199 Easy Kindergarten books for early readers

199 Easy Kindergarten Books For Early Readers That We Adore!

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Why 199 books? Why so many? If you’re anything like me, you go through these beginner books quick. You need more than 10 books on a list – or on your bookshelf – when you’re reading with an early reader. Haven’t you ever gone through all ten books you got from the library thinking, “that’s it?” Just knowing you got to turn around and go right back to the library for 10 or 20 more this time.

And it’s variety. Kids love variety. Heck, I’m grown and still love variety. And that’s where 199 books came from. From going through my own early reader books so quick, knowing I’m just gonna need more in no time. Plus, it beats reading the same book over and over – and over and over – again due to lack of variety.

So when you’re teaching your kiddo how to read, you need a good list of books by some faved authors you can depend on. That’s where these collections of author books came from – my need to gather some books on a list (this list) to help teach Scout how to read, or at least read the books with him that are for early readers. You’ll find easy kindergarten books here from a few different author collections that serve the kindergarten reading level that we absolutely adore!

HOMESCHOOL READING

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Reading books with your child or listening to a reading lesson from your child is so beneficial for so many reasons! It introduces kids to new words, helps them with phonemic awareness, they get to see sentence structure of how the words are put together, and they can practice their phonics skills by reading an early reader with you! Young children start with a guided reading level so they can be introduced to all these wonderful things, and as they progress you can determine a developmental reading assessment as you listen to them reading all kinds of texts.

As you teach a child to read, there are a few things you can do. For instance, you can do a picture walk so as you read chapter books, your emerging reader will see what the words are compared to the picture. You can point out simple sentences and help them understand what they are, along with helping them with unknown words to broaden their vocabulary.

Pre-reading skills are just as important when you start your beginner readers off with reading! Just talking to them about their favorite book will get them excited about learning how to read. Knowing the ABC’s and how to follow lines of text will also help with their literacy skills for reading simple words. All these points will help make your children strong readers through their primary grades.

Quick Questions About Kindergarten Reading

Before we jump into the lists of books for kindergarten readers, I want to take a quick moment to answer some questions about reading for kindergarteners I’ve been asked a few times.

Q: What should a 5 year old read?

A: A lot of different things! But for the purposes of this post, easy kindergarten books are a great place to start. This list has a ton of them. Just simple books with beautiful colors and that are fun!

Q: What is an easy reader book?

A: An easy reader book is a book specifically written with beginning readers in mind. The text is usually simple and easy to read, and the illustrations often support the text or tell the story themselves.

Q: What should a kindergartener be able to read?

A: Kindergartners should be able to kindergarten reading books with easy words. But they may not be able to read every word yet. And that’s okay! Just have them sound out the words they don’t know and try their best. Keep in mind that kids learn to read at their own pace and in their own time, so this is just a general answer to a very vague question! If your child’s not reading yet, not fuss. Just continue to read great books to them and they’ll get there.

Q: How many sight words should a kindergartener know?

A: Research has shown that kindergarteners who can recognize a larger number of sight words have an easier time learning to read. While there is no hard and fast rule for how many sight words a child should know, most experts agree that between 200 and 300 is a good goal. Of course, some children will learn more quickly than others, so don’t be discouraged if your child isn’t hitting that target right away. The important thing is to keep working on those sight words until they’re second nature. Start with them knowing a sight word or two and then build on that!

Dr Seuss Activity Pack image

Q: What age should a child read fluently?

A: The age at which a child learns to read fluently is a hotly debated topic. Some experts claim that kids should be reading by the time they start school, while others argue that there is no rush and that children will develop reading skills at their own pace. So, what age should a child read fluently? Ultimately, it depends on the individual child. Little learners will learn to read at their own pace. Some kids may be ready to start reading early, while others may need a bit more time. However, most experts agree that there is no need to push kids to read before they are ready. So, if your child isn’t reading by five or six, don’t worry – they will probably catch up soon enough. In the meantime, just enjoy watching them explore the wonderful world of books.

FUN FACT: The average age when children learn how to read fluently is 8 years old according to research at NIH.

On to the fun book lists!

A Mix of 44 Easy Reader Books for Kindergarten

To save you the time researching and wading through titles, I’ve gathered together a list of 44 kindergarten reading books by some of our favorite authors. This selection contains books on the kindergarten reading level that are easy to read and have bright, colorful illustrations.

Some easy favorites, easy picture books, and easy readers are all included in this mix of easy kindergarten books for early readers. You’ll find the remaining books of the 199 below this list within author collections!

