Great Books for Early Elementary

Discover fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels ideal for ages 5 to 7.

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Applegate, Katherine

Doggo likes routine: napping, eating, and more napping. Life is good. Life is good for Pupper, too, even though he worries a lot, about things like giant squirrels. If he were braver, he might even be a hero. Maybe even a hero who can fly! But heroes aren't afraid of giant squirrels ... When Doggo and Pupper meet a baby bird who also has worries, they are determined to help. Doggo and Pupper may not know how to fly, but they are very good helpers. Maybe they are even heroes!

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Arnaldo, Monica

Prepare for plenty of giggles as a kindergarten class arrives for their first day of school, but can't find their teacher--only a delicious-looking sandwich and the words 'Mr. S' scribbled on the chalkboard. Chaos ensues as the kids argue whether or not the sandwich must be their teacher.

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Bailey, Jenn

Henry, a young boy with autism goes on a class field trip to the natural history museum, with instructions to find something new.

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Cepeda, Joe

A boy rides a pogo stick to a visit with grandma.

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Chapman, Jared

Lorelei is shocked to learn that her favorite animal, seals, actually eat penguins, so she sets out to do some in-person research--and discovers that in nature things are complicated.

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Goodluck, Laurel

Amanda and Kara are cousins and best friends in an intertribal Native American family; but Kara's family leaves the city and moves back to the Rez, making both girls sad--but the summer reunion reminds them that they will always be cousins.

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Hale, Christy

A collection of tanka poems, illustrations, and photographs explore biomimicry and show how plants, animals, and objects in the natural world have inspired human-made inventions. Includes additional backmatter information about biomimicry, tanka and the natural and human-made objects featured.

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Henderson, Judith

When a yellow envelope arrives at Hollyhock House addressed to the greatest grandmother in the world, it causes a disturbance among the grandmothers and great-grandmothers living there.

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Hopkinson, Deborah

A modern-day retelling of Cinderella narrated by the mouse who becomes Cinderella's stage coach.

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Lai, Remy, author, artist.

Star the Elephant and his herd are searching for a new home. But when Star is separated from his family, he must journey alone into the great unknown. He'll come face to face with giant spiders, the vast ocean beyond his island, and strange humans. Can Star find his way back to his family?

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Li, Hui

After learning how to draw Chinese characters, Lulu and her dog Dumpling step into a magical world where the characters come to life.

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Lukoff, Kyle

Vera the mermaid and her half-octopus friend Beaker go on playful adventures in the underwater town of Tidal Grove.

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Lyons, Kelly Starling

When his friend RJ bets that Miles will wipe out at the ice rink, he is determined to prove him wrong.

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McGinty, Alice B.

Dad has posted a list of chores for the family to do before grandma comes, including bathing the cat; but the cat does not want a bath, so she mixes up the instructions, and soon the family is mowing the floor, vacuuming the lawn, mopping the baby--and the house is in chaos.

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Quigley, Dawn

Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn--about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly. Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she's worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore...

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Raúl the Third

Readers will fall in love with Raúl the Third's unique visual style as Kooky Dooky helps luchador El Toro train for his next wrestling match! Perfect for readers of Elephant and Piggie, comic book fans, and kids looking to practice both Spanish and English.

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Reul, Sarah Lynne

Nail is stuck. When Nail needs help getting un-stuck, who from the toolbox will be the best tool for the job?

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Roselló, Jarod

Hugo, a young boy who changes the world around him, climbs, smashes and goes on adventures with his best friend, Dino.

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Sidman, Joyce

Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature's most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat. Branches--strong, hopeful, beautiful--are the shape of life. How many can you find [in this illustrated poem]?

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Stark, Andrew

When Liam, an Ojibwa boy, and his mom go to adopt a dog from the shelter, Liam chooses Gizmo, a Chihuahua mix with behavior problems.

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Stone, Tiffany

From a bestselling illustrator, this utterly unique comic-style book for kids 4 to 8 explores super-small creatures with astounding abilities. Did you know that some of the smallest creatures on Earth have real-life superpowers? The minute oribatid mite can lift more than 1,000 times its own weight. A tiny type of salamander (called an axolotl) can regrow body parts. And the almost microscopic tardigrade? It can survive practically anywhere, even in outer space! Acclaimed author Tiffany Stone combines comic panels and poems to share incredible facts about our world's miniature marvels, while illustrator Ashley Spires' zany cartoon-style illustrations make these itty-bitty superheroes (and supervillains) pop from the page. From glow-in-the-dark sharks to immortal jellyfish and tiny cats with lethal aim, Super Small shows readers that just because you are small, it doesn't mean you aren't super--and sometimes being small can be super in and of itself.

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Taylor, Helen

A kid-friendly, accessible, and humorous text that describes the sometimes complicated task of eating while in space.

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Timberlake, Amy

The last thing Badger wants is a roommate, and certainly not Skunk, but since the house does not belong to him he does not have a choice; and soon everything in Badger's quiet and ordered life studying rocks is turned upside down (and where on earth did all the chickens come from)--but after he drives Skunk and his chickens away, Badger starts to miss his roommate and sets out to find him and make amends.

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Windness, Kaz

A worm and a caterpillar are best friends and when one of them is about to go through a big change, they both learn what is inside is what counts.

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Winston, Sherri

Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, are the best detectives in the whole world--or at least their neighborhood. But can they find Mrs. Winters's missing cat before her big trip? Or will the case of the cat-napped kitty be their first unsolved mystery?

Summaries provided by DPL's catalog unless otherwise noted. Click on each title to view more information.

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