Your Kids Will Love These New Easy Readers

If you’re a teacher or parent of someone learning to read, you know how important quality, engaging, and interesting reading material is to hook your kids. These new easy readers are really awesome — you’re going to love them!

See ALL My Recommended Easy Readers.

If your child is learning to read or you teach growing readers, I highly recommend Reading Simplified’s resources.

New Easy Readers (2019)

Hi, Jack! (A Jack Book) by Mac Barnett & Greg Pizzoli
I LOVE this amazing early reader story because it’s easy, fun, and MAKES SENSE. That’s why I’m so thrilled to tell you that this book hits all the right spots for growing readers. Your kids will read all about mischievous Jack who lives with Lady and all the trouble he gets into…over and over again.

Jack Blasts Off! (A Jack Book) by Mac Barnett & Greg Pizzoli
Lady sends Jack and his friend Rex on a one-way ticket to space where they crash land on an alien’s spaceship. The alien gets angry so Jack and Rex leave for the dark side of the moon where they encounter a big scary monster! But the alien will save them! It’s a real, suspense-filled adventure in the packaging of an early reader. Impressive!

New Easy Reader line from ACRON BOOKS from SCHOLASTIC!!

Do You Like My Bike? (Hello, Hedgehog!) by Norm Feuti
Not only is this written in comic panels but the dialogue is in bubbles in colors are unique to the character speaking, making this a supportive first graphic novel experience. Hedgehog can’t wait to show his friend Harry his new bike. Kids will love these darling stories of friendship and bike riding.

Sparkly New Friends (Unicorn and Yeti) by Heather Ayris Burnell, illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla
Unicorn helps Yeti be grateful and confident about who he is and where he lives. Then Yeti helps Unicorn try new things like a snowball fight. The short stories of friendship between two mythical creatures are perfect for beginning readers who will fall in love with this new series.

There are two more new series in the Acorn line called Crabby and Dragon but they weren’t favorites for me. Dragon’s reading level seemed harder than the other books and Crabby’s story and character weren’t appealing to me in the least. Just an FYI if you’re curious about the entire Acorn line.

More Early Readers (2019)

Harold & Hog Pretend For Real by Dan Santat
Elephant and Piggie fans, you’ll want to read this clever book about two friends who also love Elephant and Piggie …and interestingly enough, look sort of like them but just a tad different, too. This elephant is Harold with a pig friend named Hog. Instead of Mo Willems, it’s written and illustrated by the uber-talented Dan Santat. Today, the friends decide to pretend to be Elephant and Piggie — only it doesn’t work out and their friendship comes into question. Will these two friends figure out how to pretend for real? And the bigger question is, will Elephant and Piggie fans like or dislike this story? (My daughter wasn’t too enthusiastic.)

Flubby Is Not a Good Pet by J.E. Morris
This very easy reader is about a cat named Flubby who, like most cats, does no tricks or other fun pet things. But in the end, he and his owner, Kami, comfort each other in a loud thunderstorm. Darling!

I Think I Can by Karen S. Robbins, illustrated by Rachael Brunson
This story is a dialogue of VERY simple text that often repeats telling the story of one friend who wants to sing a special song to another friend. The aardvark’s words are in green. The mouse’s reply is in gray. Aardvark’s song will make you sing along!

I Will Race You Through This Book! by Jonathan Fenske
Ready for a silly easy reader book that breaks the fourth wall by talking directly to you, the reader? Bunny wants you to know that he can beat you to the end of the book. It’s silly, fun, and irresistible.

A Skunk in My Bunk! by Christopher Cerf, illustrated by Nicola Slater
Because this book is designed to build on a child’s ability to rhyme but not decode words, use this as a read-aloud not an easy reader for younger kids who are learning how to rhyme. First, are a list of words that rhyme followed by a sentence with those words. For example, “DUCK / TRUCK / MUCK / The duck / drove the truck / into the muck.” Clever, silly illustrations support the sentences; sentences like, “Now the duck and the truck are stuck in the muck!”
I asked reading expert, Marnie Ginsberg of Reading Simplified, about this book. She explained that if kids don’t have good sound-based decoding, a book like this turns their brain off to decoding and they simply start to rhyme and not read the print.

This Is My Fort (A Monkey & Cake Book) by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Olivier Tallec
Cake makes a fort but won’t let Monkey play in it. Monkey really loves forts so he turns the tables with a clever twist. I love the lesson of being inclusive and also the dialogue bubbles in different colors showing which character is speaking.

Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kokar
What a weird and funny yet relatable book of stories! Solitary Frank can’t help but be friends with Bean even though he doesn’t want to at first. Bean is just such a lovable, loud, and exuberant character, Frank can’t help but be friends with him.

Smell My Foot (Chick and Brain) by Cece Bell
Written in comic panels, these are hilarious and weird conversations between Chick and Brain and eventually, Spot. Chick tries to teach Brain about polite conversation and Brain demands that Chick smells his foot. Which Chick won’t do until … Brain says please. It’s friendship, fun, and frivolity at it’s best — sure to entertain all growing readers again and again.