Books for Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- I Am Sharing
- by Mercer Mayer
Random 1995 (24p)
Little Critter shares some of his
favorite things with his little sister.
- What I Like
- by Laurence and Catherine Anholt
Putnam 1991 (32p)
Six active children share their likes
and dislikes.
- Tree House Fun
- by Rose Greydanus
Troll 1980 (32p); also paper
A boy shares his tree house with some
animal friends.
- Monster and the Baby
- by Virginia Mueller
Whitman 1985 (24p)
Puffin 1988 paper
Monster tries to quiet his baby sister's
crying by giving her colored blocks.
EASY
- Pass the Fritters, Critters
- by Cheryl Chapman
Four Winds 1993 (32p)
A boy learns polite table manners from
his animals friends.
- We Can Share It!
- by Sarah Tatler
Harper 1995 (16p)
Animal friends share many things
together.
- The Wheels on the Bus
- by Raffi
(Music)
Crown 1990 (32p); also paper
All kinds of people share a noisy,
bouncy, busy ride across town in this
song.
- It's My Birthday
- by Helen Oxenbury
Candlewick 1994 (24p)
After animals help a child gather
ingredients for a cake, they all share in
the delicious celebration.
- Mushroom in the Rain
- by Mirra Ginsburg
Macmillan 1988 (32p); Aladdin 1990
paper
An ant escaping the rain shares his
mushroom shelter with other animals.
- One Light, One Sun
- by Raffi
(Multicultural)
Crown 1988 (32p); also paper
Three different families in the same
neighborhood share much in common.
- My Brown Bear Barney
- by Dorothy Butler
Greenwillow 1989 (24p)
A young girl takes her teddy bear
everywhere she goes.
- Frog, Duck, and Rabbit
- by Susanna Gretz
Four Winds 1992 (32p)
Three friends discover the need to
cooperate as they make a costume
for a parade.
- Busy Monday Morning
- by Janina Domanska
(Music)
Greenwillow 1985 (32p)
A young boy and his father work in the
fields together each day in this Polish
folk song.
AVERAGE
- It's Mine
- by Leo Lionni
Knopf 1986 (32p)
Three quarrelsome frogs learn about
cooperation and sharing.
- Where's My Share?
- by Valerie Greeley
Macmillan 1990 (32p)
Mouse's question is the catalyst for
the story of how wheat becomes bread.
- Frog and Toad Together
- by Arnold Lobel
Harper 1972 (64p); also paper
Friends Frog and Toad share some
extraordinary adventures.
Available in Spanish asSapo y Sepo
inseparables.
- A Winter Walk
- by Lynne Barash
Ticknor 1993 (32p)
During a winter walk, close
observation reveals surprising
discoveries for a girl and her mother.
- Helping Out
- by George Ancona
(Multicultural)
Clarion 1991 (48p); also paper
Black-and-white photographs show
children helping adults perform
different types of jobs.
- Floppy Teddy Bear
- by Patricia Lillie
Greenwillow 1995 (32p)
A big sister's favorite bear is also the
toy her little sister wants the most.
- Daisy's Garden
- by Mordicai Gerstein and Susan Yard
Harris
Hyperion 1995 (32p)
Daisy and her animal friends plant,
tend, and harvest a garden, and then
share a picnic together.
- Potluck
- by Anne Shelby
(Multicultural)
Orchard 1991 (32p); also paper
After bringing dishes from around the
world in alphabetic order to a potluck
dinner, friends share in the feast.
CHALLENGING
- The Wolf's Chicken Stew
- by Keiko Kasza
Putnam 1987 (32p); also paper
A grateful chicken family's
misinterpretation of a wolf's generosity
leads him to have a change of heart.
- The Little Red Hen
- by Margot Zemach
Farrar 1983 (32p); also paper
A hen teaches her friends an important
lesson about helping others.
Available in Spanish asLa gallinita
roja.
- Three Bags Full
- by Ragnhild Scammel
Orchard 1993 (32p)
Millie the sheep gives up her wool to
help warm her animal friends.
- When I Am Old With You
- by Angela Johnson
(Multicultural)
Orchard 1990 (32p); also paper
A young boy imagines being old with
his grandaddy and all the special times
they'd share.
- Dad and Me in the Morning
- by Patricia Lakin
Whitman 1994 (32p)
A hearing-impaired boy and his dad
share an early morning beach walk to
see the sun rise.
- Grandma's Garden
- by Elaine Moore
Lothrop 1994 (32p)
Kim shares with her grandma
springtime joys that include planting a
garden and flying a kite.
- I'll Always Love You
- by Hans Wilhelm
Crown 1988 (32p); also paper
After his dog dies, a little boy
affectionately remembers how they
shared many experiences together.
Available in Spanish asYo siempre
te querré.
BOOKS FOR TEACHERS TO READ ALOUD
- What Mary Jo Shared
- by Janice May Udry
(Multicultural)
Whitman 1966 (32p); Scholastic 1991
paper
A shy first-grader brings her dad to
school for show and tell.
- How Iwariwa the Cayman Learned to Share
- by George Crespo
(Multicultural)
Clarion 1995 (32p)
Iwariwa the Cayman learns to share
with the other animals in this
Yanomami myth.
- Zinnia and Dot
- by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Viking 1992 (32p); Puffin 1995 paper
Two feuding hens agree to share the
hatching of one egg that remains after a
weasel attack.
- Papa Tells Chita a Story
- by Elizabeth Fitzgerald
(Multicultural)
Howard Simon 1995 (32p)
Papa and Chita share a special
storytelling time together.
- It Takes a Village
- by Jane Cowen-Fletcher
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1994 (32p)
Yemi learns that everyone in her
village shares responsibility for
looking after her brother.
BOOKS FOR SHARED READING
- Lizard's Song
- by George Shannon
(Music)
Greenwillow 1981 (32p); Mulberry
paper
Lizard shares his special song with
Bear, but Bear can't seem to remember
it. Available in Spanish asLa
canción del lagarto.
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- by Laura Joffe Numeroff
Harper 1985 (32p); Scholastic 1993
paper
When a boy gives a mouse a cookie,
the consequences are funny and
unexpected.
- What Makes Me Happy?
- by Catherine and Laurence Anholt
(Multicultural)
Candlewick 1995 (32p)
Children share what makes them happy,
sad, mad, and glad.
- The Bossy Gallito/El gallo de bodas: A Traditional Cuban Folktale
- by Lucía M. González
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1994 (32p)
A bossy rooster learns to ask nicely for
help. In English and Spanish.
- Is It Time?
- by Marilyn Janovitz
North-South 1994 (32p)
A wolf cub and his father make
bedtime into a playful, shared ritual.