Kindergarten Favorites

Easy Fiction

Kindergarten: Where Kindness Matters Every Day by Vera Ahiyya
Leo, a quiet kid who is not ready for his first day of kindergarten, ends up having a great day when he makes a kindness pledges and discovers he knows a lot about being kind to others.

Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
Gerald the giraffe is too clumsy to dance with all the other animals at the Jungle Dance, until he finds the right music.

The Bear and the Moon by Matthew Burgess
When the gift of a balloon floats into Bear's life, the two companions embark on a journey of discovery as small as a clearing in the forest . . . and as deep as the sky.

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle
When a storm strikes a cargo ship, 10 rubber ducks are tossed overboard and swept off in 10 different directions. Based on a factual incident.

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Young Jabari decides today is the day he is going to jump from the diving board, even though it's a little high and a little scary.

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
When Taylor's block castle is destroyed, all the animals think they know just what to do, but only the rabbit quietly listens to how Taylor is feeling.

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Stick and Stone are both lonely until Pinecone's teasing causes one to stick up for the other, and a solid friendship is formed.

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry
No-nonsense Captain Swashby is used to the sea meeting all of his needs and when, after his retirement, new neighbors disturb his solitary life, the sea helps in just the right way.

Good Night, Sleep Tight by Mem Fox
In this book with rhyming text, Bonnie and Ben's favorite babysitter reads them nursery rhymes before putting them to bed.

Frog on a Log? by Kes Gray
In rhyming text, cat explains why frog has to sit on a log, even if he finds it uncomfortable.

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes
Animals and children alike watch as the world transforms from the dark and dead of winter to a full and blooming spring.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan Higgins
When the class pet bites the finger of Penelope, a tyrannosaurus rex, she finally understands why she should not eat her classmates, no matter how tasty they are.

I Do Not Like Books Anymore by Daisy Hirst
Natalie and Alphonse can't wait until Natalie learns how to read. Then they'll have all the stories they could ever want. But what happens when reading isn't as easy as they thought it would be?

Elmore by Holly Hobbie
A sweet animal neighbor who is a bit prickly needs to learn to adjust so potential friends can feel welcome around him.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
When Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree, he tries to knock it down with increasingly larger and more outrageous things.

Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
Jim Panzee wakes up in a bad mood one beautiful day, but he keeps denying he is grumpy even as his friends give advice for feeling better.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
An alphabet rhyme/chant that relates what happens when the whole alphabet tries to climb a coconut tree.

Bathe the Cat by Alice McGinty
Dad has posted a list of chores for the family to do before grandma comes, including bathing the cat; but the cat does not want a bath, so she mixes up the instructions, and soon the family is mowing the floor, vacuuming the lawn, mopping the baby – and the house is in chaos.

Saturday by Oge Mora
When all of their special Saturday plans go awry, Ava and her mother still find a way to appreciate one another and their time together.

It’s Okay to be Different by Todd Parr
This book is designed to encourage early literacy, enhance emotional development, celebrate multiculturalism and diversity, and promote character growth.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
Illustrations and simple, rhyming text introduce a school where diversity is celebrated and songs, stories and talents are shared.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
The carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around and Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing and seeing creepy carrots wherever he goes.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
This book explores the love dragons have for tacos, and the dangers of feeding them anything with spicy salsa!

That’s Not My Name! by Anoosha Syed
Mirha questions her name after her classmates continually pronounce it wrong on the first day of school, so her mother helps her to learn the significance of her name and to be proud of it.

Inside Cat by Brendan Wenzel             
Told in rhyming text, Inside Cat views the world through many windows, watching the birds, squirrels and people go by – but when the door opens it discovers a whole new view.

A Busy Creature’s Day Eating by Mo Willems
A busy creature eats his way through the alphabet!

Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson         
While taking a walk with Mouse, Bear meets many other friends and sees colors everywhere.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
Other students laugh when Rigoberto, an immigrant from Venezuela, introduces himself, but later, he meets Angelina and discovers that he is not the only one who feels like an outsider.

How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen
This book explains how young dinosaurs should behave during a typical school day.

 

Easy Non-Fiction

Come Together, Change the World: A Sesame Street Guide to Standing Up for Racial Justice by Jackie Golusky
This gentle guide helps kids celebrate what makes them special, use words to talk about race, and understand why it is important to treat everyone fairly.

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex T. Smith
In this version of Little Red Riding Hood, set on the African plains, Little Red realizes what the Very Hungry Lion is up to, and teaches him a lesson before generously sharing her donuts with him.

Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan
Food is cut into halves, quarters and thirds to illustrate how parts make a whole. Simple recipes are included.

