SOME BOOKS TOO GOOD TO MISS
Roberta Sherman ~ Reading Specialist Wakefield Elementary School
One of the essential~ building blocks of reading success is for the child to read a great number of books independently at his/her own appropriate level. The levels are organized along a continuum of increasing difficulty by Fountas and Pinnell.*~ The grade level range is approximate and the following lists are to be used as a guide.
Leveled Books for Grades 1-5
~
GRADE 1
EASIEST LEVEL A
Maris MY BOOK
Aruego LOOK WHAT I CAN DO
Canizares and Chanko WHAT DO INSECTS DO?
Hoenecke WHAT HAS WHEELS?
Carle DO YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND?
EASY LEVEL B
Stewart and Salem RUNAWAY MONKEY
Ziefert and Boon MOMMY WHERE ARE YOU?
Gossett and Ballinger HOW MANY FISH
Canizares and Chanko WHO LIVES IN THE ARCTIC?
COMFORTABLE BY END OF FIRST QUARTER
LEVEL C
Martin BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR
Lake I LOVE BUGS
Pasternac IN THE CITY
Wildsmith MY DREAM
Jonas NOW WE CAN GO
Mueller PLAYHOUSE FOR MONSTER
Tafuri SPOTS, FEATHERS AND CURLY TAILS
Shreiber and Doughty BOOTS
Tuchman and Dieterichs SWING, SWING, SWING
Kloes THE TRUCK STOP
COMFORTABLE BY END OF SECOND QUARTER
LEVEL D
Tafuri THE BALL BOUNCED
Ginsburg THE CHICK AND THE DUCKLING
Carter HOW MANY BUGS IN A BOX?
Mueller MONSTER CAN’T SLEEP
Mayer OOPS
Benjamin FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
Wood A DOG CALLED MISCHIEF
Tuer I’M HUNGRY
Ziefert SLEEPY DOG
Poulet BLUE BUG (SERIES)
LEVEL E
Swanson-Natsues DAYS OF ADVENTURE
Suess FOOT BOOK
Eastman GO DOG GO
Berenstain INSIDE, OUTSIDE, UPSIDE DOWN
Costain MY DAD’S TRUCK
Shreiber and Doughty PAPER BAG TRAIL
Mayer ALL BY MYSELF
Hunt and Brychta THE RUMMAGE SALE
Fitros BEST FRIENDS
Geddes BASEBALL FUN
COMFORTABLE BY THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
LEVEL F
Maccarone ITCHY ITCHY CHICKEN POX
Gave MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO
Hoban AMY LOVES THE SUN
Wheeler MAARMALADE’S NAP (SERIES)
Cummings SHOVELING SNOW
Urmston and Evans SAMMY BOOKS (SERIES)
Hoff WHO WILL BE MY FRIENDS?
Platnick TARANTULAS ARE SPIDERS
McPhail A BUG, A BEAR AND A BOY
Charles CALICO CAT (SERIES)
LEVEL G
Dorros ALLIGATOR SHOES
Snowball CHICKENS
Ziefert JASON’S BUS RIDE
Gelman MORE SPAGHETTI I SAY
Maccarone MONSTER MATH SCHOOL TIME
Marzollo I’M A CATERPILLAR
Capucilli BISCUIT BOOK (SERIES)
Harper CARLA’S BREAKFAST (SERIES)
Westcott PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY
Ahlberg EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM
COMFORTABLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR
LEVEL H
Rockwell THE AWFUL MESS
Kraus COME OUT AND PLAY LITTLE MOUSE (SERIES)
Joyce GEORGE SHRINKS
Mayer IF I HAD AN ALLIGATOR
Sendak SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS
Aliki WE ARE BEST FRIENDS
Cohen IT’S GEORGE
Ziefert NO BALL GAMES HERE
Johnson A PICTURE FOR HAROLD’S ROOM
Hoff SAMMY THE SEAL
LEVEL I
Hoff ALBERT THE ALBATROSS
Sendak ALLIGATORS ALL AROUND
Flack ANGUS AND THE CAT
Eastman ARE YOU MY MOTHER
Vaughan THE DANCING DRAGON
Fox HATTIE AND THE FOX
Carle THE VERY BUSY SPIDER
Cole THIS IS THE PLACE FOR ME
Minarik FATHER BEAR COMES HOME
Hunia GINGERBREAD MAN
CHALLENGING LEVEL J
Suess GREEN EGGS AND HAM
Rylant MR. PUTTER AND TABBY (SERIES)
Hoff DANNY AND THE DINOSAUR
Lobel MOUSE TAILS
Byars MY BROTHER ANT
MORE CHALLENGING LEVEL K
Hoban BEDTIME FOR FRANCES
Bridwell CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG (SERIES)
Yolen COMMANDER TOAD (Series)
Buller NO TOOTH NO QUARTER!
