Summer Reading: Before Entering First Grade
FUN BOOKS TO SHARE
- Too Many Frogs by Asher: c2005 animals, humor
Each night Froggie interrupts Rabbit's cozy home for a read-aloud story. - Stanley’s Party by Bailey: c2003 dogs, humor
When a dog’s owners leave for the evening, he gets into a lot of mischief. - A Splendid Friend Indeed by Bloom :c2005 friendship
A polar bear and a goose learn to get along and be friends. - Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Brett: c1987 fairy tale
This favorite fairy tale features a young girl who enters the home of three bears who are not at home. - Bad Kitty by Bruel: c2005 alphabet book
Finding that there is no food in the house, a kitty chooses to be very bad. - Mister Seahorse by Carle: c2004 animals, fiction
Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs, after which Mr. Seahorse carries the eggs through the sea, greeting other fish fathers. - Dooby, Dooby, Moo by Cronin: c2004animal humor
Duck organizes the farm animals for a talent show at the county fair. The first prize is a trampoline. - Diary of a Fly by Cronin: c2005 insect, humor
While keeping a diary, the young fly records how hard it is to be an insect. - The First Day of Winter by Fleming: c2005 counting, rhyming, diversity
In the first ten days of winter a child brings a snowman to life in a style similar to The Twelve Days of Christmas. - Amazing Grace by Hoffman: c1991 ethnic diversity
Grace is told by a fellow classmate that she can’t play Peter Pan in the school play because of her skin color, but she learns she can do anything she tries to do. - Hooway for Wodney Wat by Lester: c1999 fantasy, abilities awareness
Students in Rodney’s class make fun of him, because he can’t pronounce his name properly; but it is his speech problem that helps to punish the class bully. - One Smile by McKinley: c2002 kindness
While walking through the park with her mother, a child smiles at a discouraged stranger and sets off a chain of events that spreads kindness and comes full circle. - Beatrice Doesn't Want To by Numeroff: c2004 realistic fiction, humor
Beatrice Doesn't Like to Read, but a librarian changes her attitude during a story session in this humorous, well illustrated book. - Me I Am by Prelkutsy: c2007 poetry
A book of poem for children celebrating being an individual. - Officer Buckle and Gloria by Rathmann: c1995 safety, fiction
When Officer Buckle delivers safety speeches at a local elementary school, the students don’t listen until his police dog Gloria accompanies him. - Russell the Sheepby Scotton: c2005 animals, fiction
Russell experiments with many different ways to fall asleep. - The Cat in the Hat by Seuss: c1957 classic
On a rainy day, two children are visited by a cat who shows them games and tricks. - A Bad Case of Stripes by Shannon: c1998 individuality, fiction
A girl who is always concerned about what others think of her wakes up one day to discover she is covered with stripes.
LEARN TO READ SERIES
- Hello Reader
- I Can Read Books
- Puffin Easy-to-Read
- Step Into Reading Levels 1-4
MATH IN PICTURE BOOKS
- How Much Is a Million? by Schwartz
- One Potato: A Counting Book of Potato Prints by Pomeroy
- Ten Sly Piranhas: A Counting Story in Reverse, (A Tale of Wickedness - and Worse!) by Wise
- When Sheep Cannot Sleep by Kitamura
CLASSICS TO READ TO A FIRST GRADER
- Leo the Late Bloomer by Kraus
- The Little House by Burton
- Make Way for Duckling by McCloskey
- When Will I Read? by Cohen
CALDECOTT AWARD AND HONOR BOOKS
- Alphabet City by Johnson
- Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Musgrove
- The Hello, Goodbye Window by Juster and Raschka
- Owen by Henkes
- The Polar Express by Allsburg
- A Story, A Story by Haley
Summer Reading: Before Entering Second Grade
FUN BOOKS TO SHARE
- Crickwing by Cannon c2000 insects, fiction
Crickwing the cockroach saves the day for the leaf-cutter ants when their forest enemies attack them. - Below by Crews: c2006 fiction
When Jack drops his action figure into a mysterious hole, he has to devise a rescue. - Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen by Ernst: c2005 fantasy animals, humor
Although Sylvia Jean owns plenty of costumes, she struggles to come up with a costume for the big party. - You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Hoberman: c2001 rhyming stories
