This acclaimed, groundbreaking series of 72 lavishly-illustrated, reading-readiness books debuted in the 1990s and were published through the early 2000´s. The series is now being reissued by Gareth Stevens Publishing. Some two dozen titles are just now available. Order online at www.garethstevens.com or by phone at 414-332-3520. The publisher is also providing free downloadable Teachers Guides on its website.
The Ready-to-Read™ series is divided into three levels of difficulty for children at different ages and stages of reading development.
Level 1 is for children in Pre-K – Grade 1; the books are suitable for reading aloud with children getting ready to read or who are beginning to read words or phrases.
Level 2 is aimed at children in Grades 1 through 3 who are on their way to reading independently, but who may still need some help.
Level 3 is designed for children in Grades 2 and 3 who can read on their own. The books can also be enjoyed as read-alouds.
Here are the newly available titles:
Level 1:
The Boy Who Cried “Wolf!” by Ellen Schecter. In this fable, a young shepherd tricks the townsfolk once too often into thinking wolves are attacking his sheep.
A Dog’s Tale, by Seymour Reit. Ruff, a lonely pup at the dog pound, finds Wendy, the perfect owner, and trains her to be his person.
Feed Me! An Aesop Fable, by William H. Hooks. A mother lark figures out when to take action to protect her four hungry babies.
The Gruff Brothers, by William H. Hooks. The three “Gruff” goat brothers lead the way across a bridge guarded by a dangerous and hungry troll.
The Rebus Bears, by Seymour Reit. Mixing words and pictures turns the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears into a delightful rebus puzzle.
Sleep Tight, Pete, by Ellen Schecter. Pete loves his Mom’s funny bedtime stories because they are all about him and their special adventures together.
Two Crows Counting, by Doris Orgel. A big crow and a small one count what and whom they see from sunrise to sunset in this whimsical counting book.
Where’s Lulu? by William H. Hooks. When our heroine gets a new ball from her dad, she searches all over for her best pal Lulu to help her play with it.
Level 2:
Animal Hide-And-Seek, by Teddy Slater. Discover how animals blend in with their backgrounds as you play hide-and-seek with them!
Beavers Beware! by Barbara Brenner. What happens when beavers build their lodge on a family’s diving dock? A fact-based adventure.
Button Soup, by Doris Orgel. Rag-Tag Meg uses a button to create a delicious soup—with some help from her friend Mandy and the people in the neighborhood.
Choco-Louie, by Jeff Kindley. Can Louie give up his beloved chocolate for a week to win a bet with his big brother?
Hedgehog Bakes A Cake, by Maryann Macdonald. When Hedgehog decides to bake a cake, his friends only help to make a mess! But all is not lost.
The Monster from the Sea, by William H. Hooks. A princess longing for excitement on an isolated island meets a handsome monster in a scuba diving suit.
Real Live Monsters! by Ellen Schecter. Spooky spiders, lurking leeches, buggy beetles—here are a bunch of the scariest, yuckiest creatures on Earth!
Too Many Mice, by Barbara Brenner. How do you get rid of the elephant in the house that scared off the alligators that scared off the dogs that scared off the cats that scared off the mice?
Level 3:
A Horse Called Starfire, by Betty D. Boegehold. A horse set free by a Spanish explorer in the New World encounters a Native American boy and his father, and forms a bond with them that will change the ways of their tribe forever.
Lion and Lamb Step Out, by Barbara Brenner and William H. Hooks. Best friends Lion and Lamb go on a nature hike, to the circus, and to visit a friend.
Little Poss and Horrible Hound, by William H. Hooks. Papa Possum warns him, but Little Poss winds up having to outsmart, outfox, and outrun Horrible Hound every day!
The Magic Box, by Barbara Brenner. A box containing a TV set drops out of the sky into a quiet town that has been cut off from the world for many years.
My Worst Days Diary, by Suzanne Altman. Diarist Maureen (“Mo”) Murphy winds up discovering that her very worst day can lead to her very best day.
Peach Boy, by William H. Hooks. A giant peach splits opens to reveal a baby boy, who becomes the son of a lonely old couple. When he grows up, he and some animal friends save the village from wicked oni monsters.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, by Ellen Schecter. In this charming adapation of an Aesop fable, each mouse discovers exactly where she belongs!
The Warrior Maiden: A Hopi Legend, by Ellen Schecter. A young Hopi girl must think fast – and run faster – to save her people when Apache raiders attack.
