Meridian Park Elementary


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KINDERGARTEN READING LISTS

The following lists of suggested books are from a variety of websites. Links to these websites can be found on the homepage of the Meridian Park website.

Author Title

Avi Abigail Takes The Wheel

Avi Finding Providence: The Story of Roger Williams

Baker, Barbara Digby and Kate and the Beautiful Day

Bauer, Marion Bear's Hiccups

Bauer, Marion Turtle Dreams

Bliss, Corinne Shortest Kid in the World

Bliss, Corinne Snow Day

Cazet, Denys Minnie and Moo Go Dancing (series)

Johnston, Tony Sparky and Eddie: The First Day of School

Johnston, Tony Sparky and Eddie: Wild Wild Rodeo

Krensky, Stephen Lionel (series)

Little, Jean Emma’s Magic Winter

Lobel, Arnold Frog and Toad (series)

Lobel, Arnold Mouse Tales

McDonald, Megan Beezy At Bat

McDonald, Megan Beezy Magic

Marshall, James Fox Be Nimble (series)

Rylant, Cynthia Henry & Mudge (series)

Rylant, Cynthia Mr. Putter & Tabby (series)

K-l Fiction Picture Books

Author/Title

Aardema, Verna Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

Adoff, Arnold Flamboyan

Allard, Harry Miss Nelson Is Missing (series)

Anno, Mitsumasa Anno’s Journey (series)

Barrett, H. Judi Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Brown, Margaret Wise The Little Scarecrow Boy

Calhoun, Mary Hot-Air Henry (series)

Cichester, Clark, Emma I Love You, Blue Kangaroo

Conrad, Pam Tub People (series)

Ernst, Lisa C. Ginger Jumps

Fields, Julia The Green Lion of Zion Street

Friedman, Ina How My Parents Learned to Eat

Gelsanliter, Wendy Dancin‚ in the Kitchen

Golembe, Carla Dog Magic

Hanson, Mary Snug

Harper, Dan Telling Time with Big Mama Cat

Heo, Yumi One Afternoon

Howard, Elizabeth Aunt Flossie‚s Hats (and crab cakes later)

Hutchins, Pat It‚s My Birthday!

Johnson, Crockett Harold and the Purple Crayon

Lester, Alison Imagine

Martin, Bill Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom

Mathers, Petra Lottie‚s New Beach Towel

McCloskey, Robert Blueberries for Sal

Meddaugh, Susan Martha Walks the Dog (series)

Medearis, Angela Poppa‚s New Pants

Medearis, Angela Rum-a-tum-tum

Murphy, Stuart Lemonade for Sale

Nickle, John The Ant Bully

Numeroff, Laura If you Give a Pig a Pancake (series)

Porte, Barbara Tale of a Tadpole

Rathman, Peggy Officer Buckle and Gloria

Shannon, David No, David!

Shulevitz, Uri Snow

Sloat, Teri There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Trout

Steig, William Pete‚s A Pizza

Steig, William Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Wells, Rosemary Shy Charles

Wells, Rosemary Yoko

Beginning Readers

Title/Author/Summary

The Adventures of Max and Pinky, Best Buds

Maxwell Eaton III.

Max, a boy, and Pinky, a pig, capture the imagination of young readers. This book is very easily read by children, but teachers and parents will also enjoy reading this story in class or at home. The book has the engaging universal theme of friendship. (Team 1)

Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children's Books. 32 pp. US$12.99 (trade). CAN$16.99.

Big Bug Surprise

Julia Gran.

Prunella's unending knowledge of insects saves her class from disaster. As her class celebrates, Prunella presents her show-and-tell surprise, much to the delight of her classmates. (Team 2)

Scholastic. 32 pp. US$12.99 (trade). CAN$15.99.

Bunny Wishes: A Winter's Tale

Michaela Morgan. Ill. Caroline Jayne Church.

Bunnies Tino and Teeny leave a list of wishes in a hollow log. The list blows away in the winter wind and is found in pieces by mice, who rearrange the words into a new wish for the bunnies. (Team 3)

The Chicken House/Scholastic. 32 pp. US$16.99 (trade).

Chester

Mélanie Watt.

“Once upon a time,” a huge cat named Chester took a red marker and rewrote Watt's story about a “boring” mouse. Chester's editing delights young readers as his humorous revisions make him the star of the book. (Team 4)

Kids Can. 32 pp. US$18.95 (trade).

Deep in the Swamp

Donna M. Bateman. Ill. Brian Lies.

