The Best Books for Kindergarten Reading Level
Are you searching for books for kindergarten reading level students? Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, finding the best books to support your early readers is a great way to help them build strong reading skills and fall in love with books. Great books encourage young readers and kindergarten students to explore, develop print awareness, and become fantastic readers.
I can’t wait to help you find the best, most engaging books for kindergarten students!
Keep reading to discover my list of the very best books for the kindergarten reading level. Plus, get some printable emergent reader books you can send home with students for extra practice with parents and grandparents too.
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How To Find Books for Kindergarten Reading Level
So how can you find great books for kindergarten reading level? I like to begin with nursery rhymes and books that tell stories about familiar objects and experiences kindergartners know all about. Kindergarten readers like listening to stories with a great rhythm, repetition, and comical elements.
Kindergarten is also the perfect time to introduce pop up books and lift-a-flap books that encourage kids to get involved in reading while developing print awareness. These books can really help when you’re teaching concepts of print to your early readers.
Beautiful picture books with strong storylines and fun characters will encourage your early readers to fall in love with the magic of books too. For emergent readers, choose books with simple storylines and familiar words to help them get started. Discover my favorite books for kindergarten students and early readers below.
The Best Books for Kindergarten Students & Early Readers
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
If your little learners haven’t experienced the magic of James Dean’s Pete the Cat book series you’ll want to race out and grab a few of these cool cat books to read aloud as soon as possible! Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons is one of my favorite books about this cool blue cat.
After you’ve read a few of these great stories to your young readers, check out my Groovy Pete the Cat Activities and Crafts. It’s filled with fun activities and printable crafts to help bring these stories to life for your students.
A Piglet Named Mercy
Mercy Watson is a courageous and silly piglet your kindergarten readers are going to love! The art and stories in this adorable book by Kate DiCamillo will be fast favorites in your classroom.
A Sled for Gabo
If you loved Ezra Jack Keats’ classic The Snowy Day, you’ll definitely want to add A Sled for Gabo by Emma Otheguy to your list of books for the kindergarten reading level. It’s a heartwarming tale about a little boy who just wants to join in the snowy fun with the other kids in his neighborhood, but he doesn’t have boots or a sled.
All Are Welcome
Alexandra Penfold’s book All Are Welcome is a New York Times Bestseller that encourages diversity and inclusion with bright and colorful pictures that will draw your early readers into the story. It’s a great book for the beginning of the year in your kindergarten classroom!
Barkus
Looking for the best books for the kindergarten reading level that are totally silly? You’ll want to add this adorable book from Patricia MacLachlan. I just love the art in all her books and your students will love the silly, energetic, loveable pet dog at the center of these books.
Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type
Get ready for really silly read-aloud books with these beloved characters from the farm. The cows in this story are learning to read and write just like your kindergarten students!
These goofy cows are using their new skills to write short sentences to the farmer with some silly demands. Your students will love reading this silly story!
David Goes to School
If you have high-energy kindergarten kiddos in your classroom, don’t miss this book series from David Shannon. David Goes to School is filled with hilarious antics to make your early readers smile. Even the best-behaved children will love reading about David running in the halls on his first day of school as he gets into all sorts of trouble to make the readers laugh out loud!
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
Mo Willems is one of my favorite authors of books for the kindergarten reading level. These silly rhyming tales are filled with simple sentences, comical storylines, and memorable characters. In Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus young readers will get the giggles as they see all the goofy reasons pigeons shouldn’t drive a bus.
Elmore
Meet a porcupine named Elmore who is desperate to make friends in this beautiful picture book from Holly Hobbie. He suffers from rejection and heartbreak, but the goodness of his forest friends ultimately shines through as the different animals find new ways to connect with this prickly pal. You can use Elmore to introduce kindness activities in your classroom too.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
Need books for the kindergarten reading level to share during Hispanic Heritage Month? Try reading Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown, PhD.
Frida’s dramatic and vibrant art brought lots of attention to Mexican culture. In this colorful book, early readers will get to meet her monkeys, dogs, turkeys, and more! Plus, it pairs well with my printable Frida Kahlo cut and paste craft for kindergartners.
Germs vs. Soap
If you’re struggling to convince your kindergarten students about the importance of washing their hands, check out this cute book from author Didi Dragon.
After you’ve convinced your kids to wash their hands, you can use my Dental Health Craft to learn about another important hygiene practice with kindergarten children.
How to Catch a Dragon
Do you know how to catch a dragon? What about a mermaid or a leprechaun? How to Catch a Dragon by Adam Wallace is just one cute book in a series of funny tales your kindergarten kids will love reading together. These books will captivate your kids and lead to all kinds of wonderful conversations about mythical creatures.
Inside Cat
Brenden Winzel’s Inside Cat book is a New York Times Bestselling children’s book all about a cat that never leaves the house. This playful book will help young children understand the power of perspective. It’s one of a few good books you can use to begin having a conversation about how others might see the world differently than we do.
Jabari Tries
Kids’ books that discuss achieving big dreams are perfect for encouraging our students to keep trying and develop a growth mindset. In Jabari Tries a little boy works toward his goal of building a flying machine. He gets frustrated when it doesn’t work out the way he planned, but in the end, he learns the power of perseverance.
Lupe Lopez: Reading Rockstar
Encourage your kindergarten kiddos to fall in love with reading as you read Lupe Lopez: Reading Rockstar aloud to them. Reading books about reading is such a fun and easy way to encourage a love of books!
Mary Can!
If you’re looking for a read aloud book that encourages diversity and is simple enough for emergent readers, don’t miss Mary Can! by Mary J. Blige. It’s a powerful encouragement for children who sometimes need motivation to keep reaching for the stars. You’ll definitely want to add this one to your kindergarten classroom library.
Nibi’s Water Song
Consider adding this beautiful book from native author Sunshine Tenasco to your kindergarten reading list this year. Nibi’s Water Song is about a girl searching for clean water. When she turns the faucet in her house, she only sees dirty brown water.
This book will begin important conversations in your classroom. It’s perfect for Earth Day lessons about pollution and the importance of caring for our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Add my printable Earth Day Crafts and emergent reader flip book for even more learning fun.
Easy Printable Books for Emergent Readers in Kindergarten
Sometimes all you need to make your kindergarten students best friends with books is a few great emergent readers they can master easily and quickly. Helping your kids meet with success in reading on their grade level quickly is a great confidence boost that will ensure a love of reading for years to come!
I’ve got printable easy emergent reader books you can use in your classroom literacy center. You could even send them home for extra practice this year too. These easy decodable books use simple sentence structure to help boost your child’s reading skills with high-interest topics and stories that are fun for young students.
Turkey Disguise Emergent Reader
Presidents Day Emergent Reader
Martin Luther King Day Emergent Reader
Halloween Counting Emergent Reader
Community Helpers Emergent Reader
Editable Name Book Emergent Reader
Do you have a great addition to this list of books for the kindergarten reading level? Share your favorite early reader books, leveled readers, and independent readers in the comment section. I can’t wait to discover more of the best children’s books for kindergarten. Which ones should I add to my classroom this year!
