Summer 2009 Reading List for Grade 1

 

PICTURE BOOKS AND “I CAN READS”

 

Agee, Jon.  Milo’s Hat Trick.

When Milo the Magician is in desperate need of a new trick to pull out of his hat, he encounters a bear who helps him out.

 

Becker, Bonny.  A Visitor for Bear.

Bear's efforts to keep out visitors to his house are undermined by a very persistent mouse.

 

Brett, Jan.  Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Lost in the woods, a tired and hungry girl finds the house of the three bears where she helps herself to food and goes to sleep.

 

Brett, Jan.  The Gingerbread Baby.

A young boy and his mother bake a gingerbread baby that escapes from their oven and leads a crowd on a chase similar to the one in the familiar tale about a not-so-clever gingerbread man.

 

Byars, Betsy.  My Brother, Ant.

In four separate stories, Ant's older brother gets rid of the monster under Ant's bed, forgives Ant for drawing on his homework, tries to read a story, and helps Ant write a letter to Santa.

 

Cazet, Denys.  Minnie and Moo and the Potato from Planet X.

Minnie and Moo come to the aid of a visitor from outer space.

 

Chen, Chih-Yuan.  Guji Guji.

Guji Guji, a crocodile hatched and raised by a mother duck, must come up with a plan to save his family when a trio of bad crocodiles try to convince him to serve up his relatives for their dinner.

 

Christian, Mary Blount.  Penrod’s Pants.

Despite Penrod Porcupine's sometimes exasperating behavior, he and Griswold Bear remain good friends.

 

Cole, Joanna.  Bony-Legs.

When a terrible witch vows to eat her for supper, a little girl escapes with the help of a mirror and comb given to her by the witch's cat and dog.

 

Cowell, Cressida.  That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown.

When naughty Queen Gloriana has her royal commandos kidnap Emily Brown’s much-adored stuffed animal, the spunky heroine storms the castle, recues her playmate, and teaches the spoiled monarch a thing or two about how to love a toy.

 

Cronin, Doreen.  Click, Clack, Moo:  Cows That Type.

When Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter in the barn they start making demands, and go on strike when the farmer refuses to give them what they want.

 

deGroat, Diane.  Brand-New Pencils, Brand-New Books.

Gilbert's excitement over starting first grade turns to worry that the teacher will be mean, the work too hard, and his classmates too unfriendly, but throughout the day there are pleasant surprises.

 

DiCamillo, Kate.  Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride.

Mr. Watson’s pig, “the porcine wonder,” finally gets behind the wheel of a 1959 pink convertible.  Van Dusen’s gouache illustrations add a retro appearance to DiCamillo’s superb, dialogue-filled, 14-chapter story.  Geisel Honor Book.

 

Dunrea, Olivier.  Ollie.

Ollie is an egg that does not want to hatch until Gossie and Gertie sit on him and use reverse psychology.  Also try Gossie, Gossie and Gertie, and Ollie the Stomper.

 

Grey, Mini.  Traction Man Is Here!

Traction Man, a boy's courageous action figure, has a variety of adventures with Scrubbing Brush and other objects in the house.

                             

Henkes, Kevin.   Wemberly Worried.

A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

 

Hillert, Margaret.  The Cookie House and other easy to read books by Margaret Hillert.

This is the story of Hansel and Gretel.  It was written for the newest of readers (less than 50 different words in the entire book).

 

Howard, Arthur.  Hoodwinked.

A young witch searches for a creepy pet.

 

Kessler, Leonard.  Old Turtle’s Soccer Team.

Under Old Turtle's guidance, the animals learn how to play soccer and the meaning of good sportsmanship.

 

Kvasnosky, Laura McGee.  Zelda and Ivy.

In three brief stories, Ivy, the younger of two fox sisters, goes along with her older sister's schemes, even when they seem a bit daring.

 

LeSeig, Theo.  Wacky Wednesday.  

Drawings and verse point out the many things that are wrong one wacky Wednesday.

 

McMullan, Kate.  I Stink!

A guzzling garbage truck with plenty of personality converses with readers as he makes his nightly rounds.  Bold, bright illustrations and onomatopoetic text combine to create one of the most endearing machines since Mike Mulligan’s steam shovel.

 

Numeroff, Laura Joffee.  If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Relating the cycle of requests a mouse is likely to make after you give him a cookie takes the reader through a young child's day.

 

Pinkney, Jerry.  Little Red Riding Hood.

In this inspired rendering of the classic Grimm Brothers folktale, five-time Caldecott Honor-winning artist Jerry Pinkney introduces two favorite childrens characters to a new generation: the sly, scary wolf and the sweet little girl in her famous red hood.

