Beginner Books

Beginner Books
Parent company Random House
Founded 1957
Founder Phyllis Cerf, Dr. Seuss, and Helen Palmer Geisel
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location New York City
Publication types Books
Official website www.randomhousekids.com
A collection of Beginner and Bright & Early Books

Beginner Books is the Random House imprint for young children ages 3–9, co-founded by Phyllis Cerf with Ted Geisel, more often known as Dr. Seuss, and his wife Helen Palmer Geisel. Their first book was Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat (1957). Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another twenty slightly harder "emergency" words.[1] No more than 200 words were taken from that list to write The Cat in the Hat. Subsequent books in the series were modeled on the same requirement.[2]

Beginner Books had only four titles in their catalog in 1958. Two years later they were earning a million dollars a year and Random House was the largest publisher of children's books in America.

Early contributors

Authors

When Theodor Seuss Geisel illustrated his own stories he wrote as Dr. Seuss. When others created the illustrations, he used either the pseudonym Theo LeSieg or Rosetta Stone. Other authors of early Beginner Books were Robert M. Lopshire, Bennett Cerf, Al Perkins, Helen Palmer Geisel who wrote as Helen Palmer, Philip Dey Eastman, Stan and Jan Berenstain, Benjamin Elkin and Marion Holland.

Illustrators

Early Beginner Books employed many famous illustrators including the aforementioned Theodor Geisel, P.D. Eastman, Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Robert Lopshire. Roy McKie was also an illustrator.

