGO City® Step into Reading leveled readers in one action-packed collection! This Step into Reading collection features five LEGO City® leveled readers, featuring careers including firefighters, handy persons, police, and veternarians! This book contains the...
Bink & Gollie
DiCamillo, Kate
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! "If James Marshall's George and Martha were not hippos and were both girls, they would be much like best friends Bink and Gollie. . . . More, please!" -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Meet Bink and Gollie, two precocious...
Ollie
Dunrea, Olivier
Paper Book
Friends Gossie and Gertie are waiting and waiting for Ollie to hatch. They try poking, listening, even sitting on top of his egg--but Ollie just won't come out. Ollie is Ollie and he will decide when it's time to hatch. Fans of Gossie and Gossie and Gertie will find Ollie just as charming and...
Gossie
Dunrea, Olivier
Paper Book
The first book in the preschool-perfect Gossie & Friends series by Olivier Dunrea about a small yellow gosling who goes looking for her missing boots and finds a new friend. Gossie is a small yellow gosling who loves to wear bright red boots--every day. But one morning she can't find them!...
Otter : let's go swimming!
Garton, Sam
Paper Book
Otter--the irrepressible picture book character sure to be adored by fans of Llama Llama--learns how to swim. Otter: Let's Go Swimming! is a My First I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for shared reading with a child. Read about more of Otter's adventures in I...
Frog can hop
Gehl, Laura.
Paper Book
From Laura Gehl, author of Dog Can Hide and Cat Sees Snow, comes another side-splitting Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read about an energetic frog and unhurried pig. Frog can hop. Pig likes to flop. When Frog makes a big drop, will Pig help? Perfect for kids at...
Duck, duck, dinosaur : spring smiles
George, K.
Paper Book
Little ones will enjoy this sweet and funny story featuring a sneezing dinosaur! It's wonderful springtime, and there are so many flowers, leaves, and seeds outside. Siblings Feather, Flap, and Spike want to explore on a sunny day. But will Spike's sneezes make him the odd...
Iris and Walter and the birthday party
Guest, Elissa Haden
Paper Book
It's Walter's birthday and he has big plans for his party. There will be cake and ice cream and horseback riding, and all of his friends will be there--including, of course, his best friend, Iris. But when the big day finally arrives, something unexpected happens. Will the change of plans ruin...
If I drove an ice cream truck
Heim, Alastair.
Paper Book
The Cat in the Hat imagines driving an ice cream truck with Thing One and Thing Two as his helpers in this hilarious new Beginner Book, the follow-up to If I Were Saint Nick by the Cat in the Hat! COMING IN 2026--A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING BILL HADER AS THE CAT IN THE HAT...
Houndsley and Catina at the library
Howe, James
Paper Book
The charming duo returns with a love letter to the library, good friends, the joy of learning, and self-reinvention. It's Saturday, and Houndsley, Catina, and their friend Bert are looking forward to their weekly visit to the library. But when the trio arrives, they find that...
The bad seed
John, Jory.
Paper Book
There is a bad seed. A baaaaaaaad seed. How bad Do you really want to know He lies about pointless stuff. He cuts in line. Every time. And he does LOTS of other bad things too. But what happens when a bad seed doesn't want to be bad anymore Can a...
The good egg and the talent show
John, Jory.
Paper Book
The Good Egg discovers his true talent in this Level One I Can Read by the #1 New York Times bestselling duo Jory John and Pete Oswald! The talent show is today and the Good Egg is so excited. There's just one problem. He doesn't have an act! When the talent show...
Frog and Toad are friends
Lobel, Arnold.
Paper Book
Celebrate the power of friendship in these five adventurous stories starring Frog and Toad--a Caldecott Honor Book!  From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other--just as best friends should be. ...
Going to the Sea Park
Mayer, Mercer
Paper Book
Join Mercer Mayer's classic and beloved character, Little Critter®, and his classmates for some underwater fun as they set out on a delightful trip to the sea park! With Little Critter and a charming world of sea creatures big and small, there's a boatload of fun for everyone! Little...
Monkey-cam
Palatini, Margie.
Paper Book
Experience the world from a monkey's perspective via the video camera on its head in this fun and exciting Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read book in the Critter-Cam series! Through a video camera positioned on the monkey's head, readers can follow along from the monkey's point of view as...
Amelia Bedelia
Parish, Peggy.
Paper Book
Learn to read with the classic Amelia Bedelia! Ever since Amelia Bedelia made her debut in 1963, young readers have been laughing out loud at the antics of this literal-minded but charming housekeeper.   From dressing the chicken to drawing the drapes...
The dot
Reynolds, Peter
Paper Book
With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark -- and follow where it takes us. Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you." Art class is over, but...
The word collector
Reynolds, Peter H.
Paper Book
From the creator of The Dot, I Am Human, and Happy Dreamer comes a celebration of finding your own words -- and the impact you can have when you share them with the world. Some people collect stamps. Some people collect coins. Some people collect art. And...
Henry and Mudge : the first book of their adventures
Rylant, Cynthia.
Paper Book
Henry, feeling lonely on a street without any other children, finds companionship and love in a big dog named Mudge.
Henry and Mudge in puddle trouble : the second book of their adventures
Rylant, Cynthia
Paper Book
For Henry and his big dog Mudge, spring means admiring the first snow glory, playing in puddles in the rain, and watching the five new kittens next door. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
Aang's epic adventures! : a collection of three early readers
Spaziante, Patrick.
Paper Book
Relive the adventures of Aang and his friends from Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender in this collection of three Step into Reading levelled readers! Young readers will love venturing into the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender with this Step 4 Step into...
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...
Harry and the lady next door
Zion, Gene.
Paper Book
A funny I Can Read story featuring the beloved Harry the Dirty Dog! Harry, the mischievous little white dog with black spots, tries everything he can think of to get the lady next door to stop singing. Every time Harry tries to stop her, he gets in trouble! Can Harry solve...

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