Books for Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- The Bear and the Fly
- by Paula Winter
Crown 1987 (32p)
In this wordless book, an uninvited fly
wreaks havoc during dinner.
- Good Night, Gorilla
- by Peggy Rathmann
Putnam 1994 (32p)
A hilarious line of zoo animals follows
the zookeeper home.
- Do Not Disturb
- by Nancy Tafuri
Greenwillow 1987 (32p)
A noisy family on a camping trip
doesn't notice the animals all around
them.
- Frog, Where Are You?
- by Mercer Mayer
Dial 1969 (32p); also paper
A boy and his dog search for their
friend.
- Pancakes for Breakfast
- by Tomie dePaola
Harcourt 1978 (32p); Voyager paper
After her dog eats her breakfast, an old
woman eats pancakes at her neighbor's
house.
- What Did I Find?
- by Brian Wildsmith and Rebecca
Wildsmith
Harcourt 1993 (16p)
Animals show up in unexpected places
all over the house.
- Up to Ten and Down Again
- by Lisa Campbell Ernst
(Math)
Lothrop 1986 (32p)
One duck watches as two cars pull up
by the pond and picnic pandemonium
begins.
EASY
- Dear Zoo
- by Rod Campbell
Fourwinds 1983 (22p)
A little boy writes to the zoo for a pet.
- Here Comes the Cat!
- by Vladimir Vagin and Frank Asch
Scholastic 1989 (32p) paper
A mouse discovers there is nothing to
fear from a friendly cat. In English
and Russian.
- Alligator Shoes
- by Arthur Dorros
Dutton 1982 (24p); also paper
An alligator has some unexpected fun
in a shoe store.
- Raccoons and Ripe Corn
- by Jim Arnosky
(Science/Health)
Lothrop 1987 (32p); Mulberry paper
A mother raccoon and her hungry kits
make a moonlight raid on a cornfield.
- The Three Bears
- by Byron Barton
Harper 1991 (32p)
In this favorite story, three bears return
home to find an unexpected visitor in
their house.
- Who Is Going?
- by Patricia C. McKissack
Childrens 1986 (32p)
An African monkey runs from all the
animals but one. Available in
Spanish as ¿Quién viene?
- The Cat in the Hat/El gato
ensombrerado
- by Dr. Seuss
Random 1957 (61p)
Chaos ensues when the Cat in the Hat
visits Sally and her brother. In
English and Spanish.
- With Love from Gran
- by Dick Gackenbach
Clarion 1989 (32p) paper
Gran sends her grandson a present from
every place she visits, but her last
present is the best of all.
- Elmer Blunt's Open House
- by Matt Novak
Orchard 1992 (24p)
Animals trail into Elmer's house and
inadvertently scare off burglars.
- Sheep Out to Eat
- by Nancy Shaw
Houghton 1992 (32p)
Hungry sheep cause mayhem when they
dine in a teashop.
- What's Black and White and Came to
Visit?
- by Evan Levine
Orchard 1994 (32p)
When Lucy finds a skunk in her rain
gutter, the whole town helps.
- Sitting in My Box
- by Dee Lillegard
Dutton 1989 (32p); Puffin 1992 paper
As he sits in a cardboard box, a boy is
visited by animals who want to share
his special place.
- Bedtime Mouse
- by Sandol Stoddard
Houghton 1993 (32p) paper
At bedtime, a girl imagines all sorts of
animals in her house.
- Yoo Hoo, Moon!
- by Mary Blocksma
Bantam 1992 (32p) paper
When Bear has trouble sleeping, his
friends show up and sing.
- Mouse in the House
- by Henrietta
Dorling 1991 (32p)
Follow a mouse through the house and
even past a sleeping cat. Available in
Spanish asUn ratón en casa.
- What Do You Do with a Kangaroo?
- by Mercer Mayer
Scholastic 1986 (32p) paper
A girl copes with some unexpected
animal guests.