Bemelmans MADELINE (SERIES)
MOST CHALLENGING
LEVEL L
McCloskey MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS
Van Leeuwen TALES OF AMANDA PIG (SERIES)
Parish AMELIA BEDELIA (SERIES)
Brenner THINKING ABOUT ANTS
Lobel GRASSHOPPER ON THE ROAD
LEVEL M
Blume THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE IS THE GREEN KANGAROO
Brett THE MITTEN
Dadey and Jones ALIENS DON’T WEAR BRACES (SERIES)
Christopher CATCHER’S MASK
Brown ARTHUR ACCUSED (SERIES)
~
~~EASIEST LEVEL E
Mayer ALL BY MYSELF
Wildsmith IF I WERE YOU
Blaxland JUST A SEED
Eastman GO DOG, GO
Seuss THE FOOT BOOK
~
LEVEL F
~Cummings SHOVELING SNOW
Hoban AMY LOVES THE SUN
Wheeler MARMALADE’S NAP
Moss PETER’S PAINTING
Fleming BEAUTIFUL BUGS
~
LEVEL G
Dorros ALLIGATOR SHOES
Snowball CHICKENS
Gelman MORE SPAGHETTI I SAY
Shaw SHEEP IN A JEEP
Anholt ALL ABOUT YOU
~
LEVEL H
~Krauss COME OUT AND PLAY LITTLE MOUSE
Aliki WE ARE BEST FRIENDS
Sendak SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS
Joyce GEORGE SHRINKS
Mayer IF I HAD AN ALLIGATOR
~
COMFORTABLE FIRST HALF OF YEAR
LEVEL I
Hoff ALBERT THE ALBATROSS
Fox HATTIE AND THE FOX
Sendak ALLIGATORS ALL AROUND
Vaughan THE DANCING DRAGON
McPhail FIX-IT
Wells NOISY NORA
Lobel SMALL PIG
Wood THE NAPPING HOUSE
Anderson FLOATING AND SINKING
Brewster TOO MANY PUPPIES
~
LEVEL J
~dePaola CHARLIE NEEDS A CLOAK
Rylant HENRY AND MUDGE (SERIES)
Degen JAMBERRY
Keats THE SNOWY DAY
Byars MY BROTHER, ANT
Lobel FROG AND TOAD (SERIES)
Thaler PACK 109
Marshall FOX BE NIMBLE (SERIES)
Hoff DANNY AND THE DINOSAUR
Littledale THE MAGIC FISH
~
COMFORTABLE SECOND HALF OF YEAR
LEVEL K
~Cole BONY LEGS
Yolen COMMANDER TOAD BOOKS (SERIES)
Havill JAMAICA’S FIND
Noble THE DAY JIMMY’S BOA ATE THE WASH
Byars THE GOLLY SISTERS (SERIES)
Ross M & M (SERIES)
Sharmat NATE THE GREAT (SERIES)
Lobel FROG AND TOAD (SERIES)
Delacre NATHAN AND NICHOLAS ALEXANDER
Numeroff IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE
~
CHALLENGING LEVEL L
~Kline HORRIBLE HARRY (SERIES)
Allard MISS NELSON (SERIES)
Burton KATY AND THE BIG SHOW
Parish AMELIA BEDELIA (SERIES)
Van Leeuwen TALES OF AMANDA PIG (SERIES)
~
LEVEL M
~Giff THE SECRET AT THE POLK STREET SCHOOL (SERIES)
Cohen SECOND GRADE-FRIENDS AGAIN!
Hurwitz RIP-ROARING RUSSELL
Davidson FIVE TRUE HORSE STORIES
Barrett CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
~
MORE CHALLENGING LEVEL N
~
Christopher RETURN OF THE HOME RUN KID
Kane Nichols NO ROOM FOR A DOG
Bulla SHOESHINE GIRL
Danziger AMBER BROWN (SERIES)
Cameron THE STORIES JULIAN TELLS (SERIES)
~
MOST CHALLENGING LEVEL 0
~
McGinley THE MOST WONDERFUL DOLL IN THE WORLD
Hurwitz THE ADVENTURES OF ALI BABA BERNSTEIN
Cleary ADVENTURES WITH RAMONA (SERIES)
Jukes LIKE JAKE AND ME
Fritz WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA, BEN FRANKLIN?
