Book picks similar to
Chang's Paper Pony by Eleanor Coerr


historical-fiction
easy-readers
fiction
early-reader

Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President


Shirley Raye Redmond - 2003
    He tells them to make maps. He tells them to draw pictures and collect plants. Most importantly, he tells them to send presents! What kind of present is good enough for a president? Beginning readers will truly enjoy reading about this fun and little-known slice of American history.

Minnie and Moo: The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut


Denys Cazet - 2005
    Can the cunning cows stop the crime wave before the donut-napper strikes again?The funniest and sweetest buddies since Frog and Toad, Minnie and Moo will earn giggles from young readers. The Minnie and Moo stories are fun independent reads and also perfect for reading aloud, as they're filled with funny dialogue from these goofy and adorable cows.Denys Cazet was an elementary school teacher for 25 years, and has also been a school librarian and elementary school media specialist. He was inspired to tell stories about the silly cow best friends when he passed a herd of cows in which all but two were facing the same way. Those two nonconformist cows became Minnie and Moo.Minnie and Moo: The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.

The Long Way to a New Land


Joan Sandin - 1981
    This book is a helpful supplement to a history class and a courageous, compelling story for any occasion.The year is 1868 and Sweden is a barren land of poverty and famine. Carl Erik and his family receive a letter from an uncle in America. The uncle realizes that the Erik family is near the end of their rope, and encourages them to move abroad to make a new life. The family sells all their personal items and begins a long trek across land and sea to America...As a fan of this book and its companion, The Long Way Westward, put it: "The books describe the difficulty and dangers of the journey in a way that is non-complaining and full of optimism for a new life in America. Teachers, these books are wonderful for integrating with other subjects and topics, such as immigration, westward expansion, steamships, trains, geography, and American life in the 1860s."Author-artist Joan Sandin's grandfather was born in Sweden and immigrated to Wisconsin with his parents in 1882, when he was only two. Joan herself spent time in Sweden and did extensive research to create her well-loved classic books about the immigrant experience.

Dust for Dinner


Ann Turner - 1995
    Then terrible dust storms came and ruined the land. The family had no choice but to auction off the farm and make the long, hard journey west to California-away from the dust storms, where the land is still green.Along the way, Papa tries to find work, and Jake and Maggy try to help too. But what if Papa can't find a job? What if California isn't better after all?Ann Turner's dramatic story about the dust bowl, set during the Great Depression and beautifully captured in Robert Barrett's paintings, shows how one family stays together during difficult times.

Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman


Monica Kulling - 2000
    This easy-to-read, page-turning account surveys the life of Harriet Tubman, including her childhood in slavery and her later work in helping other slaves escape north to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

George the Drummer Boy


Nathaniel Benchley - 1977
    George was a drummer boy with the King's soldiers there. He wanted to be friends with the people of Boston. But they did not like the soldiers. They shouted and threw things at them. One night, George and the other soldiers were sent on a secret mission. They crossed the river and headed toward Concord. George had no idea that this was the start of the American Revolution.In this I Can Read Book, Don Bolognese's vibrant pictures capture the drama and humor of Nathaniel Benchley's exciting story.

Clara and the Bookwagon


Nancy Smiler Levinson - 1988
    Based on the true story of America’s first ‘bookmobile.’"The free library in a nearby Maryland village is off-limits to the curious child, but Clara's chance encounter with librarian Mary Titcomb and the first horse-drawn 'moving library' changes her father's response. A glimpse of childhood without schools, libraries, literacy and books is presented in easy-to-read historical fiction." (Cooperative Children's Book Center)Clara and the Bookwagon is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.

Wagon Wheels


Barbara Brenner - 1978
    But when Daddy moves on, the three boys must begin their own journey. They must learn to care for one another and face the dangers of the wilderness alone.

Prairie School


Avi - 2001
    One day his Aunt Dora arrives to give him some schooling. Noah doesn't think he needs it. What use is reading on the prairie? But what Noah discovers will change his life forever.

I Am Rosa Parks


Rosa Parks - 1997
    Her brave act sparked the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott and brought the civil rights movement to national attention. In simple, lively language, Rosa Parks describes her life from childhood to the present and recounts the events that shook the nation. Her story is powerful, inspiring and unforgettable.An NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

The Trail of Tears


Joseph Bruchac - 1999
    Young readers learn about this epic true tale of friendships, hopes, fears and dreams.

"What is That?" Said the Cat


Grace Maccarone - 1995
    "I heard", said the bird. This simple, rhyming, Level 1 "Hello Reader" features the very first sight words new readers learn. Full color.

First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers


George Shea - 1997
    It's also an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 5 to 7 who are ready to read independently. It’s a fun way to keep your child engaged and as a supplement for activity books for children.When Tom Tate hears that Wilbur and Orville Wright are building a flying machine, he can't wait to try it. Tom's dad thinks it's dangerous. Some people think the Wrights are crazy. Can Tom help the brothers get their dream off the ground?"Children will identify with the spirit of this boy who enthusiastically volunteered to try out the glider when there wasn't enough wind to lift the grown men," commented School Library Journal, which also praised the "carefully researched" illustrations.First Flight helps build reading confidence and pleasure while engaging young readers with compelling historical fiction.

Hill of Fire


Thomas P. Lewis - 1971
    Then one afternoon the ground growls, hisses smoke, and swallows up his plow. A volcano is erupting in the middle of his cornfield!

A Poor Excuse for a Dragon (Step into Reading)


Geoffrey Hayes - 2011
    But he's determined to make #5—eat people—work. Before you can say "pass the salt" he's gobbled up three people even though he doesn't have the stomach for it. Luckily a local shepherd, with the help of a giant and a witch, knows how to cure what ails him and get those pesky people out of his belly. It's happily-ever-after for everyone in ways you'd never expect.Geisel award-winning author/illustrator Geoffrey Hayes is a stepped reader maestro. The common threads between his wildly popular Uncle Tooth and Otto SIRs and the more recent Benny and Penny series (Toon Books) are clear and constant. The art is adorable, the characters are bursting with personality, and the stories are humorously subversive. From marauding pirates to misbehaving mice to a dragon who swallows people whole (and then continues to communicate with them in his belly!), Geoffrey always hits that sweet spot for the stepped reader audience—easy to decode, illustrative tales that tickle the funnybone.From the Trade Paperback edition.