• Book Choice Ideas  

     

    Levels A-C:

    These books are written in short sentences with repeating sentence patterns. They are written to use sight words and develop simple letter to sound relationships. The pictures are very important for reading these stories. 
     
    All Fall Down by Brian Wildsmith
    Benny’s Had Enough by Barbro Lindgren (Many other titles by Barbro Lindgren about Benny!)
    Brand New Readers by Candlewick Press Publishers
    Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin
    A Boy, a Dog, a Frog, and a Friend by Mercer Mayer
    Cat on the Mat by Brian Wildsmith
    Colors and Things by Tana Hoban
    Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Eric Carle
    Growing Colors by Bruce McMillan
    Have You Seen My Cat? By Eric Carle
    Have You Seen My Duckling? By Nancy Tafuri

    I Went Walking by Sue Williams

    Joshua James Likes Trucks by Catherine A. Petrie

    Look What I Can Do by Jose Aruego

    Monday, Monday, I Like Monday by Bill Martin

    My Book by Ron Maris

    Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomi dePaola

    A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

    Sam’s Ball by Barbro Lindgren  (Many other titles by Barbro Lindgren about Sam!)

    Sam’s Cookie by Barbro Lindgren

    Sam’s Teddy Bear by Barbro Lindgren

    Sam’s Wagon by Barbro Lindgren

    Things I Like by Anothny Browne

    Toot, Toot by Brian Wildsmith

    Yo! Yes? By Christopher Raschka

     

    Levels D-E:

    The stories in these levels are about familiar, easy concepts with a simple sequencing of events. The sentences start to become longer with some phrases. Many sight words are used as well as words with endings such as –ed and –ing. The print and spacing become smaller. Many types of punctuation are also used.
     
     
    All By Myself by Mercer Mayer

    The Chick and the Duckling by Mirra Ginsburg

    Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

    Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

    Get Lost Becka! by Shirley Simon

    It Looked like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw

    Herman the Helper by Robert Kraus

    Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan & Jan Bernstein

    Puppy Sam series by Mary Labatt

    Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

    Sam’s Cookie (series) by Barbo Lindgren

    Tiny the Snow Dog (series) by Cari Meister

    Where’s Spot by Eric Hill

     

     

    Levels F-G:

    The stories in these levels have a clear beginning, middle and end. The content is familiar and the experiences extend beyond the home. There are some new formats being used (letters, questions/answers). The sentences become longer with clauses, phrases and adjectives. Readers will need to use their decoding strategies to read multisyllabic words.

    Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

    The Carrot Seed by Krauss

    Cookie’s Week by Cindy Ward, Tomie dePaola

    Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

    Don’t You Feel Well, Sam? By Amy Hest (series)

    Hooray for Snail by John Stadler

    Itch, Itchy Chicken Pox by Grace Maccarone

    Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch

    A New House for Mole and Mouse by Harriet Ziefart

    Nicky Upstairs and Down by Harriet Ziefart

    Pup and Hound series by Susan Hood

    Puppy Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

    Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

    Titch by Pat Hutchins

    Zoo Looking by Mem Fox

     

    Levels H-I

    The stories at these levels have episodes which are elaborated and are less repetitive and often occur over time. Many compound sentences are used and there is an introduction of subject specific vocabulary. There is a wider range of sight words and the spelling patterns become more complex. This is the area when easy, illustrated chapter books begin.
      
    Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff

    A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni

    Father Bear Comes Home by Pat Minarik

    Good Night Owl! By Hutchins

    Happy Birthday, Sam by Hutchins

    A Kiss for Little Bear by Minarik

    Sammy the Seal by Syd Hoff

    Tidy Titch by Pat Hutchins

    There’s a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer

    We Are Best Friends by Aliki

    Where Are you Going Little Mouse? By R. Kraus

    Whose Mouse Are You? By R. Kraus

    You’ll Soon Grow Into Them, Titch by Pat Hutchins

     

     

    Levels J – K (colors purple and fluorescent red)

    These stories are typically beginning chapter books with short chapters with episodes occurring over time. Some figurative language (simile, metaphor) is introduced. The setting becomes important to understand the plot of the story. Picture support is decreased; there are more pages of print without pictures. Words with multiple syllables provide a challenge for decoding.


    Andy Shane by Abby Carter

    Commander Toad by Jane Yolen

    Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

    Iris and Walter by Elissa Haden Guest

    Jimmy’s Boa by Trinka Hakes Noble

    Meet M & M by Pat Ross

    Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant

    Minnie & Moo by Denys Cazet

    Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

    Young Cam Jansen by David Adler

    Olivia Sharp Series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

    Stone Arch Graphic Novel Books by Scott Nickel

     

     

     

     Levels L –M (colors fluorescent yellow and red)

    These stories include character series and chapter books with fewer illustrations and more sophisticated language structure. The longer stories and chapters are more involved and take place over longer periods of time. The vocabulary is detailed and descriptive and the plots become more complex. Punctuation becomes varied (i.e. italics, ellipses)

    Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

    Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey

    Cam Jansen by David Adler

    Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline

    Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

    Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

    The Kids of the Polk Street School by Patricia Reilly Giff

    The Littles by John Peterson

    Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

    Marvin Redpost by Louis Sachar

    Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

    Matt Christopher Series by Matt Christopher

    My Weird School by Dan Gutman

    New Kids at the Polk Street School by Patricia Reilly Giff

    Ivy & Bean Series by Annie Barrows

    Katie Kazoo Series by Nancy Krulik

    Jake Drake Series by Andrew Clements

    The Puppy Place Series by Ellen Miles

    History Bio Makers Series by various authors

    The Zack Files series by Dan Greenburg

     

     

     

     

    Levels N- O (colors green and blue)

    These stories become more complex and are about more sophisticated themes. The longer chapters present a variety of problems that go beyond personal experiences. The themes require interpretation. There is use of literary devices such as irony and suspense. The vocabulary continues to expand and increases in difficulty.

     

    A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

    All Star Sport Stories by Fred Bowen

    Amber Brown series by Paula Danziger

    Box Car Children by Gertrude Warner

    Chocolate Fever by Kimmel-Smith

    Dragon Slayer Academy by Kate McMullin

    Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown

    Gooney Gird Greene (series) by Lois Lowry

    Julian/Huey stories (series) by Ann Cameron

    Mallory Series by Laurie Friedman

    Meg Mackintosh (series) by Lucinda Landon

    Pony Pals by Jeanne Betancourt

    Stink! (series) by Megan McDonald

    Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Series by Carolyn Keene

    Capital Mysteries series by Ron Roy

    Who Was?  Series by various authors

    Ramona Series by Beverly Cleary

    Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker

     

     

     

    Levels P-Q-R (colors orange, yellow and white)

    These longer stories require the reader to sustain interest and meaning over time. They contain complex themes and are written using sophisticated vocabulary which is not clearly defined for the reader.  The sentence structures become longer and more complex. The topics go beyond personal experiences and require the reader to take on perspectives

     

    Abby Hayes (series) by Anne Mazor

    Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowery

    Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

    Clarice Bean series by Lauren Child

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney

    Dragon Slayer Academy (series) by Kate McMullen

    Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

    Frindle by Andrew Clements

    Fudge series by Judy Blume

    Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo Stilton

    Help, I’m Trapped (series) by Clifford

    James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

    Jake Maddox series (sports)

    Joshua T. Bates series by Susan Shreve

    The Library Card by Jerry Spinelli

    Skinnybones by Parks

    Spiderwick Chronicles

    Stuart Little by E.B. White

    Time Warp Trio by Scieszka

    Wayside School (series) by Louis Sachar

    Hank Zipzer Series by Henry Winkler

    Franny K. Stein series by Jim Benton

    Magic School Bus Chapter Book Series by Rebecca Carmi
Last Modified on November 10, 2019