Young readers engage with poetry, information, and counting practice as they learn combined facts about swamps and the animals that live there. Illustrations are bright and entertaining. (Team 1)

Charlesbridge. 32 pp. US$15.95 (trade). Pb., Charlesbridge. US$6.95.

Delicious! A Pumpkin Soup Story

Helen Cooper.

A duck, squirrel, and cat want pumpkin soup, but there are no pumpkins to use. Although the squirrel and cat make other soups they consider delicious, the duck insists that nothing else will do. Picky eaters will enjoy the duck's antics with food. (Team 3)

Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 32 pp. US$16.00 (trade).

Dino-Dinners

Mick Manning and Brita Granström.

In this colorful informational picture book about dinosaurs, sidebars provide interesting facts about each dinosaur, what it ate, and how it ate. Also included is information on how scientists have drawn conclusions about each dinosaur's diet. (Team 5)

Holiday House. 32 pp. US$16.95 (trade).

Dino-Hockey

Lisa Wheeler. Ill. Barry Gott.

The obvious attraction of this book is seeing dinosaurs act like humans playing hockey, Meat-Eaters vs. Veggiesaurs. Children love the realistic illustrations as they use their imaginations to learn about dinosaurs and hockey. (Team 1)

Carolrhoda. 32 pp. US$16.95 (trade). CAN$21.95.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Tad Hills.

Vivid, colorful characters Duck, Goose, and the new character, Thistle, instill believable messages of friendship and trying your best. Children can explore whether the friends should accept Thistle and then decide if these three characters can all be friends. (Team 1)

Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children's Books. 40 pp. US$15.99 (trade). CAN$21.00.

Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping

Eileen Christelow.

Back-to-school shopping leads to 4, 3, 7, 3, 14, and finally 5 (no, 6!) little monkeys. In thinking bubbles, see the equations mom uses to add and subtract her monkeys as they wander off and come back again. (Team 5)

Clarion. 32 pp. US$16.00 (trade).

Frankie Stein

Reprinted from Frankie Stein with permission of Marshall Cavendish.

Lola M. Schaefer. Ill. Kevan Atteberry.

Frankie Stein is a cute baby, but his parents fear he will never be as scary as they are until they learn to see him for the unique Stein that he is in this humorous story. (Team 3)

Marshall Cavendish Children's Books. 32 pp. US$14.99 (trade).

Ginger Bear

Mini Grey.

This is a humorous tale of a young British boy, Horace, who makes a gingerbread bear. Ginger Bear has adventures as he makes new friends and escapes the family dog. The story comes alive through the detailed illustrations. (Team 4)

Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children's Books. 32 pp. US$15.99 (trade). CAN$21.00.

Grumpy Bird

From Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard. Reprinted with permission of Scholastic Press.

Jeremy Tankard.

This story is about a bird that wakes up grumpy. It takes some animal friends to help brighten his day by joining him on a walk. Children will easily make a text-to-self connection to the bird and his grumpy feelings. (Team 4)

Scholastic. 32 pp. US$12.99 (trade). CAN$15.99.

How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?

Jane Yolen. Ill. Mark Teague.

Large, bright-colored dinosaur characters dwarf teachers and children as the author first speculates about how rebellious the dinosaurs might be and then tells how cooperative and well-behaved they are. The simple text is accessible for young readers. (Team 3)

The Blue Sky Pres s/Scholastic. 40 pp. US$16.99 (trade). CAN$20.99.

How to Be a Baby, by Me the Big Sister

Sally Lloyd-Jones. Ill. Sue Heap.

Big sister explains things you CAN'T do as a baby and things you CAN do as an older child. The humorous story and illustrations help older children appreciate their accomplishments while gaining a better understanding of younger siblings. (Team 4)

Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children's Books. 40 pp. US$15.99 (trade). CAN$21.00.

I'd Really Like to Eat a Child

Young crocodile Achilles really wants to eat a child, until he meets one and decides that he may not be as big and ferocious as he believes he is. (Team 3)

Random House Books for Young Readers. 32 pp. US$14.99 (trade). CAN$19.95.

Millie Waits for the Mail

Alexander Steffensmeier.

Millie the Cow loves to scare the mailman every day. When Millie's tricks leave the mailman in a mess, she learns to love something new. Children make many text-to-self connections to Millie and her silly tricks and hiding places. (Team 4)

Walker Books for Young Readers. 32 pp. US$16.95 (trade). US$17.85 (library).

The Perfect Nest

Catherine Friend. Ill. John Manders.

This is a story about Jack, a cat who builds the perfect nest to attract the perfect egg for his omelet. However, Jack winds up with more than he bargained for. Students will enjoy making predictions about what they think will happen next. (Team 4)

Candlewick. 40 pp. US$16.99 (trade).