This collection of short, rhythmic stories and cheerful art is designed to be read out loud by both child and adult. - Dear Mr. Blueberry by James: c1991 letter writing
A teacher and his young student correspond with each other concerning an imaginary whale in the little girl’s pond. - Frog and Toad by Lobel: stories classics
Each of the frog and toad stories include several short tales about two very good friends. - Little Critter by Mayer: stories fantasy, animals
Little Critter is a small creature who is amazingly like a young human boy. His adventures take place with different members of his family who expose him to daily life experiences. - Flossie and the Fox by McKissack: c1986 folklore, ethnic diversity
In this African American folk tale, a fox who is known for stealing eggs encounters a young girl who continues to deny that he is a fox without a lot of proof. - The Honest-to-Goodness Truth by McKissack: c2000 character, ethnic diversity
A young girl promises not to ever lie but then discovers that there are times that one actually should not tell the entire truth. - Once Upon an Ordinary School Day by McNaughton: c2004 school story
Mr. Gee, the new teacher, changes "ordinary" when he challenges all the children to use their imaginations. - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Numeroff: and sequels c1985 cumulative tales
When a mouse requests a cookie, a cycle of events occurs that brings the reader full circle. - Dory Story by Pallotta: c2000 sea story, fiction
Danny's ocean adventures are completely enchanting, even if they take place in the bathtub. - Amelia Bedelia by Parish: stories classics, fiction
Amelia Bedelia, who is a housekeeper, is very literal minded when others give her directions; the results are hilarious. - Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Pearson: c2002 kindness, fiction
When young Mary secretly leaves berries on a lady’s porch, the kindness is multiplied many times over by others. - Don't Forget Winona by Peterson: c2004 historical fiction
In the 1930s during the days of the dust bowl in Oklahoma and the Great Depression, a young girl tells about her family’s experiences on Route 66 heading toward California. - Aunt Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair by Polacco: c1996 TV, reading, fiction
Since the invasion of television, no one can remember how to read. - Henry and Mudge by Rylant: stories family, dogs, humor
A young boy named Henry and his dog Mudge share many adventures with Henry’s parents and other important people in his life. - Skippyjon Jones by Schachner: c2003 humor
This Siamese kitten spends his "time-out" imagining himself as "El-Skippito" who comes to the rescue of some Chihuahuas. - And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon by Stevens: c2001 nursery rhymes
From the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, Dish and Spoon run away. Concerned about the fate of the rhyme, Cat, Cow and Dog set out to find them. - The House On East by Waber: 88th Street c1962 crocodiles, classic
When Lyle the Crocodile appears in the bathtub of the Primm family, the family is very upset; but Lyle soon wins their hearts. - The Other Side by Woodson: c2001 friendship, ethnic diversity
A fence divides a town where two girls - one white and one black - sit and gradually become acquainted.
BOOKS ABOUT FRIENDS
- A Bargain for Frances by Hoban
- The Beast in Ms. Rooney's Room by Giff
- Fox on the Job by Marshall
- Frog and Toad Together by Lobel
- Horrible Harry and the Green Slime by Kline
- Pinky and Rex by Howe
HISTORICAL FICTION
- American Girls Series
- Deputy Dan and the Bank Robbers by Rosenbloom
- Kamishibai Man by Say
LEARNING TO READ STORIES
- Berenstain Bears series by Berenstain
- Cam Jensen series by Adler
- Hello Reader!
- I Can Read Books
- Junie B. Jones series by Park
- Puffin Easy-to-Read
- Step Into Reading Levels 1-4
- The Stories Julian Tells by Cameron
CALDECOTT AWARDS AND HONOR BOOKS
- The Funny Little Woman by Mosel
- Many Moons by Thurber
- The Ox-Cart Man by Hall
- The Story of Jumping Mouse by Steptoe
- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by Steig
- When I Was Young in the Mountains by Rylant
This page was last updated on March 10, 2020