  1. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
  2. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
  3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  4. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
  5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
  6. The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O’Neill
  7. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
  8. The Gingerbread Man by James Marshall
  9. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
  10. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
  11. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
  12. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
  13. Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
  14. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
  15. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
  16. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
  17. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
  18. Corduroy by Don Freeman
  19. The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey
  20. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
  21. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
  22. May I Please Have A Cookie? by Jennifer E. Morris
  23. Silly Milly by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
  24. Big Shark, Little Shark by Anna Membrino
  25. Don’t Worry, Bee Happy by Ross Burach
  26. See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog by David LaRochelle
  27. Bob Books Set 1: Beginning Readers by Bobby Lynn Maslen
  28. The Long Dog by Eric Seltzer
  29. Frank and Bean: Food Truck Fiasco by Jamie Michalak
  30. Do You Like My Bike? by Norm Feuti
  31. I Can Build It! by Kelly Greenawalt
  32. Hi, Jack! by Mac Barnett
  33. I Lost My Tooth! by Mo Willems
  34. Surf’s Up! by Luke Flowers
  35. Sparkly New Friends by Heather Ayris Burnell
  36. Snowy Day! by Candice F. Ransom
  37. The Great Bunk Bed Battle by Tina Kugler
  38. A Magic Spark by Jessica Young
  39. Fish and sun by Sergio Ruzzier
  40. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
  41. Ten apples up on top by Dr. Seuss
  42. At The Beack by Alexa Andrews
  43. It’s Not Easy Being A Bunny by Marilyn Sadler
  44. I Will Race You Through This Book! by Jonathan Frenske
First Little Readers Parent Pack: Guided Reading Level A: 25 Irresistible Books That Are Just the Right Level for Beginning Readers

Ezra Jack Keats Books

These easy reader books for kindergarten by Ezra Jack Keats that I found and liked!

  1. The Snowy Day
  2. Whistle for Willie
  3. Pet Show!
  4. A Letter to Amy
  5. Goggles!
  6. The Trip
  7. Hi, Cat!
  8. Jennie’s Hat
  9. Glorious Angels
  10. My Dog Is Lost!
  11. Skeletons
  12. Louise, the Zero Queen
  13. Hi, Red Fox
  14. One Day in May
  15. Drummer Boy of John John
  16. The King’s Chessboard
  17. A Riddle for Puppies
  18. Sea Express
  19. My Dog Is Dirty
  20. Snowballs
  21. Six Little Ducks
  22. Flowers of Mezza Luna
  23. Kittens in the Park
  24. Blue Skies, Red Roses
  25. My Dog Is Fat
  26. The Big Max
  27. One Ballerina Two
  28. A Little Monkey Business
  29. How the First Letter Was Written
  30. Louie’s Search
  31. Skates!
  32. Otis
  33. My Dog Rufus
  34. John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
  35. The Red Bee
  36. A Journey with Papa
  37. Dancing the Charleston
  38. My Dog Is Lost!
  39. Six Little Ducks
  40. One Ballerina Two
  41. Flowers of Mezza Luna
  42. Kittens in the Park

Harold and the Purple Crayon Books

Ever heard of Harold and the Purple Crayon? Did you know there were a whole bunch more Harold books where that first one came from? I didn’t either! Here are 50 more of those kinds of easy reader books for kindergarten!

  1. Harold and the Purple Crayon
  2. Harold’s Fairy Tale
  3. Harold’s Trip to the Sky
  4. The Birthday Surprise
  5. Camping Out
  6. Harold’s Circus
  7. A Picture for Harold’s Room
  8. Harold at the North Pole
  9. City Dog, Country Frog
  10. Dogs in the Dead of Night
  11. Dragon’s Easter
  12. Dinosaur Hunters
  13. The Purple Crayon Underwater Adventure
  14. Harold Draws a Knight
  15. The Giant Crayon Mystery
  16. How to Make an Egg Stand Up
  17. Thanksgiving Surprise
  18. The Missing Mystery
  19. When Dinosaurs Sing at Christmas
  20. New Year’s Mystery
  21. Valentine’s Day Mystery
  22. St. Patrick’s Day Mystery
  23. April Fool’s Day Mystery
  24. Earth Day Mystery
  25. Mother’s Day Surprise
  26. Memorial Day Parade
  27. Father’s Day Adventure
  28. Fourth of July Fireworks
  29. Labor Day Weekend
  30. Columbus Day
  31. Halloween Mystery
  32. Election Day
  33. The Purple Crayon Thanksgiving
  34. The Nutcracker
  35. Christmas Tree Adventure
  36. New Year’s Countdown
  37. Harold’s Chinese New Year
  38. Washington’s Birthday
  39. Patrick’s Day Parade
  40. Easter Egg Hunt
  41. Cinco de Mayo
  42. Mother’s Day Brunch
  43. Memorial Day Barbecue
  44. Father’s Day Fishing Trip
  45. Fourth of July Camping
  46. Labor Day Road Trip
  47. Columbus Day Exploration
  48. Halloween Party
  49. Election Day Campaigning
  50. Thanksgiving Feast
Harold's Purple Crayon Adventures: 6 Picture Book Box Set

