Beginning Readers Level 1

These level 1 reading books feature short sentences, big type, and supportive picture clues. Often, you’ll see repetition in sentence structure as well as rhyme, both of which help the reader predict and decode new words.

Updated December 21, 2022
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Paddington : meet Paddington
Auerbach, Annie
Meet Paddington, the extraordinary bear from Peru, and his many friends who help him out of lots of curious situations--as well as a few characters who lead him into trouble! Filled with full-color images from the film Paddington, this I Can Read storybook is an exciting introduction to this...
Rainbow
Bauer, Marion Dane
Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer teaches beginning readers about rainbows in this bright Level 1 Ready-to-Read. What is that colorful arc in the sky? It is a rainbow. Rainbows are always pretty to look at, but where do they...
Tutus and toe shoes
Benjamin, Ruth.
Twinkle Twirl's dance school is now open Learning to dance is fun, but Pinky Pie is scared to try the jumps. With her friends cheering her on, she soon gives those leaps a try
Snow is falling
Branley, Franklyn M. (Franklyn Mansfield) 1915-2002
Read and find out about snow in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book. Snow is wonderful--for sledding, for skiing, and for building snowmen. But did you know that snow can actually keep things warm Find out how snow helps plants, animals, and people to survive. But when a...
Where is the sun?
Carle, Eric
Where is the sun? Follow it as it moves across the sky in this poetic Ready-to-Go! Ready-to-Read filled with Eric Carle's iconic art style. Perfect for kids at the beginning of their reading journeys, Where Is the Sun? was written for children who have learned the alphabet...
Driving school
Cena, John
In this fresh take on "back to school," the little blue monster truck who never gives up learns the rules of the road! This is the latest installment in the fun-filled Elbow Grease franchise from superstar entertainer and New York Times bestselling author John Cena. Elbow...
Teamwork wins!
Cena, John
It's up to Elbow Grease, the little blue monster truck who never gives up, to help his brother and his whole monster truck family in this Step 1 reader from superstar entertainer and #1 New York Times bestselling author John Cena! A fun and fast-paced leveled reader from...
Cat traps
Coxe, Molly
Cat wants a snack.Cat sets a trap.Cat gets...in trouble!Simple sentences and snappy illustrations make this a purr-fect first step into the joy of reading.
Pete the cat's not so groovy day
Dean, Kim 1969-
Pete the Cat searches for the bright spots during a not so groovy day in this Level 1 I Can Read from New York Times bestselling creators Kimberly and James Dean! Pete the Cat is having a bad day: his best shirt is dirty, he left his crayons at home, and he's late for school....
Pete the Cat's trip to the supermarket
Dean, Kim 1969-
Pete the Cat helps out at the supermarket in this Level 1 I Can Read tale from New York Times bestselling creators Kimberly and James Dean. Along with his dad and brother, Pete the Cat heads off to the supermarket. But what happens when Dad loses the...
You can read, Pout-Pout Fish!
Diesen, Deborah
You Can Read, Pout-Pout Fish! is a Level 1 Beginning Reader about learning to read featuring the star of Deborah Diesen's New York Times bestselling Pout-Pout Fish series--with illustrations by Dan Hanna. Pout-Pout Fish is learning to read! With his teacher's...
Charlie the ranch dog : Charlie's new friend
Drummond, Ree
Charlie the Ranch Dog is the protector of Mama's garden. No wily rabbit is going to stop Charlie!
Charlie the ranch dog : Charlie's snow day
Drummond, Ree
When Charlie wakes up to a world covered in snow, he can't wait to get outside and see what's going on around the ranch. He even takes a break from patrol duty to take a fun sled ride with his buddy Walter and his big sister down the snowy slopes! One ride is enough fun for Charlie,...
Go, dog. go!
Eastman, P. D. (Philip D.)
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...
Sam and the firefly
Eastman, P. D. (Philip D.)
Sam the Owl and Gus the Firefly literally light up the sky in this classic Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. In Sam and the Firefly, P. D. Eastman (author of Are You My Mother? and Go, Dog. Go!) introduces us to the dynamic duo of Sam and Gus, who soar through the air writing...
Calling all master builders!
Fentiman, David.
Who are the Master Builders? Do they have what it takes to stop an evil LEGO(R) tyrant from ending the LEGO world?
Dixie and the class treat
Gilman, Grace
Ms. Turtle the babysitter
Gorbachev, Valeri.
Ms. Turtle is the best babysitter ever. No wonder the little frogs love her!
LEGO Star Wars : a new hope
Grange, Emma
Relive the exciting story of the iconic Star Wars(tm): Episode IV movie, retold in LEGO® form for young readers with their favorite LEGO Star Wars minifigures and sets. Help the rebels rescue their leader Princess Leia from the evil empire in DK Readers L1: LEGO Star Wars:...
A day in the life of a firefighter
Hayward, Linda 1943-
A Level 1 DK Reader that accurately portrays a day in the life of a real firefighter, perfect for young children who are just learning to read. The fire alarm goes off! Rob Green and the other firefighters go into action. Is there time to save a little girl's dog? Find out in DK Readers: Jobs...