Seeds Move! by Robin Page
Every seed, big or small, needs sunlight, water, and an uncrowded place to put down roots. But how do seeds get to the perfect place to grow? This exploration of seed dispersal covers a wide range of seeds and the creatures that help them move, from a coconut seed floating on waves to an African grass seed rolled by a dung beetle, to a milkweed seed floating on the wind.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner
Check out the actual size bug chart, which provides real-world comparisons so that readers know exactly how big each bug is, and the Bug-O-Meter, which lists fun facts about each bug, such as number of legs, where it lives, whether it flies and if it stings.

I Want to Be a Doctor by Laura Driscoll
This book explains what a doctor is and what their responsibilities are, including helping people who are sick or hurt.

 

Easy Reader Series

Mo Jackson: Don’t Throw it to Mo! by David A. Adler
Mo is the youngest kid on the Robins football team. The kids on the rival team tease him for being a “butterfingers” who's too tiny to catch the ball. But Mo's coach has a plan up his sleeve to turn Mo's little size into a big win for the Robins.

Fly Guy: Hi Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
When Buzz captures a fly to enter in The Amazing Pet Show, his parents and the judges tell him that a fly cannot be a pet, but Fly Guy proves them wrong.

Arthur: Arthur’s Reading Race by Marc Brown
Arthur doesn't believe that his little sister can really read, so he challenges her to prove it.

Unicorn and Yeti: Sparkly New Friends by Heather Ayris Burnell
Unicorn and Yeti run into each other (literally) while looking for sparkly things and despite some differences – for instance Unicorn can do magic and Yeti can’t, and Yeti likes snowball fights while Unicorn can’t throw snowballs – the two become friends over a shared love of hot chocolate with rainbow sprinkles.

Biscuit: Biscuit by Alyssa Capucilli
A little yellow dog wants one more thing before he'll go to sleep.

Pete the Cat: Pete the Cat and the Cool Caterpillar by James Dean
When Pete the cat meets a super cool caterpillar, he thinks he has found a new best friend. But when one day his caterpillar goes missing, Pete has to find out what happened to his new friend. Pete is in for one wild surprise at the end!

Monkey and Cake: What is Inside this Box? by Drew Daywalt
Monkey has a big box, which he tells Cake has a cat inside, but only when the box is closed; Cake suggest that maybe it is a dinosaur instead, and the two friends puzzle over how they can solve the problem of finding out what is in the box if it is always empty when opened.

Yasmin: Yasmin the Builder by Saadia Faruqi
As their makerspace project the students in Yasmin's second grade class are building a city: there are houses, a school, a church, even a castle, but Yasmin is not sure what to build – until inspiration strikes.

Rocket: Rocket the Brave by Tad Hills
Rocket the dog has fun chasing a butterfly up a hill and around a pond, but he does not want to follow it into the scary forest.

Marley: Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin by Susan Hill Long 352053
Marley's family takes extra care in getting their blue-ribbon pumpkin to the fair, but with a dog like Marley around, being careful isn't always enough.

Pinkalicious: Pinkalicious Pinky Promise by Victoria Kann         
After Pinkalicious uses all of Alison's pink paint in class, she wonders how she can repay her best friend.

Mr. Monkey: Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake by Jeff Mack
Mr. Monkey bakes a cake and enters it in a contest, but nothing goes as planned.

Katie Woo: Too Much Rain by Fran Manushkin          
When heavy rain causes flooding, Katie Woo and her parents spend the night in a shelter.

Fancy Nancy: Fancy Nancy at the Museum by Jane O’Conner
Although excited at the prospect of a fancy class trip to the art museum, the bumpy bus ride to get there leaves Nancy feeling anything but fancy.

Amelia Bedelia: Amelia Bedelia on the Move by Peggy Parish
When her parents suggest moving, Amelia Bedelia turns going to open houses and exploring new neighborhoods into an adventure.

Henry and Mudge: Henry and Mudge: The First Book of their Adventure by Cynthia Rylant 
Henry, feeling lonely on a street without any other children, finds companionship and love in a big dog named Mudge.

Monkey and Elephant: Monkey and Elephant by Carole Lexa Schaefer
In three episodes, two friends cool off on a hot day, sing songs and outsmart some riffraff wildcats.

Elephant and Pigge: Today I Will Fly by Mo Willems
While Piggie is determined to fly, Elephant is skeptical, but when Piggie gets a little help from others, amazing things happen.

Digger and Daisy: Digger and Daisy go to the Doctor by Judy Young
Digger is not feeling well but after his sister, Daisy, convinces him to go see a doctor she must still persuade him to be brave by getting her own examination.