Books for Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- Exactly the Opposite
- by Tana Hoban
Greenwillow 1990 (32p)
Stunning photos explore the concept of
opposites.
- What Do You Like?
- by Michael Grejniec
North-South 1992 (32p)
A boy and a girl take turns telling what
they like. Available in Spanish as
¿Qué te gusta?
- Count!
- by Denise Fleming
(Math)
Holt 1992 (32p)
Bouncing, jumping, wiggling animals invite
the reader to count.
- School
- by Emily Arnold McCully
Harper 1987 (32p); also paper
In this wordless story, a little mouse
follows his brothers and sisters to school.
- Sense Suspense: A Guessing Game
for the Five Senses
- by Bruce McMillan
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1994 (32p)
On a lush Caribbean island, children are
challenged by intriguing visual puzzles.
- Twenty-Six Letters and Ninety-Nine
Cents
- by Tana Hoban
(Math)
Greenwillow 1987 (32p)
Brilliant colors, shapes, and objects
present the alphabet, numbers, and coins.
EASY
- Afro-Bets 123 Book
- by Cheryl Willis Hudson
(Multicultural)
Just Us Books 1987 (32p) paper
Children's knowledge of the numbers 1
through 10 is reinforced with simple words
and pictures.
- A You're Adorable
- by Buddy Kaye, Sidney Lippman, and Fred
Wise
(Music)
Candlewick 1994 (32p)
A lively group of children romp their way
through this alphabet song.
- Monster Goes to School
- by Virginia Mueller
Whitman 1991 (24p)
When Monster goes to school, he has a
surprising day.
- I Am
- by Rita Milios
(Multicultural)
Childrens 1987 (32p) paper
Children playing together describe
themselves in terms of opposites and
similarities. Available in Spanish as
Yo soy.
- Museum Colors
- by Gisela Voss
(Art)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 1993 (24p)
Images from the museum's collections
present a delightful exploration of colors.
- School Bus
- by Donald Crews
Greenwillow 1984 (32p); Mulberry 1987
paper
A yellow bus takes children across town to
school and home again.
- Soccer Game
- by Grace Maccarone
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1994 (32p) paper
Two teams run and play hard together
on the soccer field.
- Tails Toes Eyes Ears Nose
- by Marilee Robin Burton
(Science)
Harper 1988 (32p); also paper
Readers use parts of the body as clues in a
guessing game.
- How Many How Many How Many
- by Cynthia Jabar
(Math)
Candlewick 1994 (32p)
As children count from 1 to 12, they learn
the names of the seasons, the colors of the
rainbow, and more.
AVERAGE
- Two Eyes, a Nose, and a Mouth
- by Roberta Grobel Intrater
(Multicultural)
Cartwheel 1995 (32p)
Photographs of people of all races
illustrate their similarities and differences.
- What Can It Be? Riddles About the
Senses
- by Jacqueline A. Ball
Silver 1989 (32p)
Riddles and rhymes introduce children to
facts about the senses.
- School Days
- by B.G. Hennessy
(Multicultural)
Viking 1990 (32p); also paper
Many aspects of a school day are presented
in this rhyming text.
- All About You
- by Catherine and Laurence Anholt
Viking 1992 (32p)
Simple questions and jaunty illustrations
invite children to think about who they
are.
- Feeling Things
- by Allan Fowler
(Multicultural)
Childrens 1991 (32p)
This book descripes how our sense of touch
helps us understand our surroundings.
Available in Spanish asLo que
sientes al tocar.
- Harry Gets Ready for School
- by Harriet Ziefert
Viking 1991 (32p); also paper
Harry's preparations for his first day of
school include visiting the dentist and
shopping for school supplies.
- I Need a Lunch Box
- by Jeannette Caines
(Multicultural)
Harper 1988 (32p); also paper
A boy longs for his own lunch box,
although it's his sister who's starting
school.
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- by Sara Josepha Hale
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1990 (32p); also paper
The classic verse is retold here,
reinvigorated by color photos taken at a
New England school.
CHALLENGING
- My New School
- by Harriet Hains
Dorling 1992 (21p)
Children share the excitement and
challenge of school experiences.
- Counting Jenny
- by Helena Clare Pittman
Carolrhoda 1994 (48p)
On the way to school, Jenny keeps a
running count of everything and everybody.
- Oliver Pig at School
- by Jean Van Leeuwen
Dial 1990 (48p); Puffin 1994 paper
Five stories portray a young pig adjusting
to school.
- This Is the Way We Go to School
- by Edith Baer
Scholastic 1990 (32p); also paper
Children around the world use all manner
of transportation to get to school.
Available in Spanish asAsí vamos
a la escuela.
- I Can Tell by Touching
- by Carolyn Otto
Harper 1994 (32p); also paper
Readers discover how the sense of touch
helps to identify everyday objects and
familiar surroundings.
- Zack's Alligator Goes to School
- by Shirley Mozelle
Harper 1994 (64p)
When Zack takes his alligator key chain to
school for show-and-tell, it grows to the
size of a real alligator and creates chaos.
- Timothy Goes to School
- by Rosemary Wells
Dial 1981 (32p)
A know-it-all classmate dulls Timothy's
enthusiasm for starting school until he
meets a friend.
Available in Spanish asTimoteo va
a la escuela.
BOOKS FOR TEACHERS TO READ ALOUD
- Busy Bea
- by Nancy Poydar
McElderry 1994 (32p)
Bea is always forgetting her belongings at
school, but she knows just where to find
things for her grandmother.
- Chrysanthemum
- by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow 1991 (32p)
Though she loves her beautiful name,
Chrysanthemum is miserable at school
until she meets a special teacher.
Available in Spanish as
Crisantemo.
- Harry and Willy and Carrothead
- by Judith Caseley
Greenwillow 1991 (24p)
Three boys gradually become friends in
their first grade classroom.
- Rise and Shine, Mariko-Chan!
- by Chiyoko Tomioka
Scholastic 1992 (32p) paper
The youngest in the family prepares for her
day at school.
- Show-and-Tell
- by Barney Saltzberg
Hyperion 1994 (32p)
Phoebe finally brings her own collection
to school instead of her parents' well-intentioned offerings.
- What Will Mommy Do When I'm at
School?
- by Dolores Johnson
(Multicultural)
Macmillan 1990 (32p)
A young girl shares her concerns about her
mom when the school year begins.
BOOKS FOR SHARED READING
- Clap Your Hands
- by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Putnam 1992 (32p)
Children and their animal friends spin,
roar, reach, and giggle in a playful
exploration of body movement.
- Dinosaur Roar!
- by Paul and Henrietta Strickland
Dutton 1994 (32p)
Pairs of hungry dinosaurs illustrate the
concept of opposites.
- Here Are My Hands
- by Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault
Holt 1987 (32p); also paper
Lively children tell about different parts of
their bodies.
- One by One: Garth Pig's Rain Song
- by Mary Rayner
Dutton 1994 (24p)
On an adventurous trek up the hill to
home, ten piglets just barely escape a
storm.
- There's a Cow in the Road
- by Reeve Lindbergh
Dial 1993 (32p)
A girl has an unusual assortment of
companions while waiting for the school
bus.