When your beginning reader is starting to gobble up books, a bookshelf full of books like Frog and Toad Are Friends is just what they need to develop and master their reading skills. This book list includes classic easy reader books, as well as brand-new selections.
Frog and Toad Are Friends, voted #15 in SLJ's list of Top 100 Picture Books, is the first title in the classic early reader series by Arnold Lobel. Generations of children learning to read have fallen in love with the clever and humorous friendship stories featuring quirky characters, written in easy-to-read type, and accompanied by charming illustrations.
Arnold Lobel wrote four Frog and Toad books, as well as other charmers like Owl at Home and Mouse Soup but what can kids read after Frog and Toad? This book list will help! Print it out, take it to the library and your kids will be reading in no time!
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Frog and Toad Read Alike Books
The following is a list of easy reader books like Frog and Toad. They are also great books for kids who love Elephant and Piggie!
Henry and Mudge (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson
This is a wonderful early reader series about the friendship between a boy and his dog. In the first book Henry is lonely. He had no brothers or sisters, no close friends. His parents tell him he can get a puppy (and Henry rewards them with a hug!) so he searches for the perfect pooch until he finds Mudge.
Frog and Fly by Jeff Mack
The subtitle, "Six Slurpy Stories" says it all. In each story, Frog manages to trick Fly into becoming his tasty meal. However, in the sixth story Fly manages to outwit Frog in a very surprising way. Jeff Mack's illustrations are bold and to the point, while the funny text is conveyed in dialogue bubbles with the occasional "zip" and "slurp."
Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! (series) by Grace Lin
Chinese-American twins Ling and Ting share a lot of the same traits, but that doesn't mean they are duplicates of each other. Their hair is a little different and only one of them can use chopsticks. Six funny stories will charm your early reader.
Mr Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
I confess, even though Rylant's series is written for kids working on reading fluency I LOVED reading Mr. Putter and Tabby aloud to my kids. There are not many series for young readers that feature older characters and Mr. Putter's adventures with his cat, Tabby, are simply marvelous.
Bink and Gollie (series) by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Alison McGhee and Tony Fucile
Bink and Gollie are best friends, and as all best friends do, they make plans, explore their neighborhood together and even end up in a few spats. The writing is wonderful. It's not any ol' writer who can pen a child character saying "well-nigh" and have it seem natural! The stellar illustrations add interest and humor.
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover (series) by Cece Bell
Rabbit and Robot make an unusual, but highly entertaining duo. Rabbit has created a detailed plan for his sleepover with Robot–pizza, television and a game of Go Fish. However, things don't go smoothly and Robot wants to deviate from the plan. Robot prefers Old Maid and Crazy Eights to Go Fish; he also likes nuts and bolts on his pizza. (You can see how this might present a problem.)
Want to Play? (Confetti Kids series) by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Shirley Ng-Benitez
Confetti Kids is a "new classic" easy reader series! This great collection of beginning readers depicts a diverse group of neighborhood kids engaging in everyday experiences. In Want to Play? the children head out to the park for a day of fun.
MORE: Diverse Easy Reader Books
Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers (series) by Megan Litwin, illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
Best friends, Dirt and Bugsy, love to catch bugs, but they also have a plan to protect them! This is an adorable story about having fun in nature.
A Pig, A Fox, and A Box (series) by Jonathan Fenske
Very funny rhymes tell the story of a very silly duo. Each book is divided into three stories so if kids want to take a break mid-way, they won't lose momentum.
Baloney and Friends (series) by Greg Pizzoli
Pizzoli's easy to read series is written and illustrated in comic book format. There are three hilarious short stories about a group of quirky friends–a pig, bumblebee, horse and a very grumpy rabbit.
Fox and Chick: The Party and Other Stories (series) by Sergio Ruzzier
I adore this series about two friends who sometimes annoy each other, but ultimately remember the things that make them friends. I've always loved Ruzzier's illustrations and dry humor (after all, he wrote one of my all time favorite books EVER, Amandina) and the comic strip format makes it fun to read. A real winner of a book.
MORE: Over 300 Book Lists for Kids Organized by Age and Genre
Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole (series) by Wong Herbert Yee
I used to read this colorfully illustrated short chapter book to my child, but the series is well-designed for beginning readers who want more books like Frog and Toad Are Friends. Friendly neighbors, mouse and mole, live in an oak tree, one above ground, the other below ground.
Snail and Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends (series) by Tina Kügler
Goofy friends, Snail and Worm, have the silliest adventures you can imagine. Their utter sincerity over trivial and ridiculous matters will make your young readers giggle uncontrollably.
Houndsley and Catina (series) by James Howe, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
This warm-hearted easy reader series about two animal friends is filled with gently humorous stories about a dog and a cat sharing meaningful experiences and showing compassion for each other.
MORE: Easy Readers that Are Actually Easy
Cork and Fuzz: Best Friends (series) by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Lisa McCue
Cork, a muskrat and Fuzz, a possum are best friends. Their contrasting personalities and the droll humor of the writing make this a fun series to read.
Poppleton (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague
Rylant's classic series features the antics of a well dressed pig named Poppleton who goes around town, meets the neighbors and makes new friends.
Squirrel's World by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev
Find it: Your Library | Amazon
This a fun series about an enthusiastic squirrel who tries to help all his friends, with humorous consequences. It's organized into short chapters so beginning readers can take a break if they need to.
The Ice Cream Shop (Steve & Wessley series) by J. E. Morris
Find it: Your Library | Amazon
This quirky duo is the classic comedy routine "straight man and clueless man." Although in this case it is straight bunny to clueless mouse. As you can imagine, their adventures are quite silly.
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