Fun Books for First Graders

Picture Books

• Alda, Arlene. Lulu's Piano Lesson. 2010.
  

  Lulu avoids practicing the piano all week, and when Friday afternoon arrives and she is not prepared for her lesson, she gets inspiration from her teacher.

• Barnett, Mac. Oh No!: Or, How my Science Project Destroyed the World. 2010.
  

  After winning the science fair with the giant robot she has built, a little girl realizes there is a major problem.

• Berne, Jennifer. Calvin Can't Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie. 2010.
  

  A young starling chooses to read books when his cousins are learning to fly, and the knowledge he acquires comes in handy when a hurricane threatens the flock's migration.

• Bottner, Barbara. Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't). 2010.
  

  After stubbornly resisting her school librarian's efforts to convince her to love books, a first-grade girl finds one that might change her mind.

• Fine, Edith Hope. Water, Weed, and Wait. 2010.
  

  The students in Miss Marigold's class take on her challenge to turn a neglected patch of schoolyard into a beautiful garden, and enlist the help of their friends, family and neighbors.

• Frisch, Aaron. A Night on the Range. 2010.
  

  As he camps overnight in the backyard, an aspiring young cowboy with a healthy imagination spends his first night "on the range."

• Gay, Marie-Louise. Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth. 2010.
  

  Roslyn Rutabaga is a rabbit with a plan to dig the biggest whole on earth.

• Harper, Charise Mericle. The Best Birthday Ever! 2011.
  

  Lana Kittie explains how to have the best birthday ever!

• Kaplan, Bruce. Monsters Eat Whiny Children. 2010.
  

  Henry and Eve are kidnapped by monsters who eat whiny children, but as increasing numbers of monsters argue over how to prepare them, they begin to play nicely.

• Katz, Alan. Stalling. 2010.
  

  An energetic young boy has many things to do before he is ready to go to bed.

• Palatini, Margie. Goldie and the Three Hares. 2010.
  

  When Goldilocks, running from the three bears, falls down a rabbit hole and hurts her foot, a family of hares tries to help her, but she proves to be a very loud, demanding guest.

• Power, Shena. Albertine's Got Talent. 2010.
  

  Dad is a prize-winning gardener, Mom can speedily sew complicated outfits and brother Sam is an expert at soccer, but Albertine needs help uncovering her hidden talents.

• Rausch, Molly. My Cold Went on Vacation. 2011.
  

  A little boy is curious about all the places his cold might go after it leaves him.

• Rickards, Lynne and Lee Wildish. Jacob O'Reilly Wants a Pet. 2010.
  

  Lots of kids want a pet, and Jacob finds out just what it takes to have one.

Readers

• Catrow, David. Max Spaniel: Funny Lunch. 2010.
  

  Max Spaniel is chef at his own diner, where he serves up one hysterical meal after another.

• Crow, Melinda Melton. Truck Buddies. 2010.
  

  Dump Truck wants to play, but all the other trucks are working. See if Dump Truck finds something else to do.

• Ghigna, Charles. Barn Storm. 2010.
  

  When a tornado touches down in a pond on Farmer Brown's property, it sets off a chain of events among the barnyard animals that soon has every creature displaced, but not unhappy.

• Grogan, John. Strike Three, Marley! 2010.
  

  When Daddy and Cassie take their dog to the baseball game, Marley not only roots for the home team, he tries to join them.

• Skofield, James. Detective Dinosaur Undercover. 2010.
  

  In three brief mysteries, Detective Dinosaur learns about doing undercover work, gets chased by strange blobs and finds rain on a sunny day.

• Weeks, Sarah. Mac and Cheese. 2010.
  

  Two cats that are as different as night and day are, nevertheless, best friends.

• Yorinks, Arthur. Flappy and Scrappy. 2011.
  

  After canine friends Scrappy and Flappy play an unusual game of catch, Scrappy complains that everyone has forgotten his birthday, but Flappy surprises him.

Non-fiction

• More Life Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya. 2010. [J 590.73 KOM]
  

  Readers can get eye-to-eye with a hippopotamus or nose-to-nose with a bison in this fascinating book full of actual-size photography of 20 zoo animals.

• Insect Detective by Steve Voake. 2010. [J 595.7 VOA]
  

  A fact-filled invitation to explore the world of insects with hand lettered notes and delicate pen and watercolor illustrations. Includes hands-on activities.

• Art Museum Opposites by Katy Friedland. 2010. [J 700 FRI]
  

  Explore opposites through famous works of art.

revised April 2011