Great New Books in the Bridge Library!: Early Readers

Meet Jack- He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, he just has a funny way of showing it sometimes . . . A perfect read-aloud with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young readers' hearts.

Mia's big sister, Ava, is the star of a real ballet--and Mia's dance class is going to visit her!

Superhero Yasmin! She's got the cape. She's got the mask. Now she just needs a villain to defeat! While she's looking for one, she meets lots of friends and neighbors who need her help, but no villains. Then Yasmin discovers that she might not need a villain to wield her super powers!

The big recital is just around the corner, and Mia has been practicing everywhere she goes! Mia twirls and leaps until--whoops! She falls and hurts her paw. Oh, no! Can Mia still be part of the show?

Yasmin loves hosting parties! Music, friends, fun! But what she doesn't love is the spicy food her Pakistani family serves. Yasmin puts on her chef hat and plans to make her own amazing, fantastic recipe...as soon as she figures out what that is!

Pig and Fox are back-and so are their shenanigans! Told in a silly three-part story, A Pig, a Fox, and Stinky Socksbegins with a prank, with Fox ogiftingo Pig with a pair of stinky socks. But what happens when his plan goes awry and the shoe (or sock!) is on the other foot? With comical art and simple language, Pig and Fox's antics in this Level 2 reader will continue to crack kids up.

Spark is a little dragon with a big problem. He can't control his fiery breath. Even practicing doesn't help. Will Spark ever be able to tame his flame?

Nibbs the mouse wants to give Bruce a BIG FUN DAY! But Bruce does not like BIG FUN DAYS. Not one bit.

Rocket, the beloved dog from the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, is back in a Step 1 leveled reader. Rocket is ready to find new words for his word tree with his teacher, the little yellow bird. He finds a leaf, a hat, and a star . . . but when he finds a red boot, he doesn't want to let go. What will make Rocket drop it? With predictable patterns, simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this new Rocket book, which they can read all by themselves! From the Hardcover edition.

Rocket, the star of the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, returns in an all-new, easy-to-read book. Rocket is happily chasing a butterfly through the meadow when it disappears into the woods. As much as Rocket wants to follow the butterfly, the woods look dark and scary. Can Rocket overcome his fear? With predictable patterns, simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this new Rocket book, which they can read all by themselves!

Does Catina like Houndsley's larger-than-life cousin more than she likes him? The charming friends return in this relatable tale. When his cousin Wagster comes for a visit, Houndsley is excited. Wagster is all adventure and enthusiasm and razzle-dazzle, and all his friends love him. Even Catina thinks Wagster is fun and good at everything, and pretty soon Houndsley is starting to feel a little bit invisible. But Houndsley and Catina are best friends, and certainly Cousin Wagster won't change that -- right? James Howe and Marie-Louise Gay have created a tender and funny story about some of the ways that friendships can change, and how they also stay exactly the same.

Sofia and her family are headed to the beach for the weekend, and Sofia is packed and ready to go. But once they get to the beach house, it's obvious that Sofia did not pack basic beach gear. Will her beach trip be ruined?

Sofia FINALLY gets her beloved singing machine, and she can't wait to sing her heart out. However, nobody in her family wants to listen to her sing. Sofia is determined to find a place to perform, even if she has to leave her house to do it! Spanish words and phrases are integrated into this early chapter book, and the back matter includes a Spanish glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts. 

Pinkalicious and her soccer team, the Pinksters, are ready for their first soccer match! When their opponents, the Ravens, show up, they make fun of the Pinksters' pink soccer ball. The ball gets kicked off the field, forcing Pinkalicious to chase after it. Pinkalicious' unicorn Goldilicious just happens to be waiting for her in the crowd and sweeps up Pinkalicious for a pinkatastic journey around the world.

Walt and his friends are growing up fast! Everyone is the something-est. But . . . what about Walt? He is not the tallest, or the curliest, or the silliest. He is not the anything-est! As a BIG surprise inches closer, Walt discovers something special of his own!

Poppy the Pirate Dog is in charge of keeping the treasure safe, so what happens when some jewelry goes missing? It’s Mom’s birthday, so Tim and Suzy are planning a special pirate show for her. Poppy’s job is to guard the treasure, but while on duty, she hurts her eye and has to go to the vet. Worse yet, she comes home not with a pirate eye patch, but with a big plastic cone around her neck! While the rest of the family searches for Dad’s missing present—a sparkly necklace for Mom—Poppy sulks alone outside. But then Poppy catches sight of something twinkling in the grass. Is this her chance to redeem herself as the best pirate dog ever?

Poppy, the irresistible scalawag, navigates uncharted waters when she’s called on to share her treasure with a tiny new shipmate. Poppy is lonely. Now that summer is over, Suzy and Tim have gone back to school and Mom and Dad are back at work. What’s a pirate dog to do when there’s no one around to help her bury treasure? When her family decides to get her a friend to keep her company, Poppy is thrilled. But when she meets her new shipmate, he is not at all what she expected — or wanted! Will mutiny ensue? In her second full-color early reader, best-selling author Liz Kessler steers a course through the sometimes tumultuous waters of sibling rivalry through the eyes of a very funny and slightly neurotic pup.