Mo Willems Books

Who doesn’t like Mo Willems? One of his books is even on the first list up above in the 44 books. Here are a few more worth mentioning:

  1. Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems
  2. The Pigeon by Mo Willems
  3. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
  4. Cat the Cat by Mo Willems
  5. We Are in a Book by Mo Willems
  6. Time to Pee by Mo Willems
  7. Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willems
  8. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
  9. The Cookie Fiasco by Mo Willems
  10. My New Friend Is So Fun by Mo Willems

Eric Carle Books

I love this dude. All his books are awesome and we have quite the reading collection at home of these kindergarten reading books. If you have a young reader at home, chances are you’ve read an Eric Carle book. Some of his books are thick, but then you’ll find a little book to read as well through his collection. But I love them all!

Just in case you aren’t aware, Eric Carle didn’t just stop at The Very Hungry Caterpillar. His books really help kids with reading comprehension because this great resource gets kids so excited about what they just read! On top of that, you can find tons of reading materials to accompany several of these books!

When Scout and I started reading together, the perfect book to begin was always an Eric Carle book. And you know how kids love to read and re-read or watch and re-watch their fave books and movies, so we really did get our money’s worth with all our Eric Carle books!

I love how they have imaginary friends, beautiful book covers, and holds a child’s interests so well throughout all his children’s books. Here are my faves (and Scout’s faves) so far:

  1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  2. The Grouchy Ladybug
  3. The Very Busy Spider
  4. The Very Lonely Firefly
  5. The Table Setter
  6. The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
  7. Mister Seahorse
  8. The Very Quiet Cricket
  9. The Mixed-Up Chameleon
  10. The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
  11. The Hat
  12. 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo
  13. The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Egg Hunt
  14. Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?
  15. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?
  16. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  17. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?
  18. Build Your Nest
  19. The Very Lonely Firefly Light Up the Sky
  20. Draw Me a Star
  21. My World
  22. A House for Hermit Crab
  23. From Head to Toe
  24. The Very Busy Spider’s Web Site
  25. The Napping House
  26. The Tiny Seed
  27. The Very Brave Worm
  28. The Grouchy Ladybug’s Life Cycle
  29. The Napping House Wakes Up
  30. Rooster’s Off to See the World

Cynthia Rylant Books

These easy reader books for kindergarten are good books, similar to the Stepping Into Readers books you might have seen before. I highly recommend these for your little one to read on his grade level:

  1. Henry and Mudge
  2. Mr. Putter and Tabby
  3. The Relatives Came
  4. When I Was Young in the Mountains
  5. Blueberry Shoes
  6. All I See
  7. All I Need
  8. Waiting to Waltz
  9. A Fine White Dust
  10. The Relatives Came

Use Dr. Seuss For kindergarten reading books

All the great readers started off on Dr. Seuss. Even the most earliest readers are aware of his and quippy word chunks delivered throughout his books! His books are quite perfect as easy reader books for kindergarten with simple text, short sentences, of course beloved characters like The Cat In The Hat and The Lorax. Each of those is a great book, by the way!

And Dr. Seuss has so many more books than this kindergarten book list below, I know. These are just some of the children’s books our little readers will love that I put down here, and perhaps they’ll start a love of reading from these Dr. Seuss books.

I didn’t want to unintentionally inflate the number of books in this blog post by listing ALL his books. That number would jump from 199 to 599 quickly! (Exaggerating, but you know what I mean.)

I would recommend reading these books (and others as well) in silly voices. A child’s imagination is immeasurable and a picture book is a great way to start an emergent reader, with nursery rhyme and fairy tales and a funny story – all of which are in Dr. S’s books!

Here is a list of the best books by him that include so much fun not just for kindergarten students but also for all the family members to enjoy together!

  1. The Cat in the Hat
  2. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
  3. Green Eggs and Ham
  4. Hop on Pop
  5. Fox in Socks
  6. The Foot Book
  7. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
  8. I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
  9. Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
  10. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back

199 Easy Kindergarten Books For Early Readers That We Adore!

So, if you are looking for great books to read with your kindergartener that will help them develop early reading skills, you got these kindergarten reading books right here now! We adore this list of fun books for kindergarten readers and we think your little one will love them too. Happy reading!

You might also like these book lists:

Want to read this later? Download as a PDF!

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