GRADE 3
~
EASIEST LEVEL I
~
Wood THE NAPPING HOUSE
Lobel SMALL PIG
Kraus LEO THE LATE BLOOMER
Mayer THERE’S A NIGHTMARE IN MY CLOSET
Pilkey A FRIEND FOR DRAGON (SERIES)
~
LEVEL J~
dePaola CHARLIE NEEDS A CLOAK
Rylant HENRY AND MUDGE (SERIES)
Lobel MOUSE TAILS (SERIES)
Marshall FOX (SERIES)
Hoff DANNY AND THE DINOSAUR
~
EASY LEVEL K~
Sharmat NATE THE GREAT (SERIES)
Henkes SHEILA RAE, THE BRAVE
Byars THE GOLLY SISTERS (SERIES)
Noble THE DAY JIMMY’S BOA ATE THE WASH
Bourgeois and Clark FRANKLIN GOES TO SCHOOL (SERIES)
~
LEVEL L
Cole HUNGRY HUNGRY SHARKS
Adler CAM JANSEN (SERIES)
Marshall GEORGE AND MARTHA (SERIES)
Howe PINKY AND REX (SERIES)
Thayer THE PUPPY WHO WANTED A BOY
~
COMFORTABLE FIRST HALF OF YEAR
LEVEL M
~Dadey and Jones ALIENS DON’T WEAR BRACES (SERIES)
Williams A CHAIR FOR MY MOTHER
Cohen MOLLY’S PILGRM
Peterson THE LITTLES (SERIES)
Davidson FIVE TRUE HORSE STORIES
Cooney MISS RUMPHIUS
Williams CHERRIES AND CHERRY PITS
Polacco CHICKEN SUNDAY
Greenburg THE ZACK FILES (SERIES)
Wilson MONSTER FOR HIRE
~
COMFORTABLE SECOND HALF OF YEAR
LEVEL N
~Catling THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH
Houston MY GREAT-AUNT ARIZONA
Roy THE DEADLY DUNGEON (SERIES)
Giff SHARK IN SCHOOL
Cameron THE STORIES JULIAN TELLS (SERIES)
Jukes BLACKBERRIES IN THE DARK
Hall THE MYSTERY OF PONY HOLLOW
Danziger AMBER BROWN (SERIES)
Whelan HANNAH
Steptoe MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS
~
CHALLENGING LEVEL 0
~Smith CHOCOLATE FEVER
Estes THE HUNDRED DRESSES
Cleary RALPH S. MOUSE
Dagliesh THE COURAGE OF SARAH NOBLE
Warner THE BOXCAR CHILDREN (SERIES)
~
LEVEL P
~Small A PONY NAMED SHAWNEY
Gardiner STONE FOX
Sobol ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN (SERIES0
Maclachlan THROUGH GRANDPA’S EYES
Cole and Degen THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS (SERIES)
~
MORE CHALLENGING LEVEL Q
~
Wilder THE SHORES OF SILVER LAKE
Blume FUDGE-A-MANIA
Howe BUNNICULA (SERIES)
Sachar THERE’S A BOY IN THE GIRLS’ BATHROOM
McCloskey HOMER PRICE
~
LEVEL R~
McSwigan SNOW TREASURE
Cherry THE GREAT KAPOK TREE
Fleischman THE WHIPPING BOY
White CHARLOTTE’S WEB
Henry MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE
~
MOST CHALLENGING LEVEL S
~Dahl MATILDA
Taylor MISSISSIPPI BRIDGE
Coville MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN
Fox ONE-EYED CAT
Paterson THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS
~
LEVEL T
~Farley THE BLACK STALLION
Paulsen MR. TUCKET
Dahl DANNY, CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
Fritz SHH! WE’RE WRITING THE CONSTITUTION
Armstrong SOUNDER
SOME BOOKS TOO GOOD TO MISS -GRADE 4
~
EASIEST LEVEL L~
Levine I HATE ENGLISH
Coerr JOSEPHINA STORY QUILT
Sandin A LONG WAY TO A NEW LAND
Giff SAY “CHEESE”
Standiford THE TRUE STORY OF BALTO
~
LEVEL M~
Conford CAN DO, JENNY ARCHER
Blume FRECKLE JUICE
Greenburg ELVIS THE TURNIP AND ME
Giff FISH FACE
Gannett MY FATHER’S DRAGON
~
EASY LEVEL N~
Dahl THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE
Garelick LOOK AT THE MOON
Bulla THE CHALK BOX KID
Goble BUFFALO WOMAN
Caudill DID YOU CARRY THE FLAG TODAY CHARLEY?
