First-Grade Nonfiction Books, Reading Level: Beginning of Grade 1

*Bunting, Jane. My First ABC. Dorling Kindersley, 1993, 29 pp. Letters of the alphabet are accompanied by color photos of items that begin with the sound that the letters represent. Could be a model for an alphabet book. Provides practice reading words beginning with a certain sound.

Ellwand, David. Emma's Elephant & Other Favorite Animal Friends. Dutton, 1996, 32 pp. In black and white photos and brief alliterative captions, depicts children with animals. Reinforces phonemic awareness: beginning consonant sounds.

Marzollo, Jean. Home Sweet Home. HarperCollins, 1997, 28 pp. Poem celebrates earth and its creatures. With each line illustrated, poem is easy to read. Excellent read-aloud.

Nikola-Lisa, W. America, My Land*Your*Land*Our Land. Lee & Low Books, 1997, 28 pp. Fourteen artists depict America. Pictures are accompanied by brief captions: wood land, farm land, wet land, dry land.

Schwartz, Amy. Old McDonald. Scholastic, 1999, 29 pp. Extends traditional "Old McDonald" to include additional animals and people.

Shannon, George. Tomorrow's Alphabet. Greenwillow, 1996, 52 pp. Reader has to look ahead to match objects and alphabet letters. For instance, a is associated with seed because it will grow into tomorrow's apple.

Siddals, Mary McKenna. Tell Me a Season. Houghton Mifflin, 1997, 26 pp. Illustrations and brief captions describe the seasons. Provides science tie-in: seasons.

Swinburne, Stephen R. Guess Whose Shadow? Boyds Mill Press, 1999, 27 pp. Brilliant color photos show a variety of shadows. Accompanied by easy-to-read captions.