Beginner Books - Exodus Books

Store Location

It was 1957 when scrappy underdog The Cat in the Hat danced into the early reader arena. Look-say champion Dick and Jane had held children's primers in its steely grip for more than three decades, but was beginning to take some hits as more and more critics stepped forward to question the country's flagging literacy rate.

At the suggestion of Random House, children's author Theodore "Dr. Seuss" Geisel threw together a story made of two hundred and thirty six essential first grade vocabulary words, most of which were one syllable. His goal was to write a book that first graders "couldn't put down" unlike the tedious repetition of Dick and Jane. Giesel's cat threw his hat in the ring, and within three years the sight-reading giant had been toppled, freeing children everywhere from the tyranny of "see Spot go."

Yes, Beginner Books is the infamous series that knocked Dick and Jane out of the early reader spotlight. The rest of the Beginner Books follow this formula. They take easy-to-read words and string them together into a story that's fun and a little wacky. Children as young as three all the way to second grade can enjoy the early readers. With stories by Dr. Seuss, P.D. Eastman, the Berenstains, and even one by Walter Farley, these books have fun prose, fun illustrations, and are fun to read aloud, a fact for which we can thank Theodore Geisel and, yes, The Cat in the Hat.

Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Staff Favorites & Reviews

Beginner Books

Beginner Books

31 Items found Print

Active Filters:

Preschool (Ages 4-5),

Used Books & Materials

	Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr. Seuss Book Club from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Ear Book by Al Perkins from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-Preschool in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Ear Book by Al Perkins from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-Preschool in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Eres tu mi mama Are You My Mother? Spanish Edition by P.D. Eastman, translated by Teresa Mlawer from Random House for Preschool-3rd grade in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Foot Book Bright & Early Books by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (4 in stock)
	Go, Train, Go! by Elizabeth Terrill, Rev. W. Awdry from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb Bright & Early Books by Al Perkins from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-Kindergarten in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him! by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo LeSieg, illustrated by Scott Nash from Random House for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Preschool-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	I Can Read With My Eyes Shut by Dr. Seuss from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	I Want to Be Somebody New! by Robert Lopshire 1St Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	I Wish That I Had Duck Feet by Theo. LeSieg from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	In a People House by Theo. LeSieg, illustrated by Roy McKie from Random House for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, illustrated by Roger Bollen from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Bright & Early Books by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $9.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Bright & Early Books by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	New Tricks I Can Do! by Robert Lopshire from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Nose Book Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners by Al Perkins, illustrated by Roy McKie from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Off to the Races by Fred. Phleger, M. Phleger from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss from Random House for Nursery-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Put Me In the Zoo by Robert Lopshire Book Club Edition from Random House for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Snow by Philip.D. Eastman, Roy Mc Kie from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Snug House, Bug House! by Susan Schade and Jon Buller from Random House for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Some of Us Walk, Some Fly, Some Swim 246 Animals Every Beginner Should Meet I Can Read It All By Myself by Michael Frith from Random House for Preschool-2nd grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Summer by Alice Low from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	There's a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr. Seuss from Random House Books for Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? by Theo. LeSieg Book Club Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers for Nursery-1st grade in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB) $3.00 (1 in stock)

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect