Get Ready for Kindergarten

Get Ready for Kindergarten

• Kindergarten Kids: Riddles, Rebuses, Wiggles, Giggles and More!
  by Stephanie Calmenson. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. HarperCollins, 2005.
  (jPS CALM)
  Illustrated poems and riddles portray a wide variety of activities and experiences from the wide world of kindergarten.
• Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson. Viking, 1999.
  (jPS CARL)
  Henry has been looking forward to going to kindergarten, but has misgivings once he is there. (Also available in Spanish)
• On the Way to Kindergarten by Virginia Kroll. Illusrated by Elizabeth Schlossberg.
  G.P. Putnam and Sons, 2006.
  (jPS KROL)
  Bear's increasing accomplishments are highlighted in rhyme, from babyhood to the first day of school.
• Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell. Walker and Company, 2001.
  (jPS ROCK)
  After visiting the classroom where he will attend kindergarten the following fall, a boy is able to dispel his reservations about school.
• I Love School! by Philemon Sturges. Illustrated by Shari Halpern.
  HarperCollins Publishers, 2004.
  (jPS STUR)
  Seven kids and the teacher they love show their typical day of school is fun and filled with activities.
• My Shining Star: Raising a Child Who is Ready to Learn by Rosemary Wells. Scholastic Press, 2006.
  (jPS WELL)
  Direct, simple advice is given in the form of ten proven principles - illustrated with Wells' favorite bunnies! Also: My Kindergarten
• How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Mark Teague. Simon and Schuster, 2007.
  (jPS YOLE)
  We know they can count to ten...what would it be like if dinosaurs came to school? Find out by reading this book! Also: How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?

Concepts

• One Moose, Twenty Mice by Clare Beaton. Barefoot Books, 1999. (jPS BEAT)
  Here's where you can count from one to twenty with animals to guide you. Don't forget to look for the orange cat!
• 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban. Greenwillow Books, 1987.
  (jPS HOBA)
  Colorful photographs introduce the alphabet, counting and coinage using common objects, numbers and coins. Also: Just Look and Let’s Count
• What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steven Jenkins and Robin Page. Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
  (jPS JENK)
  Or a nose? Or mouth? Ears? Eyes? Feet? Have lots of fun with this animal guessing game. (Also available in Spanish)
• Growing Colors by Bruce McMillan. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1988.
  (jPS MACM)
  The colors of nature are displayed in this photographic collection of green peas, red potatoes and other fruits and vegetables. Also: Sense Suspense: A Guessing Game for the Five Senses
• The City ABC Book by Zoran Milich. Kids Can Press, 2001.
  (jPS MILI)
  Go on an alphabet hunt through a city in this photographic journey of letters. Also: City Signs and City 1 2 3
• Five For a Little One by Chris Raschka. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006. (jPS RASC)
  Explore the world around you using your five senses along with this alert little bunny. Also: The Hello Goodbye Window
• What Time is It, Mr. Crocodile? by Judy Sierra. Illustrated by Doug Cushman. Harcourt, 2004.
  (jPS SIER)
  Will the little monkeys escape Mr. Crocodile's plan to eat them in time? Find out here! Also: Monster Goose and Wild About Books
• Black? White! Day? Night!: A Book Of Opposites
  by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Roaring Brook Press, 2006.
  (jPS SEEG)
  Colorful die-cut pages introduce a number opposites including black and white, big and little, and day and night.

My Family and Me

• I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite and Baba Wague Diakite. Illustrated by Baby Wague Diakite. Scholastic Press, 2006.
  (jPS DIAK)
  While visiting her father's family in Mali, a young girl loses a tooth and receives an unusual gift from the tooth fairy.
• Oh No, Gotta Go by Susan Middleton Elya. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Putnam's Sons, 2003.
  (jPS ELYA)
  A family anxiously searches for a bathroom for their young daughter while on a car trip.
• “Let's Get a Pup!” Said Kate by Bob Graham. Candlewick Press, 2001.
  (jPS GRAH)
  Kate and her family search the animal shelter for a new puppy but cannot resist the charm of an older dog. Also: Max
• The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin. Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999.
  (jPS LIN)
  A young girl wants her mother's garden to be colorful like the other gardens in their neighborhood, until she smells the delicious Chinese vegetable soup. Also: Fortune Cookie Fortunes and Dim Sum For Everyone!
• Bee Bim Bop by Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee. Clarion Books, 2005.
  (jPS PARK)
  Rhyming text highlights a young girl's adventure helping her mother shop and prepare the family's favorite meal. Recipe included.
• The Family Book by Todd Parr. Little Brown and Co., 2003.
  (jPS PARR)
  A mixture of families are characterized, some are loud and quiet, some are large and small but all are similar in many ways. Also: It’s Okay To Be Different
• The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998.
  (jPS POLA)
  Four generations of a Jewish immigrant family are connected to a homemade quilt which represents their love and faith. Also: My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother
• Pete's a Pizza by William Steig. HarperCollins Publishers, 1998.
  (jPS STEI)
  When rain stops Pete from playing ball outside, his father creates a funny indoor game for them to play together. Also: The Amazing Bone

School Stories

• Amelia’s Show-And-Tell Fiesta/Amelia Y La Fiesta De “Muestra y Cuenta”
  by Mimi Chapra. Illustrated by Martha Avilés. Katherine Tegen Books, 2004.
  (SPANISH jPS CHAP)
  Amelia, a young Cuban immigrant, brings a special fiesta dress to her first show-and-tell at school.
• The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola. Putnam, 1989.
  (jPS DePA)
  The autobiographical story of Tomie’s own troubles and triumphs encountered in his kindergarten art class. Also: Stagestruck
• What Did You Do Today? by Toby Forward. Illustrated by Carol Thompson. Clarion Books, 2004.
  (jPS FORW)
  A young child narrates his first day of school.
• I Am Not Going to School Today by Robie H. Harris. Illustrated by Jan Ormerod. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2003.
  (jPS HARR)
  A little boy’s first day of school jitters are consoled by having his special stuffed animal join him.
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, 1996.
  (jPS HENK)
  Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, learns a valuable lesson about sharing time. Also: Julius, the Baby of the World and Lilly’s Big Day
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman. Illustrated by Caroline Binch. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1991.
  (jPS HOFF)
  An evocative story of Grace who can do anything she sets her mind to do including being Peter Pan, who is not black or female, in the class play. Also: Boundless Grace
• Miss Bindergarten Has a Wild Day in Kindergarten by Joseph Slate. Illustrated by Ashely Wolff. Dutton Children's Books, 2005.
  (jPS SLAT)
  Miss Bindergarten, the beloved kindergarten teacher, has a hilarious day full of folly and mishap. Also: Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
• Yoko by Rosemary Wells. Hyperion Books for Children, 1998.
  (jPS WELL)
  Yoko is teased by her classmates for bringing her favorite sushi for lunch until Timothy and others try it at International Food Day. (Also available in other languages)

Stories in Rhyme

• Parts by Tedd Arnold. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1997.
  (jPS ARNO)
  A little boy mistakenly thinks his body is falling apart, until his parents reassure him that he’s just like everybody else. Also: More Parts
• I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont. Illustrated by David Catrow.
  Harcourt, 2005.
  (jPS BEAU)
  A little boy cannot resist painting everything he sees, including himself! Also: I Like Myself!
• My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman. Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Crown Publishers, c1996.
  (jPS GROS)
  Little sister eats everything around her, including one hare and nine lizards, in this zany counting tale.
• There Was a Bold Lady Who Wanted a Star by Charise Mericle Harper.
  Little Brown, 2002.
  (jPS HARP)
  In this variation of “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” a lively woman uses many different vehicles to reach a star.
• Miss Mary Mack: A Hand-Clapping Rhyme adapted by Mary Ann Hoberman. Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Little Brown, 1998.
  (jPS HOBE)
  A lively elephant along with a young girl dance and move to the familiar schoolyard rhyme “Miss Mary Mack.” Also: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories To Read Together
• To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda. Illustrated by Janet Stevens. Harcourt Brace, 1997.
  (jPS MIRA)
  A woman brings home the animals she bought at the supermarket, with chaotic results!
• Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Suess. Random House, 1940.
  (jPS SEUS)
  When an elephant hatches an egg, the whole jungle starts talking about it. Also: Horton Hears a Who and Green Eggs and Ham
• The Napping House by Audrey Wood. Illustrated by Don Wood. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984.
  (jPS WOOD)
  A sleepy household comes together on Granny's bed, slowly building a very relaxed pile of bodies in shifting positions, until a flea wakes everyone up! Also: King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and The Flying Dragon Room

Classic: New and Old

• Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000.
  (jPS CRON)
  When Farmer Brown's cows learn to type, they leave him notes demanding electric blankets and other items to make them more comfortable on the farm. Also: Diary of a Worm
• Olivia by Ian Falconer. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000.
  (jPS FALC)
  Join energetic Olivia during her busy, fun-filled day, as she sings very loud songs, tries on all her clothing, reproduces abstract artwork on the walls, and wears people out-even herself! Also: Olivia and the Missing Toy
• Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1977, 1928.
  (jPS GAG)
  With millions and trillions of cats to choose from, how can an old man and his wife select just one?
• The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg. Dial Press, 1977.
  (jPS KELL)
  Louis can hardly wait for his pet tadpole Alphonse to grow into a frog, but soon realizes his pet is no ordinary frog. Also: The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash and Engelbert the Elephant
• Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen. Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Candlewick Press, 2006.
  (jPS KNUD)
  A lion comes to the library regularly, and follows all the rules, until an accident happens and he has to get the librarian’s attention the only way he knows how.
• There's an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1987.
  (jPS MAYE)
  A little boy is sure that there is an alligator under his bed and very determined to alleviate this problem.
• The Little Engine That Could by Wally Piper. Philomel Books, 2005.
  (jPS PIPE)
  When the other engines refuse, the Little Blue Engine tries to pull a stranded train full of toys and food over the mountain for the children on the other side.
• Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback. Viking, 1999.
  (jPS TABA)
  Joseph has a very old overcoat which he recycles several times into a variety of garments, including a jacket, a vest, a scarf, and finally, a story. Also: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

Friendship

• A Splendid Friend Indeed by Suzanne Bloom. Boyds Mills, 2005.
  (jPS BLOO)
  An endearing tale of friendship between a talkative goose and pensive polar bear. (Also available in Spanish)
• Ella the Elegant Elephant by Carmela D'Amico. Illustrated by Steven D'Amico. Arthur A. Levin, 2004.
  (jPS DAMI)
  Wearing Grandma’s “good luck hat,” shy little Ella faces her fears of being new to town and making friends at school. Also: Ella Takes the Cake and Ella Sets the Stage
• Hunter's Best Friend at School by Laura Malone Elliot. Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. HarperCollins, 2002.
  (jPS ELLI)
  What will Hunter do when his best friend Stripe decides to be naughty at school?
• A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats. Harper & Row, 1986.
  (jPS KEAT)
  It’s Peter’s birthday and he creates a special invitation for friend, Amy. Also: Whistle for Willie and The Snowy Day
• What Do You Say, Dear? by Sesyle Joslyn. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
  Harper & Row, 1958.
  (jPS JOSL)
  A rollicking and whimsical introduction to manners and etiquette for any situation.
• George and Martha by James Marshall. Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
  (jPS MARS)
  Short tales of the humorous friendship of two hippopotamuses. (Also available in Chinese and Spanish)
• May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers. Illustrated by Beni Montresor. Atheneum, 1964.
  (jPS DeRE)
  A polite young boy repeatedly asks permission to bring animal friends along when visiting the king and queen.
• Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber. Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
  (jPS WABE)
  A boy is excited at the prospect of spending the night at his friend's house but worries how he'll get along without his teddy bear. (Also available in Spanish)

Humorous Stories

• The Last Laugh by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2006.
  (jPS ARUE)
  A nearly wordless story of a clever duck who outwits the big snake bully. Also: A Crocodile’s Tale
• The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming. H. Holt, 2006.
  (jPS FLEM)
  When cow wakes up clucking she sets out to get her “moo” back. Also: Mama Cat Has Three Kittens and In the Small, Small Pond
• The Merry Chase written and illustrated by Clement Hurd. Chronicle Books, 2005.
  (jPS HURD)
  When a cat and dog meet, the cat leads the dog on a chase under ladders, across tables and over people until she reaches a safe place.
• Don't Laugh, Joe by Keiko Kasza. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1997.
  (jPS KASZ)
  Ticklish, silly opossum youngster Joe, can’t help laughing every time he plays dead…until a real bear comes along. Also: A Mother For Choco and Wolf’s Chicken Stew
• Froggy Bakes a Cake by Jonathan London. Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Grosset & Dunlap, 2000.
  (jPS LOND)
  Froggy makes a huge mess when baking a special cake for his mother’s birthday. Also: Froggy Goes to Bed
• How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long. Illustrated by David Shannon. Harcourt, 2003.
  (jPS LONG)
  When Jeremy Jacob joins Braidbeard and his pirate crew, he discovers how pirates really live. Also: Pirates Don't Change Diapers
• Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.
  HarperCollins, 2006.
  (jPS OCON)
  A story of how a little girl convinces her family to be fancy too, if only for one night.
• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems. Hyperion Books for Children, 2003.
  (jPS WILL)
  Would you let a pigeon drive the bus? (Also available in Spanish) Also: Knuffle Bunny