 

Rohmann, Eric.  My Friend Rabbit. 

Caldecott Winner 2003.  Something always seems to go wrong when Rabbit is around, but Mouse lets him play with his toy plane anyway because he is his good friend.

 

Rylant, Cynthia.  Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas.

In four simple, joyful chapters, Henry and his sweet-natured dog experience a memorable visit with Great-grandpa Bill and his buddies at the “grandpa house.”  The 2006 Geisel Medal Book.

 

Rylant, Cynthia.  Poppleton Everyday.

Poppleton the pig goes stargazing, tries out a new bed before he buys it, and goes sailing for the first time.

 

Shannon, George.  Tomorrow’s Alphabet.

Each letter of the alphabet is illustrated with what it might become in the future, such as A is for seed, tomorrow's apple.

 

Shaw, Nancy.  Sheep on a Ship and other “Sheep” books.

Sheep on a deep-sea voyage run into trouble when it storms and are glad to come paddling into port.

 

Thomas, Shelley Moore.  Good Night, Good Knight and Get Well, Good Knight.

In the first book, a “Good Knight” helps three little dragons who are having trouble getting to sleep.  In the second book, the “Good Knight” returns to care for the dragons while they are sick.  Both volumes have repeated phrases and words that mimic the action (“chat-chat-chattering”).  These easy readers are also excellent choices for reading aloud.

 

Van Leeuwen, Jean.  Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day and other books about Oliver and Amanda pig.

It’s too darn hot.  Hot as a fried egg, hot as toast, hot as oatmeal.  In four simple, linked tales, Amanda Pig tries an assortment of kid-friendly strategies to cool off.  A 2006 Geisel Honor Book.

 

Van Leeuwen, Jean.  Amanda Pig and Her Best Friend Lollipop.

Amanda Pig and her friend Lollipop share fun times at each other's houses, and experience their very first sleepover party.

 

Weisner, David.  Flotsam.

Fans will appreciate another captivating, wordless story by David Wiesner as his watercolors tell the fantastic tale of a young boy who discovers an old camera washed ashore.  After developing the film, he examines the photographs and is amazed to discover a picture within a picture within a picture within a picture going back into time to reveal the young boy who was the original subject of the photograph.  2007 Caldecott Medal Winner.

 

Wells, Rosemary.  Ruby’s Beauty Shop. 

Louise and Ruby use Louise’s “Deluxe Beauty Kit” to give Max a make-over, but when Grandma calls to schedule her own make-over, she makes an appointment with Max.

 

Willems, Mo.  Are You Ready to Play Outside? and other Piggie & Elephant books by Mo Willems.

Piggie can't wait to go out and play in the sunshine. But will a rainy day ruin all the fun?

 

NONFICTION

 

Branley, Franklyn M. Earthquakes.

Discusses why earthquakes happen, what their sometimes devastating effects can be, where the danger zones are, and what measures people can take to safeguard themselves.

 

Brown, Laurie Krasny and Marc Brown.  Dinosaurs Alive and Well.

Presents, in simple text and illustrations, advice on nutrition, exercise, relationships with friends and family, and ways of dealing with stress.

 

Gibbons, Gail.  The Reasons for Seasons.

Explains how the position of Earth causes seasons and the wonderful things that each season brings.

 

Gibbons, Gail.  Farming.  

An introduction, in simple text and illustrations, to farming and the work done on a farm throughout the seasons.

 

Hopkins, Lee Bennett.  Surprises.

A collection of short poems by Marchette Chute, Myra Cohn Livingston, Aileen Fisher, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and other authors.

 

Hopkins, Lee Bennett.  More Surprises.

A collection of poems with topics ranging from school to birds to nonsense.

 

Jenkins, Steve.  Actual Size.

Discusses and gives examples of the size and weight of various animals and parts of animals.

 

Johnston, Tony. I’m Gonna Tell Mama I Want an Iguana.

An illustrated collection of twenty-three humorous poems on a variety of subjects.

 

Kellogg, Steven.  Johnny Appleseed.

Presents the life of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, describing his love of nature, his kindness to animals, and his physical fortitude.

 

McMillan, Bruce.  Eating Fractions. 

Food is cut into halves, quarters, and thirds to illustrate how parts make a whole. Simple recipes included.

 

Schwartz, David M.  If You Made A Million.

Describes the various forms that money can take, including coins, paper money, and personal checks, and how it can be used to make purchases, pay off loans, or build interest in the bank.

 

Simon, Seymour.  Snakes.      

Describes, in text and photographs, the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of various species of snakes.

 

 

 

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