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Thursday, October 26, 2017

Beyond "Elephant & Piggie": Beginning Readers

By Miss Audrey, Youth Services Dept. Librarian

For many people, writing things that are short and concise is one of the hardest tasks around. Cramming all of your thoughts, opinions, and details into a teeny tiny word count is difficult. Take, for example, writing reviews for this blog: how can I provide a tantalizing glimpse to tempt a reader without giving the whole book away or without exceeding my space limit? It can be daunting.

Now, imagine you are not only limited by word count, but you are also limited in terms of word difficulty. Imagine trying to get a full-length story with characters and plot into a short book, one paragraph (or even one sentence!) per page, using only very simple words that children learning how to read can manage. Imagine, basically, trying to write what we call a “Beginning Reader.”

It’s hard. Very hard. Which is why I’ve decided to give a few recently published series a shout-out today. Read on and marvel.



Andy and Sandy series by Tomie DePaola
Ages: 4 – 8

Don’t let the incredibly small word count and simple sentences fool you; these stories pack a lot of bang for the buck. Their plotlines will resonate with very beginning readers and help dispel the myth that learning to read must be boring. Andy and Sandy are friends who meet on a playground in the first book, and subsequent volumes include acting in a play, dressing up, snowmen, and more. Proof that sometimes wonderful things come in pared-down packages.


Ballet Cat series by Bob Shea
Ages: 4 – 8

One of the more eye-catching series on the market, some kids will be attracted to these books by the color scheme alone.  Bright pink, yellow, orange, and other cheerful colors accompany a perky, ballet-loving cat and her friends as they discuss secrets, trying new things, and the biggest question of all: who is Grandma’s favorite? Told entirely in dialogue word bubbles, these snappy, funny little stories zing along with gusto and will greatly appeal to most beginning readers.


Charlie & Mouse series by Laurel Snyder
Ages: 4 – 8

Charlie and Mouse are a winsome pair of brothers, and these books (two so far) trace their imaginative daily adventures with simple yet funny word play and visual details. Each book has just a few easy chapters. Each chapter is its own semi-separate story, so it’s easy to put down and pick back up for your beginning reader-on-the-go. A great choice for families looking for something with a similar flavor to the Frog and Toad series, except maybe a bit easier. Truly charming.


Duck, Duck, Porcupine series by Salina Yoon
Ages: 5 – 7 

Little Duck may not speak yet, but he has a better grasp on reality (and irony) than his sister, Big Duck, and their friend Porcupine. He plays the “straight man” to their antics, frequently inviting readers in on the joke by looking directly at them. And jokes there are a-plenty. Kids will be kept giggling as they eagerly flip the comic-book style pages to see what happens next. An excellent, funny choice for any beginning reader.


Otter series by Sam Garton
Ages: 4 – 8 

The titular character first starred in a few adorable picture books but has since made her debut in this equally delightful series for beginning readers. Each book follows Otter and her stuffed-animal friends in their daily play, watched over by the Otter Keeper (a.k.a., the parent analogue). Otter is something of an unreliable narrator, so kids will have to read the pictures as well as the words to truly understand the story. The result is often side-achingly funny and totally relatable to the average high-energy child. Also an excellent choice for reading aloud, this series should have a spot on every kid’s bookshelf.


Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series by various authors
Ages: 4 – 8 

Much to the regret of young readers everywhere, Mo Willems is no longer writing his acclaimed Elephant and Piggie beginning readers. He hasn’t completely abandoned his beloved characters, however. They feature in cameos in one of his newer writing projects: the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series. Each of these books is written and illustrated by a different big-name talent (Dan Santat, Bryan Collier, and others) and have introductions by Mo Willems' Gerald the Elephant and Piggie.  Even without the introductions, these stories are funny, bright, and highly appealing to the targeted age. They’re a  good choice for any kid who’s learning to read.


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