Early Readers Series My Patrons Love!

Early Reader books are my absolute favorite when working with young patrons. It is a joy to see children get a grasp on reading and feel confident when they move up levels in different early readers series. In this post, I will share some Early Readers series my patrons love and how you can expand on Early Readers through programming and services.

Read with Parker! by Parker Curry

At just 9 years old, Parker Curry is already a bestselling author with her early reader series! Parker and her mother Jessica Curry are co-authors in this beautiful series that truly shows the world through a child’s eyes. From learning to be mindful and working through big feelings to slumber parties, this series is a special one.

The Fox Series by Corey Tabor

I must admit: Corey Tabor is one of my favorite children’s authors. When I heard he had a new Early Readers series in the works, I could not wait! This series consists of stories about the mischievous, but silly Fox and his friends in the forest. Complete with beautiful illustrations and hijinks from the central character, this series is highly entertaining.

National Geographic Kids Readers Series

For children who love non-fiction books, the National Geographic Kids series is an excellent choice. This series covers a wide variety of subjects, including animals, astronomy, history, and more. The text of this series is very simple and easy for new readers, and the photos are very engaging.

Whole Phonics Decodable Book Sets

Thanks to the Science of Reading movement, decodable books have been gaining popularity. At my library, we have a “Literacy Corner” section which holds our decodable book collection. The most popular decodable book series is by Whole Phonics. This series is wonderful, in that each book focuses on specific sounds and concepts, and even includes reading comprehension questions for children. I highly recommend purchasing this series.

What Programs and Services Can You Do With Early Reader Books?

Early Readers are an important part of your collection, but they can also serve as inspiration for programming. For example, one of my most popular programs has been an Elephant & Piggie Book Club, in which we read a book every week and complete a craft or game related to the story. Here are some other program ideas inspired by Early Readers series:

• Caregiver and Child Writing Group: Inspired by Parker and Jessica Curry, develop a program for caregivers and their children to write their own stories together. Even better if you can make the stories into actual books that families can keep!
• Fox Scavenger Hunt: A fun and easy passive program to do is a Fox Scavenger Hunt! Place Fox all around your department and have the kids find out how silly he is.
• Citizen Science Club: Citizen Science programs are a great way for children to participate in real-life scientific studies. The National Geographic Kids series would be a great way to introduce children to citizen science projects and topics.  
• My First Book Club: This is a real simple one, but it would work great with decodable books. With decodable books, you can break down each session by specific concepts to focus on. 

What is an Early Readers series you recommend?

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This post is intended to address the following ALSC Competencies:  I: Commitment to Client Group and IV: Collection Knowledge and Management.