Hamster and his friends go looking for an awesome adventure at Al's ATV Park. After roaring up hills, rolling over rocks, and splashing through mud puddles, the group halts at the sound of one word: "Help!" A family out for a picnic has gotten their ATV stuck in the mud! So Hamster and his friends stage a down-and-dirty rescue, proving that great adventure - and great new friends - come in all sizes!

When Hamster and his friends go looking for some wet and wild fun at the Water Kingdom waterpark, Hamster and his new friend, Holly, challenge two dogs to a race down the waterslide. Can they win?

With a new clubhouse in his yard, Pedro decides to start a mystery-solving club. Will he and his friends find the clues to crack the case?

Pedro dreams of playing goalie for the next big soccer match. But he worries he's too slow and too small. Will Pedro meet his big goal?

There's an eye toast toady, er, that's eye test today at school, but Wagner can't see the board. As his best friend Pearl says, "It's glasses time!" But Wagner hates his new glasses-they make him look like a guppy, and a mean old bully calls him "Four Eyes." Wagner vows to never wear his glasses again, until Pearl and all his friends give themselves inspired new nicknames just like his. Suddenly, "Four Eyes" has a nice ring to it . . . and being able to see isn't so bad, either!

Fergus and Zeke love being the class pets in Miss Maxwell's classroom, and they do everything the students do -- listening at storytime, painting masterpieces during art class, and keeping their own special journals. But when it's time for the school science fair, the mice aren't sure just how to get involved. Lucy wants to time them as they run through a maze, but they want to do an experiment, not be an experiment. Then Zeke comes up with a great idea: since Lucy is training animals for her experiment, maybe he and Fergus can do the same thing! Unfortunately, the only animals available are the students themselves. Can Fergus and Zeke turn the tables and train Lucy in time for the science fair?

When the introspective Frank meets the gregarious Bean, can they find a way to make beautiful music together? Dry wit and hilarious illustrations introduce a new unlikely pair. Frank likes peace and quiet. He likes his tent, his pencil, and writing in his secret notebook. Bean likes noise. He likes his bus, his trumpet -- toot, toot! -- and making music. Loud music. But Bean is missing something: he does not have words. What will happen if Frank shares his words with Bean? With a laugh-out-loud narrative by Jamie Michalak, author of the Joe and Sparky series, and Bob Kolar's bright, graphic, comical illustrations, this fresh and funny story will go down easy for beginning readers and young listeners alike.

Zip has zapped a bot. Zip tells the bot what to do. Will the bot listen? (Spoiler alert: The bot does not listen and Zip learns an important lesson, complete with a pie being thrown in his face!) Perfect for kids at the beginning of their reading journeys, Poof! A Bot! was written for children who have learned the alphabet and are ready to start reading! And what better way to get kids excited than with a hilarious out-of-this-world adventure featuring words they can actually read and starring a zany magician?

Look out, Otto and Olly! Look out, Flip and Flop! With a storm heading their way Otto and his friends must go, go, go. This Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read with bright illustrations and minimal text is perfect for the true emergent reader.

CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP! It's springtime on Bradford Street. Jada and Jamal are searching for signs of spring. So are their best friends, Carlita Garcia and Josh Cornell. But the most surprising sign of spring awaits them at school the next day . . . a  surprise that blossoms into a colorful plan to beautify the schoolyard just in time for Earth Day.

Much to her dismay, Nancy has been chosen for the relay team in this year's Field Day at school. Despite her many natural talents, Nancy isn't much of a runner. She's afraid of letting her team down--especially after finding out that an unkind (that's another word for mean) girl in her class is on the team too. With a little help from her dad, Nancy tries her best, stands up for herself, and makes a new friend. Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. The back matter features a list of the rich vocabulary words that are used throughout the story along with their definition.

Max and Zoe are both friends with Anna. But when Anna has to pick just one of them to sit with her at the peanut-free table during lunch, friendships are tested.

In a dark, dark room, in a soft, soft voice, tell a scary story! Newly reillustrated, this classic I Can Read full of spooky stories is perfect for beginning readers who love a bit of a scare. Victor Rivas's silly and spooky art will introduce a new generation to stories inspired by traditional folktales like "The Teeth," "In the Graveyard," "The Green Ribbon," "In A Dark, Dark Room," "The Night It Rained," "The Pirate," and "The Ghost of John." The original edition has won many state awards and is an ALA Notable Children's Book.

When Dad's team loses a soccer game, Splat decides to cheer up his dad by entering them in a father-son six-legged race at the Cat School Picnic. The race doesn't go the way Splat hoped, but he still makes his dad very, very glad!

Splat and his class go on a field trip to an ice cream factory. Splat can barely sit still during the bus ride. He's imagining the mountain of ice cream he thinks he'll get to eat! But when Splat gets there, that mountain becomes more of an avalanche. It's up to Splat and his classmates to save the day!