The little cookie
Hillert, Margaret.
The snow baby
Hillert, Margaret.
Two children find a pure white kitten in the snow and decide to keep it.
Up, up, up dear dragon
Hillert, Margaret.
"A boy and his pet dragon play basketball with friends and learn about good sportsmanship. This preprimer book contains highfrequency and sight words. Teacher resources include reading activities to strengthen phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Beginning Reader with...
Who goes to school?
Hillert, Margaret.
Depicts animals in work and training situations and concludes that school can be fun for animals and children.
Happy go ducky
Houran, Lori Haskins.
The bad seed goes to the library
John, Jory
The Bad Seed borrows an awesome book from the library in this Level One I Can Read by the #1 New York Times bestselling duo Jory John and Pete Oswald! The Bad Seed is in a good mood...for once. That's because there's a really cool book at the library available for checkout....
The good egg and the talent show
John, Jory
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...
We are the Power Rangers
Junor, Amy.
Pinkalicious : soccer star
Kann, Victoria
Pinkalicious and the Pinksters are losing the match! Riding on the back of her unicorn, Goldilicious, Pinkalicious travels the world meeting soccer-playing girls who inspire her to save the game.
Pinkalicious : the pinkerrific playdate
Kann, Victoria
Readers can watch Pinkalicious and Peterrific on the funtastic PBS Kids TV series Pinkalicious & Peterrific! Come along on a playdate with Pinkalicious and her new friend, Rose, in this Pinkalicious I Can Read story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Kann! ...
Pinkalicious : tutu-rrific
Kann, Victoria
Pinkalicious can't wait to go to ballet class, but things take a turn when Pinkalicious ends up in the big kids' class. Will Pinkalicious get lost among the dancers, or will she be able to jump to new heights
See the cat : three stories about a dog
LaRochelle, David
Winner of the 2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Move over, Spot. . . . Spoofing classic primers, Max the Dog talks back to the book in a twist that will have fans of funny early readers howling. See Max. Max is not a cat--Max is a dog. But much to Max's dismay,...
Ten apples up on top!
LeSieg, Theo. 1904-1991
Count your way through this silly stacking adventure with Dr. Seuss! Don't let the apples drop! Three animal friends practice balancing apples on their heads in this hilarious introduction to counting, illustrated by Roy Mckie. The sturdy board book teaches all about numbers,...
Princesses and puppies
Liberts, Jennifer 1970-
Ariel, Merida, Belle, and all the Disney princesses laugh and play with cute, cuddly puppies in this Step 2 leveled reader. It's perfect for girls ages 4-6 who are just learning to read on their own.
Splat the cat : up in the air at the fair
Lin, Amy Hsu
Splat and his friends are going to the fair, but Kitten can't come. They want to bring her back a get-well gift. Will they find the perfect present
Splat the Cat takes the cake
Lin, Amy Hsu.
When Splat's family's television breaks in an unfortunate cat-astrophe, Splat vows to win a new TV by entering a cake-baking competition. Splat's first attempt at cake baking is disastrous, but his second try is a winner. Splat creates a cake in the shape of his favorite TV...
Pirate attack!
Lock, Deborah
Come join Captain Blackbeard and his pirate crew for an action-packed adventure on the high seas. With short sentences and simple vocabulary, as well as picture dictionary boxes with word labels, Pirate Attack! is perfect for children just beginning to learn to read. Supports the Common...
A trip to the library
Lock, Deborah.
A little boy goes on his very first trip to the library. What will he find? A new library card, a nice librarian, shelves of favorite books (and new ones, too), story time, and even an Internet search terminal for Mom in this first-experience DK Reader about an afternoon at the public library. ...
Otis's busy day
Long, Loren
Featuring the New York Times bestselling character Otis! Otis is a very busy tractor. He loves working on the farm and playing with his friends. But at the end of a long day, Otis is happy to go home and rest! This is the perfect complement to the Otis picture books and a...
Ponies
Marsh, Laura F.
Ponies is replete with brilliant photographs and catchy content that will both teach and entertain. Children will be captivated as they watch a brand new baby foal walk within minutes of being born then quickly turn into one of the most graceful animals on Earth. Like all of our level 1...
I spy an egg in a nest
Marzollo, Jean.
I SPY something new for Spring!Young I SPY readers will want to start the Spring with I SPY AN EGG IN A NEST. New easy-to-read text by Jean Marzollo is paired with Walter Wick's amazing photographs from previous I SPY books to create a fun-filled Spring search-and-find. Also includes I SPY activity...
The Super Secret Adventure Club
McClements, George.
Three boys + a supercool clubhouse + "no sisters allowed!" = tons of adventure! Sam, Matt, and Luke have built the coolest clubhouse ever. But they can't decide what kind of club they should be. Are they space explorers? Dino hunters? Pirate captains? For three small boys with big...
June's tune
McKay, Sindy.