Polar Slumber

Dennis Rockhill.

A girl builds a snow bear, dreaming it comes to life. The book introduces arctic animals, including polar bears. Children are drawn to the realistic, colorful illustrations. Readers wonder, “Did the bear really come to life?” and “Where is he?” (Team 4)

Raven Tree. 32 pp. US$16.95 (trade). Pb., Raven Tree Press. US$7.95.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy

Tedd Arnold.

Here's a creative spin on the classic tale of the old woman who swallowed a fly. It's highly recommended by first graders; the pictures help students decode words that they otherwise may not know, thereby building their reading confidence. (Team 4)

Cartwheel Books. 32 pp. US$5.99 (trade). CAN$7.99.

The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark

Ken Geist. Ill. Julia Gorton.

In this take on The Three Little Pigs, Jim builds a house of seaweed, Tim builds a sand house, and Kim's wooden ship house saves them all. Easy, patterned language makes this very accessible for early readers. (Team 3)

Cartwheel Books. 32 pp. US$6.99 (trade). CAN$8.99.

Tucker's Spooky Halloween

Leslie McGuirk.

An adorable little dog decides that he wants a fearsome costume for Halloween instead of the usual cute costume that his people get for him. The bright colors and whimsical ideas of the dog will delight small children. (Team 2)

Candlewick. 28 pp. US$7.99 (trade).

Tyson the Terrible

Diane Fox and Christyan Fox.

Dinosaur children hear the “Boom! Boom!” of the so-called fiercest dinosaur. They hide and hear a tiny tyrannosaurus sobbing and wondering why everyone runs from him. As they invite him to play, his little brother pops up, surprising everyone. (Team 5)

Bloomsbury Children's Books. 24 pp. US$12.95 (trade).

Before Entering Kindergarten

Author/Title/Summary

 Aylesworth: Naughty Little Monkeys c2003 alphabet books Twenty-six monkeys get into mischief when their parents go out for the evening in this rhyming alphabet book.

 Bang: When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... c1999 character Sophie expresses her anger when she must surrender a toy to her sister.

 Crews: The Neighborhood Mother Goose c2004 nursery rhymes, diversity This collection of nursery rhymes features the familiar and unfamiliar, all set in the city.

 DePaola: Stagestruck c2005 school story When Tommy is disappointed that he doesn’t land the lead in the kindergarten play, he tries to steal the show anyway.

 Drachman: A Frog Thing c2005 humor Frank the frog learns self-acceptance.

 Ehlert: Pie in the Sky c2004 family fiction As a father and his child view the cherry tree in their back yard, they refer to it as a pie tree. Includes a recipe.

 Ehlert: Mole’s Hill: A Woodland Tale c1994 folklore In this Native American folk tale, Mole looks for a way to save her underground home when Fox tells her she has to move.

 Ernst: Gingerbread Girl c2006 fairy tale The gingerbread girl outsmarts that doggone fox and triumphs.

 Kimmel: The Gingerbread Man c1993 fairy tale This familiar fairy tale features a gingerbread man who runs away from the woman who bakes him and meets other animals along the way, including a clever fox.

 Penn:The Kissing Hand c1993 family story  Chester Raccoon is afraid to attend kindergarten until his mother shows him a special way to take her love along.

 Pfister: Rainbow Fish stories animal stories  The most beautiful fish in the ocean with the shimmering silver scales discovers the beauty of sharing.

 Prelutsky: Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young c1986 poetry  This collection of 200 short poems is designed for young children and includes illustrations that correlate with the poems.

 Shannon: David Goes to School c.1999 humor  David's school behavior needs to be improved.

 Sierra: Counting Crocodiles c1997 counting, rhyming A monkey outsmarts ten crocodiles that stand between her and a banana tree by using her ability to count.

 Sierra: Wild About Books c2004 animals, humor  A librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile to the zoo and subsequently reads a Dr. Seuss book to the animals.

 Taback: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat c1999 diversity Joseph starts out with an overcoat and ends with a button.

 Thompson: Little Quack c2003 animal story Mama Duck encourages her four ducklings to leave the nest. The youngest and smallest, Little Quack, proves to be the most reluctant.

 Williams: ‘More More More’ said the Baby: 3 Love Stories c1990 family fiction Father, Mother and Grandmother playfully and lovingly toss three babies in the air.

 Wood: Alphabet Adventure c2001 alphabet book The letters of the alphabet join the search to help "i" find her dot in order to continue their journey in this colorful alphabet book.