CHALLENGING
- Big Black Bear
- by Wong Herbert Yee
Houghton 1993 (32p)
A mannerless black bear makes a
terrible mess when he visits a little
girl.
- Somebody and the Three Blairs
- by Marilyn Tolhurst
Orchard 1991 (32p); also paper
In a reversal of roles, a bear visits the
home of three humans.
- The Mitten: A Ukrainian Folktale
- by Jan Brett
Putnam 1989 (32p)
One after another, animals snuggle into
Nick's dropped mitten.
- Mouse in the House
- by Patricia Behr
Holiday 1994 (32p)
Trying to rid her house of a mouse,
Mrs. Teapot discovers it's not such a
bad pet after all.
- One Monday Morning
- by Uri Shulevitz
Macmillan 1967 (32p); Aladdin paper
On a rainy day, a young boy dreams of
a visit from royalty.
- The Gorilla Did It
- by Barbara Shook Hazen
Macmillan 1974 (32p) paper
A boy is kept awake during naptime by
a mischievous gorilla. Available
in Spanish asFue el gorila.
- Nuts to You!
- by Lois Ehlert
(Science/Health)
Harcourt 1993 (32p)
A child watches a rascally squirrel
make its way into her apartment.
- The Pigs' Picnic
- by Keiko Kasza
Putnam 1988 (32p); Sandcastle paper
Miss Pig doesn't recognize Mr. Pig
when he dresses up to impress her.
- There's a Nightmare in My Closet
- by Mercer Mayer
Puffin 1992 (32p) paper
A boy, scared of the imaginary monster
in his closet, learns to conquer his
fear. Available in Spanish as Una
pesadilla en mi armario.
- Engelbert the Elephant
- by Tom Paxton
Morrow 1990 (32p)
A delightful but unexpected guest
enjoys the royal ball.
- Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!
- by David McPhail
Dutton 1993 (32p)
Boisterous pigs cause havoc when they
visit the narrator of this playful poem.
BOOKS FOR TEACHERS TO READ ALOUD
- If Anything Ever Goes Wrong at the
Zoo
- by Mary Jean Hendrick
Harcourt 1993 (32p)
A number of zoo emergencies result in
some unusual houseguests for a girl
and her family.
- Nora's Surprise
- by Satomi Ichikawa
Philomel 1994 (32p)
Nora's tea party with some friendly
geese is disrupted by a sheep from next
door.
- A Guest Is a Guest
- by John Himmelman
Dutton 1991 (32p)
Barnyard animals decide to move into
the house with the family of Farmer
Beanbuckets.
- There's a Dragon in My Sleeping Bag
- by James Howe
Atheneum 1995 (32p)
Alex comes up with his own solution
to the problem of his brother Simon's
imaginary dragon Dexter. Available in
Spanish asHay un dragón en mi
bolsa de dormir.
- The Raggedy Red Squirrel
- by Hope Ryden
(Science/Health)
Lodestar 1992 (48p)
The author observes a noisy red
squirrel who is making a nest in the
backyard birdfeeder.
- Backyard Bear
- by Jim Murphy
(Science/Health)
Scholastic 1993 (32p)
A hungry black bear wanders into a
populated neighborhood.
- When I'm Alone
- by Carol Partridge Ochs
Carolrhoda 1993 (32p) paper
A girl insists that her animal visitors
caused all the mess.
BOOKS FOR SHARED READING
- A Mouse in My House
- by Nancy Van Laan
Knopf 1990 (26p)
A boy imagines all sorts of
mischievous animals in his house.
- Possum Come A-Knocking
- by Nancy Van Laan
Knopf 1990 (32p)
A possum's antics disrupt a family's
evening.
- Skip to My Lou
- by Nadine Bernard Westcott
(Music)
Little 1989 (32p) paper
Left in charge of the farm, a boy
invites the animals into the house
for some fun.
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- by Laura Joffe Numeroff
Harper 1985 (32p); Scholastic 1993
paper
When a boy gives a hungry mouse a
cookie, he sets off a chain of funny
events.