A girl dreams up a new tune and, with her friends, creates some very funny ideas for the lyrics. Emphasizes the reading of long vowel sounds.
Big Brown Bear's up and down day
McPhail, David 1940-
Bear is big and Bear is brown and Bear lives all alone. But then one day, someone comes along who gives him a few tips about the ups and downs of having a friend.
Big Shark, Little Shark
Membrino, Anna
Just when you thought it was safe to read an early reader . . . SHARK! This fun Step 1 book about two sharks is a study in opposites. Big Shark has big teeth; Little Shark has little teeth. Big Shark swims fast; Little Shark swims slow. But they are both hungry! Will they each...
Go, Otto, go!
Milgrim, David
Otto the robot builds a spaceship in this funny and poignant Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book. This Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator David Milgrim is part of the award-winning, star-reviewed The Adventures of Otto series! See Otto...
See Pip flap
Milgrim, David
Otto and his friends are back in this Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book. See Pip Flap is a Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read, part of the award-winning, star-reviewed The Adventures of Otto series by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator, David Milgrim. ...
Fancy Nancy at the museum
O'Connor, Jane
Nancy's class is going on a trip to the museum. Even after a bumpy bus ride, Nancy finds a way to make the day extra-fancy!
Peanut butter and jellyfish
O'Connor, Jane
Fancy Nancy takes a class trip to the aquarium and is enjoying all the incredible sea creatures--that is, until she comes to the jellyfish exhibit! With the help of Ms. Glass and her friends, Nancy learns to overcome her fear of jellyfish and...
Spectacular spectacles
O'Connor, Jane.
Nancy thinks that Bree's new glasses are simply spectacular. After all, they are lavender. They are glittery. And best of all, they come in a silver case. So when Bree tells Nancy all about her trip to the eye doctor, Nancy can't help but wonder if her own eyesight is perhaps...
Amelia Bedelia is for the birds
Parish, Herman
Spread your wings! Amelia Bedelia watches two birds build a nest and hatch their eggs in this funny story about families.
Big snowman, little snowman
Rabe, Tish
Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey--teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven--to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious...
Garden Day!
Ransom, Candice F. 1952-
A welcome-to-spring Step 1 reader featuring the family from Pumpkin Day!, Apple Picking Day!, and Snow Day! It's springtime, and the perfect day to plant a garden! The brother and sister from Pumpkin Day!, Apple Picking Day!, and Snow Day! return and...
Spider-man : the amazing story
Saunders, Catherine.
These action-packed books introduce beginning readers to the world of Spider-Man, revealing how he gets his amazing powers and how he uses them to defeat such villains as the Green Goblin and Dr. Octopus. Full color.
Star Wars : who saved the galaxy?
Saunders, Catherine.
In this exciting Level 1 reader, young fans will delve into the world of the Star Wars galaxy, learning about the people, droids, and creatures -- including Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 -- who have kept it safe from the clutches of evil. Packed with images, new animation, and fascinating facts,...
Friends forever!
Shaw, Natalie
A new generation of children love Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, inspired by the classic series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood! In this Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read storybook, Daniel Tiger learns how to cope with his friend spending time with someone new!
Around town
Taylor, Victoria (Children's author)
Together with LEGO(r) DUPLO(r) hugely popular building-bricks brand for preschoolers-DK brings stories, coloring, stickers, and building fun to the youngest of readers. In Let's Build! cranes, backhoes, bulldozers, and more build their way through a construction site.
Kiwi cannot reach!
Tharp, Jason
From the endless imagination of Jason Tharp comes a brand-new, interactive Level 1 Ready-to-Read that's perfect for fans of Mo Willems, Jim Benton, and David Milgrim and for beginning readers who like to giggle! Kiwi sees a rope. He wants to pull it, but he cannot reach! What...
A year on the farm
Unstead, Sue 1951-
Follow the busy lives of Mr. and Mrs. Farmer through A Year on the Farm, looking after the animals and growing crops. Look out for the busy Red Tractor who's helping out! Level 1 books are stories for children just beginning to learn to read. They use short, simple sentences, simple...
I love school!
Wilhelm, Hans 1945-
An easy-to-read story featuring Noodles the little white dog!Noodles thinks that going to school sounds like a lot of fun. But when he get's there, school turns out to be a big, scary place. Noodles feels all alone...until he makes some friends! There are great books to read, friendly classmates,...
Friendship on the high seas
Yolen, Jane
From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a colorful Level 1 Ready-to-Read story all about making friends at school. A little fish cannot wait to play with his new friend. Then he starts to worry: "What if she thinks that I'm too slow? That I don't know just...
Rocking the tide
Yolen, Jane
From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a colorful Level 1 Ready-to-Read story all about a school music concert! The fish are performing a music concert at school. But then they start to worry: "What if a current grabs my strings? What...
School of fish
Yolen, Jane
From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a Level 1 Ready-to-Read story bursting with all the excitement and a little bit of the nervousness that color a fish's first day at a new school. I look around. What do I see? Another fish who's just like me! A...

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