Beginning Reader Books That Are Surprisingly Great
These parent-recommended beginning reader books are easy enough for new readers, and fun enough to inspire them to keep reading. Add your kids' favorites below to help us grow the list!
Written to help kids develop their newly-acquired reading skills, first reader books make a nice supplement to any learn to read book program. Once your young reader is ready for chapter books, check out our lists of kids books to read in 1st and 2nd grade, too.
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The Big Orange Book of Beginner Books
Hannah Scott: This collection of six beloved Dr. Seuss books for beginning readers features silly stories, imaginary creatures, and plenty of opportunities to laugh while practicing emerging reading skills. Kids will love sounding out the made-up words as well as the familiar ones.
Frog and Toad Are Friends
Vanessa M.: I'm always thrilled when a childhood favorite of mine is well received with my own kids, and Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel is a book my kids enjoy just as much as I did! Frog and Toad are best friends, and this collection of stories centers around their friendship, illustrating all the ways friends are there for each other. Whether they are looking for lost buttons, greeting the spring, or waiting for the mail, Frog and Toad exemplify the joy of friends simply being together. Makes a great read-aloud book, and also perfect for emerging readers.
A Pig, a Fox, and Stinky Socks
Age K+
Erynn: You might expect beginning reader books to be dull, but Jonathan Fenske adds plenty of laughs in his books about Pig and Fox. The setup is perfect and the humor is more subtle - kids have to pay attention to the images to see exactly what's so hilarious.
Primary photo: Josh Applegate on Unsplash
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