Ballet Cat and her cousin Goat are preparing a show for Grandma. Each is trying to outdo the other--Ballet Cat with an elaborate dance routine (of course), and Goat with his amazing (amazingly lame, that is) magic tricks. Neither act goes off quite as planned, but it doesn't matter . . . because Grandma falls asleep during the performance! Oh well, at least Ballet Cat and Goat learn how to cooperate. (But Ballet Cat cooperates better!)

Meet Woof and Quack, a fun pair of pals who defy dog and duck stereotypes. Woof absolutely does not like to fetch--not a ball, not a banana, not that lovely cake. Good thing Quack likes to fetch! The results are laugh-out-loud comical.

Winner of the 2019 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Fun-loving, mischievous Fox wishes he were a tiger. Tigers are big and fast and sneaky. So he decides to become one! Soon Turtle and Rabbit are joining in the fun. But will Fox want to be a tiger forever? In Fox the Tiger, this winning trickster character and his animal friends learn that the best thing to be is yourself. Fox the Tiger is a My First I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for shared reading with a child.

Can you guess what makes Sheep really happy? Here's a clue . . . it starts with the letter F. It is NOT fish or fans. And it is especially not turnips! That doesn't even start with the letter F!

Join Pig and her friends in another fun read-aloud adventure as they figure out a way to keep the picnic fun and games going, even with a little rain. What this story needs is a pig in a wig baking bread, pouring punch, and meeting a friend for a picnic lunch. But just as the outdoor fun and games get started, a thunderstorm rolls in and it turns out what this story really needs is . . . another place to eat!

In I Lost My Tooth!, Zoom Squirrel has lost a front tooth! The Squirrels leap into action when they discover the missing tooth is a baby tooth! Do you know more about teeth than the Squirrels do? You will by the end of this book!

Yellow Bird has a button. It does . . . nothing! It is a good for nothing button. Red Bird and Blue Bird are excited to try the button. But when they press it, they discover that the button makes them happy. Happy is something! A flabbergasted Yellow Bird insists the button does nothing. But it sure does seem to be making him mad. Mad is something! The hilarious debate that follows takes readers on an emotional roller coaster that pokes at the power of imaginative play.

From Mo Willems, creator of the revolutionary, award-winning, best-selling Elephant & Piggie books, comes this breakout beginning-reader series. An ensemble cast of Squirrels, Acorns, and pop-in guests host a page-turning extravaganza. Each book features a funny, furry adventure AND bonus jokes, quirky quizzes, nutty facts, and so, so many Squirrels. In Who is the Mystery Reader?, Zoom Squirrel tries out a new superpower with help from a mysterious Mystery Reader. But will the Squirrel pals ever find out who the real Mystery Reader is? Do you know more about reading than the Squirrels do? You will by the end of this book!

Triceratops has an itch. . . so does Pterodactyl. . . and Brontosaurus. . . and T-Rex! But DINOSAURS DO NOT SCRATCH. There is a rule written in stone. What is an itchy dinosaur to do?!

Big Duck likes to boss around her younger brother, Little Duck, and she fancies herself the leader of their trio--when joined by their gentle friend Porcupine. Little Duck doesn't speak yet, but through his expressions and his actions, he shows that he has a better grasp on any situation than his older sister. Told entirely through dialogue and visual storytelling with subtle humor throughout, Little Duck ends up getting the trio out of whatever jam they are in.

It's spring on the farm. Join the beloved and bestselling little yellow puppy, Biscuit, as he makes friends with the piglets, the lambs, the chicks, and even the little llamas! Biscuit and the Little Llamas, a My First I Can Read book, is carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and sweet illustrations--which means it's perfect for shared reading with emergent readers. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Biscuit, the beloved little yellow puppy who has warmed the hearts of young readers for generations.

From New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett and Geisel Award-winning illustrator Greg Pizzoli, an uproarious early reader series about a mischievous rabbit, a cranky old lady, and a lovable dog. The Lady and Rex have a baseball game against the Big City Brats. Jack is not allowed to swing the bat, so he is told to be the Bat Boy. That is, until the Lady Town Ladies and the Big City Brats are tied. It's up to Jack to hit a home run, but on the way to home plate he spots some snacks . . .

Kids are learning to read with Rocket! Rocket, the star of Tad Hills's New York Times bestselling picture books, returns in an all-new, easy-to-read book about a game of hide and seek that he just can't seem to win. Rocket, Bella, and Owl are playing hide and seek! Game after game, Rocket gets found first, which makes for hurt feelings. Seeing as their friend is down, Bella and Owl come up with a plan to make the game fun again! With its simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this Rocket book about solving problems, which they can ready all by themselves!

A Geisel Honor-winning series!   Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty's Travels: All Aboard!, a My First I Can Read series. Ty wishes his family would play with him, but everyone is too busy before dinnertime. Luckily, Ty knows just what to do... Time for fun. Celebrate the power of imagination in All Aboard! With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, this Guided Reading Level I and My First series is perfect for shared reading with a child.

It's winter festival time! There are games, a snowman contest, skating, and of course, treats. But the festival isn't much fun for Pedro. His snow dog is a flop, and he falls flat on the ice. Will Pedro keep his cool and find a way to have fun?