 Wood:The Napping House c1984 sleep, fiction  While a number of creatures sleep, a flea causes a commotion among them with just one bite.

Before Entering First Grade

 Asher: Too Many Frogs c2005 animals, humor Each night Froggie interrupts Rabbit's cozy home for a read-aloud story.

 Bailey: Stanley’s Party c2003 dogs, humor When a dog’s owners leave for the evening, he gets into a lot of mischief.

 Brett: Goldilocks and the Three Bears c1987 fairy tale This favorite fairy tale features a young girl who enters the home of three bears who are not at home.

 Bruel: Bad Kitty c2005 alphabet book Finding that there is no food in the house, a kitty chooses to be very bad.

 Carle: Mister Seahorse c2004 animals, fiction Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs, after which Mr. Seahorse carries the eggs through the sea, greeting other fish fathers.

 Cronin: Dooby, Dooby, Moo c2004animal humor Duck organizes the farm animals for a talent show at the county fair. The first prize is a trampoline.

 Cronin: Diary of a Fly c2005 insect, humor While keeping a diary, the young fly records how hard it is to be an insect.

 Fleming: The First Day of Winter c2005 counting, rhyming, diversity In the first ten days of winter a child brings a snowman to life in a style similar to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

 Hoffman: Amazing Grace c1991 ethnic diversity Grace is told by a fellow classmate that she can’t play Peter Pan in the school play because of her black skin color, but she learns she can do anything she tries to do.

 Lester: Hooway for Wodney Wat c1999 fantasy, abilities awareness Students in Rodney’s class make fun of him, because he can’t pronounce his name properly; but it is his speech problem that helps to punish the class bully.

 McKinley: One Smile c2002 kindness While walking through the park with her mother, a child smiles at a discouraged stranger and sets off a chain of events that spreads kindness and comes full circle.

 Numeroff: Beatrice Doesn't Want To c2004 realistic fiction, humor Beatrice Doesn't Like to Read, but a librarian changes her attitude during a story session in this humorous, well illustrated book.

 Rathmann: Officer Buckle and Gloria c1995 safety, fiction When Officer Buckle delivers safety speeches at a local elementary school, the students don’t listen until his police dog Gloria accompanies him.

 Scotton: Russell the Sheep c2005 animals, fiction Russell experiments with many different ways to fall asleep.

 Seuss: The Cat in the Hat c1957 classic On a rainy day, two children are visited by a cat who shows them games and tricks.

 Shannon: A Bad Case of Stripes c1998 individuality, fiction A girl who is always concerned about what others think of her wakes up one day to discover she is covered with stripes.

 Silverman: Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days c2007 (series chapter book) fiction Kate wants to go to school, but her horse wants to go too!

Younger Readers

Becker, Bonny. A Visitor for Bear. Illus. by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick. (9780763628079). The simple backdrop of bear’s forest home sets the stage for a visit from the persistent and irritating mouse who insists the two will become friends.

Bee, Wlliam. Beware of the Frog. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639204). Living alone in the forest, Old Mrs. Collywobbles needs protection from the Greedy Goblin, the Smelly Troll, and the Giant Hungry Ogre. Her pet frog jumps out of folklore to come to her rescue and give Mrs. Collywobbles more than she anticipated.

Campbell, Sarah C. Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator. Photos by Sarah C. and Richard P. Campbell. Boyds Mills Press. (9781590785546).

Magnified photographs and informative text provide a nonfiction look at the carnivorous wolfsnail trapping and devouring its victim. This science book will amaze and attract readers. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)

Davis, Eleanor. Stinky. Illus. by the author. RAW Junior/TOON Books. (9780979923845).

Stinky, the swamp monster, is at first determined to rid his beloved “muddy, slimy, smelly swamp” of Nick, only to realize that this dreaded “kid” is not the appallingly clean intruder he supposes him to be. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)

Dorros, Arthur. Papá and Me. Illus. by Rudy Gutierrez. Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins. (9780060581565).  Lively artwork tells the story of a father and son who spend a special day together in the city—singing, cooking, going to the park and the beach, riding the bus, and telling stories, culminated by a visit with Papá’s parents. (2009 Belpré Illustrator Honor Book)

Fleming, Denise. Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp. Illus. by the author. Henry Holt. (9780805078923).

After a week at Cowboy Camp for Dogs, Buster’s homesickness evaporates as he joyfully joins the controlled canine chaos of camp activities. Fleming’s richly colored multimedia art details the camp’s layout and the animals’ constant motion.

