BOOK BINDER: New books for beginning readers

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, September 18, 2002

“I can read it myself!” What wonderful words for a parent to hear! Readers of all skill levels will find something new at the Astoria Public Library. Here are some for those beginning readers discovering books.

Children in preschool though kindergarten can learn to identify the letters and numbers as they learn new words with their old friends from Sesame Street in “ABC and 123: A Sesame Street Treasury of Words and Numbers,” by The Children’s Television Workshop and illustrator Harry McNaught

“Do Your Ears Hang Low?” Remember that song? Songs are great for developing language skills in young children who are in preschool through first grade. You and your children can sing along as you follow the words and the brightly colored illustrations in “Do Your Ears Hang Low?,” by Caroline Jayne Church.

This book about seasons and family fun is written for those who are ready to read short sentences. Brightly colored illustrations depict a child’s favorite place, her yard. “In the Yard,” written by Dana Meachen Rau and illustrated by Elizabeth Wolf, includes a vocabulary list of words in the back of the book. This book is suitable for children in preschool through first grade.

Margaret Wise Brown is the author of many books for beginning readers. In “I Like Stars” she shares her love of stars as children read short sentences with frequently used words. “I Like Stars” is illustrated by Joan Paley and suitable for children in preschool through first grade.

Pelly is different. None of the other kids in her first grade Martian pod looks like her. The others all have tentacles on top of their heads. Pelly has a fluffernobbin like the rest of her family. Tera says she is weird. Pelly begins to think he is right. Follow her attempts to be “normal” in “First Graders From Mars Episode 2: The Problem with Pelly” written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Mark Teague. This book is suitable for children in kindergarten through first grade.

Richard Scarry has developed 12 easy-to-read stories in one book. Beginning readers will be proud of themselves as they read this big book of stories full of fun and adventure. “Richard Scarry’s Best Read-it-Yourself Book Ever,” by Richard Scarry, is suitable for children in first through third grades.

Chip is invisible, Justin knows how to read lips and Charlene is sometimes bossy but always brave. Together they form the Invisible Inc. Detective Agency. In “The Karate Class Mystery,” by Elizabeth Levy, the trio learns first hand that the marshal art is not as easy as it looks. They also learn that someone is a thief, and it seems to be Charlene. Recommended for children in second and third grades.

At Prunella’s half-birthday party, her sister shows everyone her fortune-telling cootie-catcher. Does it really predict the future? It seems to. Arthur and his friends soon become slaves to its every move. Will the cootie-catcher control their lives forever? Find out in “Arthur and the Cootie-Catcher,” by Marc Brown. Arthur and his friends and family are also featured on PBS. This book is suitable for children in third and through fourth grades.

While Jill and Gwen are training to be cowgirls on Uncle Dale’s ranch in New Mexico, strange things start to happen. They are told that the ghost of a wild horse haunts the barn out back with the padlock. They can hear mysterious howling and Fletcher their lazy basset hound frequently disappears. Will they solve the mystery? “Something Queer in the Wild West,” written by Elizabeth Levy and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, is suitable for children in third and fourth grades.

– Patty Skinner, senior library assistant, Astoria Public Library