New Easy Readers and Beginning Chapter Books 2023

I love all these new early reader books.

But the leveling? What the heck? The emergent reader levels are very inconsistent and often incorrect.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read these books, but you should know that these books may or may not match up with your young reader’s abilities. To help you, I’m including sample text from each book so you can see it for yourself.

Nat the Cat Takes a Nap by Jarrett Lerner
Ready-to-Read Pre-Level One (this level is actually spot on!)
Nat was taking a nap until the narrator woke him up! Then, the narrator wakes Nat up again with his brother Pat the Rat. Nat seems mad. Plus, Pat is NOT Nat’s brother. Will Nat ever get his nap? This book is hilarious! I predict this will be a popular book choice for beginning readers– it’s very clever.
“Pat the Rat is NOT my brother.
Get out of here, Pat!
Nat the Cat is mad at Pat the Rat.
I am NOT mad!”

Chicken Karaoke by Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illustrated by Aaron Spurgeon
Ready-to-Read Level 1 (seems more like a level 2)
Duck enters the Karaoke contest but feels nervous. Before she can leave, it’s her turn! She sings a high note and holds it when the machine gets stuck. All the barn animals applaud her efforts, and she wins. Rhyming fun!
“Her voice starts a bit quack-y.
Her knees knock.
Her palms sweat.
But the crowd cheers as she reaches her highest note yet!”

Dog Can Hide by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Fred Blunt
Ready to Go
Dog, Cat, and Frog play hide and seek in this easy reader book with the word families -at, -eek, -og, -urp and ten sight words and three bonus words.
“Cat can seek.
Cat can seek by the bog.”

Bookstore Bunnies by Eric Seltzer, illustrated by Tom Disbury
Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1 (nope! Probably more like a level 1)
Bookstore bunnies help their customers like Owl, who wants a book about being wise, and the chicks, who want a story about trucks. This is a sweet rhyming story in the life of the hard-working bookstore bunnies.
“Skunk wants a book from the highest shelf. Bookstore bunnies hop up to help.”

Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers by Megan Litwin, illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
Penguin Young Readers Level 2 (This level is more like a 1.)
Two best buds love bugs. They watch bugs and try to catch them. The boys build the bugs a barn, but the bugs go back home.
“It is afternoon.
Dirt and Bugsy are outside.
Bus are crawling up, down, all around.
Up arms.
Down legs.
All around the ground.”

Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends by Kaz Windness
Ready to Read Graphics 1
Worm insists that he and Caterpillar are exactly alike. But Caterpillar knows they are different. Plus, he’s going to change even more…His friend Worm waits and waits while Caterpillar transforms. These good friends discover they can still be friends even if they are different. Adorable with beautiful illustrations.
“Are the birds gone?
Yes. We are safe now.
Look! We both crawl on our bellies!
I have legs worm.
Sixteen of them.
Oh. I am not sure how I missed that.
I guess we are different, Caterpillar.
Yes! I like that we are different.”

Figgy & Boone The Big Cheese by Janee Trasler
Ready to Read Graphics 1 (book two in the series for early readers!)
Figgy wants cheese toast, but they don’t have cheese! Luckily, a big cheese wheel falls off a truck. But how can the friends roll it up the hill to their house? Boone thinks of trying levers and catapults, but nothing works until Figgy thinks about giving away some of the cheese to their friends! Darling, with a great message.
“Oh, I love cheese. Cheese, cheese, cheese. Oh, I love…
Figgy, we’re all out of cheese.”

Love Puppies: Best Friends Furever by JaNay Brown Wood
CHAPTER BOOK FOR AGES 7 – 9
The magical Crystal Bone calls the pups to help a lonely girl named Meiko. The Love Puppies plan turns to disaster. How will the puppies accomplish their mission? Warmhearted and sweet, you’ll love these caring puppies and the kids they help. I know this book series will be a hit with 2nd and 3rd graders!