Have an emergent reader in the family? By definition, the text in an easy reader has to be very simple, but that’s no reason for the illustrations to be poor quality! Here are some great options of both readers from programs and fun, simple books which combine short and sweet stories with good quality illustrations. We use a combination of both types of books to provide plenty of practice for our young readers.
Note that these books are intended for emergent readers; if you have a child who is already reading chapter books fluently, check out my list Good Books for Catholic 8 to 9 year olds .
Books from Reading Programs
The All About Reading beginner readers are favorites at our house. There are several books in the series such as Run, Bug, Run!
Seton Press has reprinted the Faith and Freedom Readers, a series of beautiful readers beginning with This is Our Family
Speaking of sight words, remember Dick and Jane? Here is a great set of four beautiful hard-cover reprints of the classic Dick and Jane
The Little Angel Readers are part of a phonics based program available at Stone Tablet Press, but they can be used independently of the program for simple practice. They feature short, easy stories ranging from retellings of folk and fairy tales to Catholic-themed stories.
For Fun
We all laugh at the adventures and misadventures of Charlie the Ranch Dog
Arnold Lobel’s popular Frog and Toad
Biscuit
We also find Cynthia Rylant’s Poppleton
For Information
Have a facts-oriented child? Consider the DK Eyewitness Readers. They feature high-quality photos and four different levels of difficulty to choose from, and are available on a multitude of subjects. Most libraries have lots of these!
is a high-quality graphic novel from Sophia Institue Press. Check out my 
recently came out. Read my full review of this newest volume 
Saint John Paul II wrote a wonderful Apostolic Letter 
, which has over 200 book suggestions and even study guides for featured picture books.
is such a masterpiece of fantasy and literature that if your teenager has not read it yet, they most certainly should! And the 
movies are a splendid adaptation, mostly because they tried to stick to the book as closely as possible even if that resulted in a 10 hour plus movie.
books, which are each comedic masterpieces. But I happily admit that Fry and Laurie so capture the dynamics of Wodehouse’s hilarious duo that it is difficult to choose whether to read or watch in this case!
. The book is a classic of wit and wisdom, humor and human nature. And it is hard to imagine a better adaptation than the 
is a less mature Austen work stylistically than Pride and Prejudice, but still a worthwhile novel about two impoverished sisters with very different personalities.
will be a true joy to read. These were my very favorite books as a teenager, and I still enjoy re-reading them as an adult. These books were made into six seasons of an enjoyable TV series: 
is a powerful book by Ann Holmes about a boy who grows up in a Nazi concentration camp and finally escapes. His wide-eyed wonder at the world outside the camp, and journey to find his family, is sure to bring tears and smiles. The awesome movie adaptation is as least as good as the book and is called 
by Louisa May Alcott is the classic story of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, who grow up during the Civil War. There are many movie adaptations, but I like the old 
is a unusual book movie duo in that the movie is actually appropriate for a younger audience than the book. The book 
, the real Maria Augusta Trapp’s version of the family’s story, is charming and inspiring and even better than the movie! (Appropriate for fourteen and up.)
by Evelyn Waugh is a Catholic classic. Best understood and enjoyed by older teens, this is a story of great sin and redemption, a war torn world, a family destroyed, and an unexpected conversion. An acclaimed TV series was produced based on the book: 
is one of the most popular and easily read of Charles Dicken’s numerous works. Historical fiction about the French Revolution, it is a touching story of love and sacrifice juxtaposed with the horror of the guillotine. The 1935 movie 
is acceptable reading for older Catholic teens. If you agree, your older teens will be thrilled to also watch 
movie. Yes, it is violent, and I would recommend this book and movie for high schoolers and older, not younger teens.
by Alexandre Dumas is a wonderful novel about revenge and redemption. The movie 
with Maggie Smith, and 
with Tom Hiddleston.
has a great 1945 black and white movie adaptation: 
was adapted into a creepy, captivating movie: 
was also adapted into a multi-episode Amazon Prime series of the same name. These two films deal with more chilling evil and some adult content which make them more appropriate for viewers over 18.
, starring Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon has wonderful acting and is my favorite, despite the the blurry film quality common in early black and whites. 
made more recently in 1982 with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour is also excellent, though parents need to beware of one scene, fairly easily skipped.
and 
are two of his books which were actually made into movies: 
and 
.
is the perfect book and movie duo for children who love animals, particularly horses. Marguerite Henry’s poignant story of love and loss on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is equally appreciated by adults.
, a hilarious comedy for the whole family to watch.
.
.
is a lesser known work by Jules Verne of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame. I have enjoyed every Jules Verne book I ever read, and this one is no exception. Mary and Robert Grant embark on an epic treasure hunt around the globe to find their shipwrecked father. It was adapted rather successfully into a fun film starring the Mary Poppins children: 
movie is a classic family film, and the book has even more interesting details about how the Robinson family survived on the island.
, which closely follows the book’s plot. (Note that I did not think the subsequent films in this series to stick close enough to their respective novels to be considered good adaptations.)
, since I felt the film really captured the magic of Sarah’s imagination.
.
and 
.
, 
, and 
, actually does fall in love with a woman on trial for murder in 
, a whodunit, and 
are her best works, but if you haven’t read some of her lesser known books, they are a perfect length and lightness for a vacation! For example, 
trilogy is also excellent.
to her older brother. When we finished the chapter, she went to the bookshelf and out of the confusion of several hundred picture books she carefully selected 
, 
, and 
.
1. Shirley Hughes is one of my absolute favorite children’s authors/illustrators. Not only are her distinctive illustrations carefully executed, they contain so many small details that little children delight in studying them. Her stories are always simple and engaging on the surface, but underneath they invariably present an age appropriate lesson. For example, 
encourages children who are moving that there will be good aspects of their new homes. In 
, Alfie exemplifies that even a small child can offer comfort and help to an older child. And 
is what I consider Hughes’ masterpiece: a tear-jerking tale of sibling love and sacrifice. Hughes also wrote one of my favorite book of children’s poetry:
.
, a lovely story about a pony who realizes that being gentle and kind is more important than being physically beautiful. We also enjoy 
, 
and 
. While I enjoy the illustrations in her Christmas themed books, I do not recommend them since she sadly promotes a heavily secularized view of Christmas.
. We love all her stories about Old Bear, Jolly Tall, Little Bear, Rabbit, and Bramwell!
, star Percy the Park Keeper, a sweet-natured gardener who makes friends with all the animals in the park. The largest collection of Percy’s adventures, 
, is out of print but can often be found in used condition quite cheaply.