As a teacher, and as a parent, I always loved early readers! They are the approximate size of an adult hardcover book, but they are thin. Different publishers produce them, and each one has its own “leveling” or “stage” information. Their size makes them great for small hands; colorful pictures and a wide range of difficulty make them terrific for lots of kids. There are a ton of categories for the format, so there’s something for everyone. Here are some examples:
Nonfiction
Nonfiction is one of my favorite uses of this format. As a librarian, I loved these for my younger students who were very strong readers because the format is for younger readers but there’s a full range of reading levels. The books are generally not over 50 pages or so (with illustrations). In nonfiction, you will find biographies, mythology, animal books, science exploration, geography and history. Some books use actual photographs and others use illustrations. Some of my favorite series here are the Science of Fun Stuff line and the Secrets of American History series. The authors do a fantastic job of writing accurate and engaging informational texts.
Familiar Characters – Books
Book characters from picture books – The Cat in the Hat, Fancy Nancy, Louise, Pete the Cat, Rocket, and Splat for example – can grow with readers when they show up in early readers. You’ll notice in these examples that the stories in early reader format are less complex and use a simpler vocabulary. This way, kids who have enjoyed these characters when parents have read their picture books aloud can now practice their own reading skills with those same characters.
Sometimes you will also see characters from chapter books show up in early readers. The illustrated Judy Moody and Friends line is the same size as the early readers, but they are longer (around 64 pages) and have more intricate stories. But they are also simpler stories than the transitional chapter books staring Judy and her brother, Stink. The new Magic School Bus books from Scholastic Branches (transitional chapter books) and these early readers have a similar look making for a nice transition between the series.
Familiar Characters – Popular Culture
Publishers often release early readers for new kid-friendly movies like Hotel Transylvania or SmallFoot. You can also find early readers for a lot of popular characters like Charlie Brown or Charlie the Ranch Dog (who also has picture books) and any number of superheros. DK Publishing produces a lot of Lego books in this format – their Disney Princess line is new and there are also books related to the various Lego movies. Of course, there are also plenty of Star Wars early readers as well as some from American Girl.
Range of Reading Levels and Topics
Readers can find books about feelings and sports and faith and Jesus in this format. There are also books with simple text and vocabulary for kids who are barely starting to sound out simple words. (The Space Cows and Party Pigs books look so FUN! I have to go track those down in person.)
Early readers can meet a variety of needs with this fun, simple format at a great price (usually $3.99 per book).