~
LEVEL O
~Hurwitz CLASS PRESIDENT
Park THE KID IN THE RED JACKET
Brandt MARIE CURIE
Bulla SQUANTO: FRIEND OF THE PILGRIMS
Yolen OWL MOON
~
COMFORTABLE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR
LEVEL P
~Mathis THE HUNDRED PENNY BOX
Parlin AMELIA EARHART
Kromer BASEBALL’S GREATEST PITCHERS
Hudson FIVE BRAVE EXPLORERS
Dahl GEORGE’S MARVELOUS MEDICINE
Graff HELEN KELLER
Pitts JUSTIN AND THE BEST BISCUITS IN THE WORLD
George ONE DAY IN THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
Sobol ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN (SERIES)
MacLachlan THROUGH GRANDPA’S EYES
~
LEVEL Q
~Wilder LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE
Blume TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING
Clifford HELP! I’M A PRISONER IN THE LIBRARY
McCloskey HOMER PRICE
Dahl JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
Atwater MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS
Howe BUNNICULA (SERIES)
Cleary DEAR MR. HENSHAW
Dahl FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Sachar THERE’S A BOY IN THE GIRLS’ BATHROOM
~
COMFORTABLE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR
LEVEL R
~Henry KING OF THE WIND
Fritz AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED PAUL REVERE?
Blume OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SHEILA THE GREAT
Brink CADDIE WOODLAWN
Dahl CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Berry PHOEBE THE SPY
Byars THE COMPUTER NUT
Taylor THE TROUBLE WITH TUCK
Naylor SHILOH
Paulsen HATCHET
~
CHALLENGING LEVEL S
~Konigsburg FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E
FRANKWEILER
Taylor SONG OF THE TREES
Kimmel Smith THE WAR WITH GRANDPA
Avi POPPY
Woodruff THE ORPHAN OF ELLIS ISLAND
GRADE 5
~
EASIEST LEVEL 0
~
Hurwitz CLASS CLOWN
Jukes LIKE JAKE AND ME
Park SKINNYBONES
McGovern THE SECRET SOLDIER(DEBORAH SAMPSON)
Johnston THEY LED THE WAY:14 AMERICAN WOMEN
~
LEVEL P~
Mathis THE HUNDRED PENNY BOX
Parlin AMELIA EARHART
George ONE DAY IN THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
Small A PONY NAMED SHAWNEY
Gardiner STONE FOX
~
EASY LEVEL Q~
Wilder BY THE SHORE OF SILVER LAKE
Blume SUPERFUDGE
Clifford HELP! I’M A PRISONER IN THE LIBRARY
Howe BUNNICULA (SERIES)
Sachar THERE’S A BOY IN THE GIRLS’ BATHROOM
~
LEVEL R
~DeClements NOTHING’S FAIR IN FIFTH GRADE
Fritz THE CABIN FACED WEST
Coerr SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES
Maclachlan SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL
Byars THE MIDNIGHT FOX
~
FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR
LEVEL S
~
Lord IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR AND JACKIE ROBINSON
Fleishman SEEDFOLKS
Paterson BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
Avi POPPY AND RYE
Fox ONE-EYED CAT
Coville MY TEACHER FLUNKED THE PLANET
Paterson THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS
Taylor THE GOLD CADILLAC
Konigsburg FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E
FRANKWEILER
Selden THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE
~
LEVEL T~
Farley THE BLACK STALLION
Paulsen MR. TUCKET
Dahl DANNY, CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
Curtis BUD, NOT BUDDY
Speare THE SIGN OF THE BEAVER
Fritz SHH! WE’RE WRITING THE CONSTITUTION
Avi SOMETHING UPSTAIRS
Armstrong SOUNDER
Lewis THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
Key THE FORGOTTEN DOOR
~
SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR
LEVEL U
~Snyder THE EGYPT GAME
Blos A GATHERING OF DAYS
George JULIE AND THE WOLVES
Lowry NUMBER THE STARS
Paterson PARK’S QUEST
Burnett THE SECRET GARDEN
Konigsburg THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY
Speare THE BRONZE BOW
George MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
Langton FLEDGLING
~
CHALLENGING LEVEL V
O’Dell ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS
Creech WALK TWO MOONS
Gipson OLD YELLER
Avi THE FIGHTING GROUND
Rowling HARRY POTTER (SERIES)
~
MORE CHALLENGING LEVEL W
George THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND
Juster THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH
Taylor ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR ME CRY
Voigt DICEY’S SONG
Yep DRAGONWINGS
~
LEVEL X
~
Sperry CALL IT COURAGE
Hamilton M.C. HIGGINS THE GREAT
Rawls WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS
Cooper THE GREY KING
Rawlings THE YEARLING
Filipovic ZLATA’S DIARY
~
MOST CHALLENGING LEVEL Y
~
Collier MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD
Latham CARRY ON MR. BOWDITCH
Frank THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
London CALL OF THE WILD
Adams WATERSHIP DOWN
~
LEVEL Z
Haddix AMONG THE HIDDEN
Meigs INVINCIBLE LOUISA
Lipsythe THE CONTENDER
Keyes FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON
Tolkien THE HOBBIT