Celebrate National Reading Month: Best Books for New Readers

March is National Reading Month! Celebrate a new reader in your life with the gift of a special book. 

Today we’re highlighting a few of our favorites from the Best Books for New Readers Shopping Guide. Although the general idea of new reader books remains the same – keep the words simple and have supporting illustrations – the themes of the books are more engaging than ever.

Top Books for New Readers

The following are five of our favorite books for new readers.

1. Librarian’s Choice – The Elephant and Piggie series of books is penned by the same author as Knufflebunny and The Pigeon picture books. New readers will enjoy these tales of friendship over and over again. The books themselves are a hybrid of picture books and readers, and are highly recommended for kids who are just learning how to read. For more excellent book suggestions for new readers, stop by your local library!
   
2. Fan Favorite – We polled our readers and the Magic Tree House series received the most votes. This series is one of the top selling chapter book series of all time. While some parts are a little scary for young readers, they’re filled with excitement and adventure. Your reader may even learn something new while exploring the series.
   
3. Scottsdale Moms Blog Writers’ Favorite – We polled our writers and the Pete the Cat Phonics Box received the most votes. If you’re looking for simple books with a familiar character to practice short and long vowels and sight words, this could be the perfect set. Practicing reading is extra fun with Pete.
4. Best Themed Gift Idea – If you’re looking for a themed book gift for a nature-loving new reader, I Like Bugs is a a great option. The book is filled with vibrant illustrations and simple words. Add a bug catching net, an ant farm, or even a trip to Butterfly Wonderland and your bug-lover will be thrilled. 
5. Best Book Under $10 – Learning to read and losing your first tooth often align pretty closely. My Loose Tooth is a great early reader book that turns a scary first loose tooth into a funny story. Whether your child has already lost a tooth or is anticipating the first wiggly one, this will be sure to entertain them. (Amazon prices may vary by the minute.)

If you’re looking for more book ideas, check out our other Book Shopping Guides. We even have the lists broken down by ages.

Are we missing one of your favorites? Leave a comment so we can keep our list updated with the best options!

Check It Out!

Whether you’re on a spending-freeze or you’ve taken minimalism to the next level, there are many reasons people don’t want to purchase books. Luckily, Scottsdale is home to multiple FREE public libraries! 

The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library. -Albert Einstein

If it’s been a few years since you visited, it’s time to make the trip. The library is full of thousands (maybe even millions?) of books, books on CD, magazines, movies, digital content, and so much more. There are constantly free events geared toward people of all ages, from babies to seniors. The youth areas are equipped with educational toys, games, and computers for kids to explore. Plus, if you’re looking for a place to beat the heat this summer, there’s really no better place than the adventures you can find while visiting your local library.

Note: Once you click on a Shopping Guide link, it opens to a page with a few of our favorite products, recommended by our writers and readers! When you click the images on the Guides they’ll redirect you to Amazon using an affiliate link. If you make a purchase after clicking our link, it doesn’t charge you any extra money, but it does send a little commission to SMB as a thank you for referring traffic. This helps us bring you more great content for FREE!