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Graded Booklists

The following books are enthusiastically recommended as good reading for kids. The lists contain new books, which the Ferguson Librarians have especially enjoyed as well as old favorites, which have proven popular over the years with boys and girls of similar ages. We hope you’ll find these lists a good place to start your reading. Remember; ask your librarian for additional suggestions of books to read by these and other favorite authors. HAPPY READING!

BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND KINDERGARTNERS

Picture Books

(All books can be located in the EPIC section unless otherwise noted)

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
What happens when a bear wakes up and finds his lair filled with animals having a party?

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
A seller of hats tries to outsmart some mischievous monkeys.

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Jeremy discovers there are disadvantages to the adventuresome life of a pirate.

Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
In this uniquely designed book, Joseph shows how to make something useful out of nothing.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
A dad and his daughter have an adventure with a favorite stuffed animal.

The Mightiest by Keiko Kasza
Three animal friends find a crown in the woods and must give it to the one who proves to be the mightiest.

Mr. Gumpy’s Motor Car by John Burningham
Everyone wants to go for a ride, but no one wants to help out when the car gets stuck!

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
Daddies take care of the babies in this story of some sea creatures.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming
Mr. McGreely tries to outsmart the rabbits who are snacking in his garden.

My Kindergarten by Rosemary Wells
Emily and her friends go through an entire kindergarten school year.

My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits
A young Korean girl learns to adjust to her new home in America.

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Children learn safety lessons as well as having a lot of fun when a policeman and his dog visit the school

Olivia—and the Missing Toy (series) by Ian Falconer
This favorite pig with a vivid imagination has a mystery to solve.

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
These pigs are all over the page in a new twist on an old tale.

EASY BEGINNING BOOKS
(All books are located in the EBEG area)

Big Brown Bear by David McPhail
How does a bear turn blue?

Biscuit’s Big Friend (series) by Alyssa Capucilli
Biscuit wants to do everything his friend does.

Dan and Dan by Marcia Leonard
A boy and his grandfather have a lot in common.

Drip, Drop by Sarah Weeks
A little mouse can’t sleep because of his leaky roof.

Go, Dog, Go! by P. D. Eastman
Look at those dogs go!

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
A boy captures a fly and enters him in the Amazing Pet Contest.

Sam Finds a Monster by Mary Labatt
Sam, the dog, solves the mystery of the green monster.

Tiny’s Bath by Cari Meister
It’s not easy to give a big dog a bath.

Wings on Things by Marc Brown
What are wings and what do they do?

NON-FICTION

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins
Children can see how their size measures up to real animals. E 591 J

Animals Asleep by Sneed Collard
Interesting facts about animals include their many different ways of sleeping. E 591.519 C

Bugs for Lunch by Margery Facklam
Some animals love eating bugs! E 591.53 F

Gigantic! How Big Were the Dinosaurs? by Patrick O’Brien
Pictures show exactly how big fourteen of these giants were. E 567.9 0

Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber
How many shapes and colors can you learn by looking at leaves? E 575.57 G

The Pot That Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel
Rhyming text describes the work of Mexican potter Juan Quezada and the process he uses. E 738 Q

There’s a Zoo in Room 22 by Judy Sierra
A roomful of animals is better than a class pet. E 821 S

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman
Very short stories are good to read together. E 821 H

FOLK TALES

Anansi and the Magic Stick by Eric Kimmel
The trickster spider makes a mistake when he steals from the housekeeper. E 398.2 K

Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan
A colorful story of African birds who all want a touch of black. E 398.2 B

Juan Bobo Goes to Work: a Puerto Rican Folk Tale by Marisa Montes
Juan Bobo cannot get anything that his mother tells him right. E 398.2 M

Lazy Jack by Vivian French
Poor Jack can do nothing right in this version of an old tale. E 398.2 F

The Monkey and the Crocodile by Paul Galdone
The clever little monkey outwits the hungry crocodile. E 398.2 G

Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Using days of the weeks, numbers and colors, the story shows that things are not always what they seem. E 398.24 Y

Tasty Baby Belly Buttons by Judy Sierra
A favorite Japanese tale shows a feisty little girl taking on the feared Oni monsters. E 398.2 S

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
This classic tale, based on a French story, tells of three soldiers who outwit greedy villagers. E 398.2 B

BOOKS FOR FIRST GRADE

PICTURE BOOKS
(All books can be located in the EPIC section unless otherwise noted)

Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective by David Biedrzycki
Queenie Bee is missing and Ace Lacewing, a mosquito, and his trusty sidekick comb the city for clues.

Annushka's Voyage by Edith Tarbescu
Annushka and Tanya, Russian immigrant girls, journey to America to join their papa.

Bebop Express by H.L. Panahi
This story is a toe-tapping journey that introduces children to the history of jazz.

The Color of Home by Mary Hoffman
Hassan, a Muslim boy, and his family leave their war-torn country in order to find a new place they can call home.

Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson
Missing her mother who takes a job in Chicago during World War II, Ada Ruth finds comfort in a stray kitten. Caldecott Honor Book

Dinner at Aunt Connie's House by Faith Ringgold
While visiting Aunt Connie's for dinner, Melody meets 12 famous African-American women who step out of her aunt's paintings.

Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall
Italian American and Chinese American children clash over Grandfather Chin's beautiful kites, but find out they can share the skies.

How do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen
These dinosaurs teach children good eating habits.

Isabel's House of Butterflies by Tony Johnston
Isabel, a young Mexican girl, comes up with a plan to save her greatest treasure, an oyamel tree where butterflies come to winter.

Jalapeño Bagels by Natasha Wing
Combining his Mexican mother and Jewish father's cultures, Pablo brings jalapeño bagels to school for International Day.

Pig on the Titanic: A True Story by Cary Crew
Maxine, a musical pig, soothes the fears of the children on the sinking Titanic.

Sunday Outing by Gloria Jean Pinkney
Ernestine finally realized her dream by going on a train to visit her family in the South.

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Trisha overcomes a learning problem with the help of Mr. Falker, an understanding teacher.

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra
Librarian Mavis McGraw introduces the zoo animals to the joys of reading.

EASY BEGINNING BOOKS
(All books are located in the EBEG area)

The Case of the Baffled Bear by Cynthia Rylant
Bunny and Jack, animal detectives, decide to look for Bernard Bear's missing whistle.

Crocodile and Hen: A Bakongo Tale by Joan M. Lexau
Clever hen outwits the hungry crocodile in this hilarious folktale.

The Dinosaurs Meet Dr. Clock by Martha Weston
Dr. Clock invents a time machine with unexpected results.

Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas
Three little dragons get help going to sleep from the Good Knight.

Let the Good Times Roll with Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe by A.E. Cannon
Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe, looking for some pirate fun, enjoy wacky adventures.

Mama, Don't Go! by Rosemary Wells
Yoko enjoys school but worries that if her mama leaves her at school she won’t return.

Ms. Turtle the Babysitter by Valeri Gorbachev
Ms. Turtle entertains three lively turtles when their parents go out for the evening.

Nate the Great on the Owl Express by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.
Nate the Great and his dog use all their detective skills to find a missing owl.

The Outside Dog by Charlotte Pomerantz
Marisol’s grandfather does not like dogs until a stray starts hanging around his door.

Pearl and Wagner: Three Secrets by Kate McMullan
Pearl and Wagner, best friends, learn and share secrets.

Pet Stories You Don't Have to Walk by Reading Rainbow Readers
A collection of pet stories and poems in one little book.

Turtle Dreams by Marion Dane Bauer
In preparation for a long winter’s sleep, turtle searches for a few dreams.

NON-FICTION BOOKS

Cats by Seymour Simon
This book discusses cats and their playful, acrobatic and ruthless