Classic Literature- Elementary

This page is under construction, but I'll leave it up anyway. 

 

1) Curious George 

In this book, George meets his friend, the man with the yellow hat, and begins the life of mischief and adventure so beloved by generations of readers. The inspiration for television, films, and hundreds of books, Curious George is a mainstay of children's picture books. The animated series Curious George is available to watch on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming platform.

2) Caps for Sale 

Children will delight in following the peddler’s efforts to outwit the monkeys and will ask to read it again and again. Caps for Sale is an excellent easy-to-read book that includes repetition, patterns, and colors, perfect for early readers.

This tale of a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity and also teaches children about problem and resolution.

 3) Corduroy 

Corduroy is a story about a teddy bear that waits every day for someone to come into the department store and take him home. One day a little girl named Lisa wants to buy him, but her mother points out that he is missing one of the buttons on his overalls.

4) If You Give a Mouse a Cookie 

This story describes a set of events that occurs after a boy gives a mouse a cookie. Once the mouse is given the cookie, he asks for a glass of milk, which ends up leading to a series of additional requests. Each event that occurs makes the mouse want something new, creating a seemingly endless stream of demands.

 
5) Blueberries for Sal

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter.  Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?

6) The Little Engine that Could

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..." Discover the inspiring story of the Little Blue Engine as she makes her way over the mountain in this beloved classic—the perfect gift to celebrate the special milestones in your life, from graduations to birthdays and more!

The kindness and determination of the Little Blue Engine have inspired millions of children around the world since the story was first published in 1930. Cherished by readers for over ninety years, The Little Engine That Could is a classic tale of the little engine that, despite her size, triumphantly pulls a train full of wonderful things to the children waiting on the other side of a mountain.

7) Floss 

Kids will flock like sheep to Floss the border collie.

Floss is a young border collie who belongs to an old man in a town and loves playing ball with the children in the park. The old man's son is a farmer and needs a new sheepdog to replace Nell, who has grown too old to work, so the old man decides to give his son Floss. Somewhere in her memory Floss knows about sheep and she soon learns how to be a sheepdog. But one day when Floss is on the hillside herding sheep, she sees the children playing with a new ball and can't resist joining in. Meanwhile the sheep escape — and the farmer is very angry. Floss is put in the doghouse, while Nell rounds up the sheep. But after this Floss becomes a very good sheepdog — although, when she has time, she still likes to play ball with the children.

8) A Chair for My Mother 

Vera Williams tells of a young girl who, along with her waitress mother, saves coins in a big jar in hopes that they can someday buy a new chair for their apartment, the kind of chair her mother deserves after being on her feet all day in the Blue Tile Diner. Into the jar also goes the money Grandma saves whenever she gets a bargain at the market.

There hasn't been a comfortable place to sit in the apartment since a fire in their previous apartment burned everything to "charcoal and ashes." Friends and neighbors brought furniture to their new apartment downstairs, but no one brought anything big or soft or comfortable. Finally the jar is full, the coins are rolled, and in the book's crowning moment, mother, daughter, and Grandma search four different furniture stores, and after carefully trying several chairs, like Goldilocks, they find the chair they've been dreaming of at last.

Vera Williams enhances this story about family, community, and the power of working together toward a common goal with her signature folk art-inspired paintings.

9) Harry the Dirty Dog

Harry is a white dog with black spots who absolutely, positively hates to take a bath. After a day of adventure, Harry gets so dirty that he no longer looks like a white dog with black spots. Now he looks like a black dog with white spots!

Harry the Dirty Dog has become a classic, entertaining young readers for decades. Perfect for young fans of dogs...especially ones who also don't always want a bath!

 10) Billy and Blaze

Billy was a little boy who “loved horses more than anything else in the world.” Imagine how happy he was when he got his very own pony for his birthday! From that day on, Billy was seldom seen without his new friend, Blaze.

Riding through fields and woods, Billy and Blaze learned to trust and understand one another—and to jump over fences and fallen trees with ease. They were a great team, but were they good enough to win the gleaming silver cup at the Mason Horse Show?

11)  Bread and Jame for Frances

The classic funny I Can Read story about a stubborn little badger with very particular tastes in food.

Frances is a fussy eater. In fact, the only thing she likes is bread and jam. She won't touch her squishy soft-boiled egg. She trades away her chicken-salad sandwich at lunch. She turns up her nose at boring veal cutlets.

Unless her parents can come up with a plan, Frances just might go on eating bread and jam forever!

Join the generations of families that have laughed along as Frances sings "Jam on biscuits, jam on bread, Jam is the thing I like most, Jam is sticky, jam is sweet, Jam is tasty, jam’s a treat—raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, I’m very FOND…OF…JAM!"

 
12) Doctor Desoto 

"Doctor De Soto, the dentist, did very good work." With the aid of his able assistant, Mrs. De Soto, he copes with the toothaches of animals large and small. His expertise is so great that his fortunate patients never feel any pain.

Since he's a mouse, Doctor De Soto refuses to treat "dangerous" animals--that is, animals who have a taste for mice. But one day a fox shows up and begs for relief from the tooth that's killing him. How can the kindhearted De Sotos turn him away? But how can they make sure that the fox doesn't give in to his baser instincts once his tooth is fixed? Those clever De Sotos will find a way. 

 
13) Frog and Toad are Friends 

From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be.

Frog and Toad Are Friends is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the engaging stories, longer sentences, and language play of Level Two books are proven to help kids take their next steps toward reading success.

14) Frog and Toad All Year

In winter, spring, summer, and fall, Frog and Toad are always together. From sledding in winter to eating ice cream on hot summer days, these two friends have fun the whole year round!

 

Madeline
Nate the Great
Miss Nelson is Missing!
The Biggest Bear
A New Coat for Anna
The Emporer’s New Clothes
Stone Soup
Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea
Henry and Mudge
Little Bear
Amelia Bedelia
Peter Rabbit
Five Chinese Brothers

Danny and the Dinosaur
Mouse Soup
My Father’s Dragon
Now We are Six
Encyclopedia Brown
The Hundred Dresses
Owls In the Family
Sarah Plain and Tall

Pinnochio
Baby Island
Winnie the Pooh
Molly Molly Mandy
Boxcar Children
Little House in the Big Woods
Little House on the Prairie


Peter Pan
Charlotte’s Web
Trumpet of the Swan
The Railway Children
Homer Price
Misty of Chincoteauge

Dangerous Journey
Rolf and the Viking Bow
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Robin Hood
Mary Poppins

Treasure Island
Heidi
Anne of Green Gables
Where the Red Fern Grows
Swiss Family Robinson
The Secret Garden


Jungle Book
Little Women
Call of the Wild
White Fang
Tom Sawyer