Frazee, Marla. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Illus. by the author. Harcourt. (9780152060206).

With lively, detailed, subtly retro cartoons, Frazee gently pokes fun at adult expectations and captures the unbounded joy of two friends experiencing a parent-free summer adventure. (2009 Caldecott Honor Book)

George, Jean Craighead. Goose and Duck. Illus. by Priscilla Lamont. HarperCollins/Laura Geringer. (9780061170768).

Goose imprints on the boy who finds his egg, Duck imprints on goose, and both follow the boy around until fall when they figure out who they are and join their fellows flying south.

Graham, Bob. How to Heal a Broken Wing. Illus. by the author. Candlewick. (9780763639037).

On a busy city street, young Will stops for an injured pigeon. Soft watercolor panels depict the family’s care of the bird and its subsequent release into the sky over the city.

Grant, Judyann Ackerman. Chicken Said, “Cluck!” Illus. by Sue Truesdell. HarperCollins.(9780060287238).

Earl and Pearl shoo Chicken away as they work on their pumpkin patch, but as the story comes full circle, it’s Chicken who does the shooing and saves the day. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)

Harris, Robie H. Maybe a Bear Ate It! Illus by Michael Emberley. Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780439929615).

When a favorite book goes missing, our frantic narrator conducts a frenzied search, imagining the worst. Cartoony art illustrates the emotions of losing and finding a cherished object.

Henkes, Kevin. Old Bear. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. (9780061552052).

During his annual hibernation, Old Bear dreams of the seasons of his youth. Seasonal changes and Old Bear’s sense of wonder are gently evoked in Henkes’ ink and watercolor pictures.

Hills, Tad. What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites. Illus. by the author. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. (9780375847387).

Adapting Duck and Goose for the board book crowd, Hills whimsically presents concepts such as loud and quiet, far and near, and heavy and light in clear, child-appealing watercolors.

Hole, Stian. Garmann’s Summer. Illus. by the author. Tr. by Don Bartlett. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. (9780802853394)

Humorous and poetic text, combined with surreal and multi-layered artwork, creates a truly unique and complex look at the universality of fear and uncertainty in this tale of a six-year-old’s last summer before starting school. (2009 Batchelder Honor Book)

Kohara, Kazuno. Ghosts in the House! Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook. (9781596434271).

Faced with a houseful of ghosts, a little girl and her cat come up with a creative solution for repurposing them. Orange and black linocuts, collaged with rice paper “ghosts,” complete this appealing package for very young children.

McDonald, Megan. The Hinky Pink. Illus. by Brian Floca. Atheneum/Richard Jackson.(9780689875885).

Until the young seamstress Anabel finds the perfect bed for the Hobbledy-gob Hinky-Pink, she will get no sleep and the Princess’s dress will never be ready in time for the ball.

Morales, Yuyi. Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. (9781596433298).

Vibrant jewel-tone colors masterfully capture the story of Señor Calavera’s quest to find the perfect birthday gift for Grandma Beetle. Part ghost story, part trickster tale, the book features motifs from Mexican culture that represent each letter of the Spanish alphabet. (2009 Belpré Illustrator Award Book and Author Honor Book)

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. One Boy. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter.(9781596432741).

Seeger’s eye-catching picture book leads readers to discover words within words through a distinctive die-cut design and clean, bold illustrations. (2009 Geisel Honor Book)

Swanson, Susan Marie. The House in the Night. Illus. by Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin.(9780618862443).

This timeless bedtime verse offers reassurance to young children that there is always light in the darkness. Elegant line, with touches of golden watercolor, evoke the warmth and comfort of home, as well as the joys of exploring the wider world. (2009 Caldecott Medal Book)

Tafolla, Carmen. What Can You Do with a Rebozo? Illus. by Amy Cordova. Tricycle Press/Ten Speed Press. (9781582462202).

Rich, vibrant colors swirl and swoosh across full-page spreads, depicting the family home of an imaginative, young Mexican American girl who playfully invents modern-day uses for the traditional Mexican rebozo, or long scarf. (2009 Belpré Honor Book)

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane. Illus. by Sean Qualls. Henry Holt. (9780805079944).

John Coltrane’s childhood echoed with sounds. The formative experiences of the legendary musician and composer are portrayed in rhythmic language and stylized, mixed media illustrations in blues, browns and white. (2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book)

Willems, Mo. Are You Ready to Play Outside? Illus. by the author. Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group. (9781423113478).

Easily approachable text and expressive drawings tell the story of Piggie and Gerald who experience the ups and downs of a rainy day. (2009 Geisel Award Book)