List of Beginner Books

ID Title Print Status Author Illustrator Grade Level Equivalent (Scholastic)[3] Lexile Measure[4]
B- 1 The Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 1.2 260L
B- 2 The Cat in the Hat Comes Back Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 1.2 320L
B- 3 A Fly Went By Mike McClintock Fritz Siebel 2.5 270L
B- 4 The Big Jump and Other Stories out of print Benjamin Elkin Katherine Evans
B- 5 A Big Ball of String out of print Marion Holland Marion Holland (later Roy McKie)
B- 6 Sam and the Firefly P.D. Eastman P. D. Eastman 1.7
B- 7 Going to the Moon/You Will go to the Moon out of print Mae & Ira Freeman Robert Patterson (later Lee Ames)
B- 8 Cowboy Andy out of print Edna Walker Chandler E. Raymond Kinstler
B- 9 The Whales Go By out of print Fred B. Phleger Paul Galdone
B-10 Stop That Ball! out of print Mike McClintock Fritz Siebel
B-11 Book of Laughs out of print Bennett Cerf Carl Rose
B-12 Ann Can Fly out of print Fred Phleger Robert Lopshire
B-13 One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 1.1 180L
B-14 The King's Wish out of print Benjamin Elkin Leonard Shortall (later Joe Mathieu)
B-15 Book of Riddles out of print Bennett Cerf Roy McKie
B-16 Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 2.2 30L
B-17 Put Me in the Zoo Robert Lopshire Robert Lopshire 1.4
B-18 Are You My Mother? P.D. Eastman P.D. Eastman 1.5
B-19 Ten Apples Up On Top! Dr. Seuss (as Theo. Lesieg) Roy McKie
B-20 Go, Dog. Go! P.D. Eastman P.D. Eastman 1.4
B-21 Little Black, a Pony out of print Walter Farley James Schucker
B-22 Look Out for Pirates! out of print Iris Vinton H.B. Vestal
B-23 A Fish Out of Water Helen Palmer P.D. Eastman 2.3 70L
B-24 More Riddles out of print Bennett Cerf Roy McKie
B-25 Robert the Rose Horse Joan Heilbroner P.D. Eastman 1.7 100L
B-26 I Was Kissed by a Seal at the Zoo out of print Helen Palmer Lynn Fayman
B-27 Snow P.D. Eastman Roy McKie
B-28 The Big Honey Hunt Stan & Jan Berenstain 1.6
B-29 Hop on Pop Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 1.1
B-30 Dr. Seuss's ABC Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss
B-31 Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday? out of print Helen Palmer Geisel Lynn Fayman
B-32 Summer Alice Low Roy McKie
B-33 Little Black Goes to the Circus out of print Walter Farley James Schucker
B-34 Book of Animal Riddles out of print Bennett Cerf Roy McKie
B-35 Why I Built the Boogle House out of print Helen Palmer Lynn Fayman
B-36 The Bike Lesson/The Bike Lesson: Another Adventure of the Berenstain Bears Stan & Jan Berenstain 1.9 60L
B-37 The Beginner Book of Things To Make/How to Make Flibbers, etc. out of print Robert Lopshire Robert Lopshire
B-38 Fox in Socks/Fox in Socks: A Tongue Twister for Super Children Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 2.6 500L
B-39 The King, the Mice and the Cheese out of print Nancy Gurney Eric Gurney 2.1 330L
B-40 I Wish That I Had Duck Feet Dr. Seuss (as Theo LeSieg) B. Tobey
B-41 The Bears' Picnic: A Sequel to The Big Honey Hunt/The Bears' Picnic Stan & Jan Berenstain Stan & Jan Berenstain 2.6 230L
B-42 Don and Donna Go To Bat out of print Al Perkins B. Tobey
B-43 You Will Live Under the Sea out of print Fred Phleger Ward Brackett
B-44 Come Over To My House out of print Dr. Seuss (as Theo. Lesieg) Richard Erdoes (later Michael Frith)
B-45 Babar Loses His Crown out of print Laurent de Brunhoff Laurent de Brunhoff
B-46 The Bear Scouts out of print Stan & Jan Berenstain Stan & Jan Berenstain 3.2
B-47 The Digging-est Dog Al Perkins Eric Gurney 2.6 340L
B-48 (Hugh Loftings') The Travels of Dr. Dolittle out of print Al Perkins Philip Wende
B-49 (Hugh Loftings') Doctor Dolittle and the Pirates out of print Al Perkins Philip Wende
B-50 Off To The Races out of print Fred B. Phleger Leo Summers
B-51 The Best Nest P.D. Eastman P.D. Eastman 1.3 280L
B-52 The Bears' Vacation Stan & Jan Berenstain Stan & Jan Berenstain 2.3 160L
B-53 (Ian Flemings' Story of) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! the Magical Car out of print Al Perkins B Tobey
B-54 King Midas and the Golden Touch out of print Al Perkins Harold Berson
B-55 The Bears' Christmas out of print Stan & Jan Berenstain
B-56 Tubby and the Lantern out of print Al Perkins Rowland B. Wilson
B-57 Tubby and the Poo-Bah out of print Al Perkins Rowland B. Wilson
B-58 The Bears' Almanac out of print Stan & Jan Berenstain
B-58 My Amazing Book of Autographs out of print Michael Frith
B-59 Wacky Wednesday Dr. Seuss (as Theo. Lesieg) George Booth 1.3
B-60 The Bear Detectives out of print Stan & Jan Berenstain 2.3 250L
B-61 Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! Dr. Seuss (as Rosetta Stone) Michael Frith 2.3 460L
B-62 Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! Dr. Seuss 2.3 240L
B-63 Please Try to Remember the First of Octember! Dr. Seuss (as Theo. Lesieg) Art Cummings
B-64 I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! Dr. Seuss 2.4 380L
B-65 Oh Say Can You Say? Dr. Seuss 3.5
B-66 The Missing Dinosaur Bone Stan & Jan Berenstain 2.9 230L
B-67 Maybe You Should Fly a Jet! out of print Dr. Seuss (as Theo. Lesieg) Michael J. Smollin
B-68 It's Not Easy Being a Bunny Marilyn Sadler Roger Bollen 3.3 590L
B-69 Spooky Riddles out of print Marc Brown
B-70 What Do Smurfs Do All Day? out of print Peyo
B-71 The Very Bad Bunny out of print Marilyn Sadler Roger Bollen
B-72 I Want to Be Somebody New!: A Sequel to Put Me in the Zoo/I Want To Be Somebody New! Robert Lopshire
B-73 The Black Stallion out of print Walter Farley Sandy Rabinowitz
B-74 I Am NOT Going to Get up Today! out of print Dr. Seuss James Stevenson 2.3 280L
B-75 The Cat's Quizzer Dr. Seuss
B-76 Stop, Train, Stop!: A Thomas the Tank Engine Story out of print Rev. W. Awdry Jane E. Gerver
B-77 New Tricks I Can Do! out of print Robert Lopshire Robert Lopshire
B-78 Anthony the Perfect Monster out of print Angelo DeCesare
B-79 4 Pups and a Worm out of print Eric Seltzer
B-80 Honey Bunny Funnybunny out of print Marilyn Sadler Roger Bollen
B-81 Come Down Now, Flying Cow! out of print Timothy Roland
B-82 Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street? Elenor Hudson Joe Mathieu
B-83 Mercer Mayer's Critters of the Night: Roast & Toast out of print Erica Farber & J. R. Sansevere
B-84 Monster Munchies out of print Laura Numeroff Nate Evans
B-85 Babe the Sheep Pig: A Little Pig Goes a Long Way out of print Mallory Loehr
B-86 The Land Before Time out of print Molly Goode Beverly Lazor-Bahr
B-87 Riddles and More Riddles: Previously Published as Bennett Cerf's Book of Riddles and More Riddles Bennett Cerf
B-88 Flap Your Wings P. D. Eastman P. D. Eastman
B-89 That Stump Must Go! out of print Stan & Jan Berenstain
B-90 Paws and Claws out of print Erica Farber & J. R. Sansevere
B-91 Thomas and Friends: A Crack In the Track Rev. W. Awdry Tommy Stubbs
B-92 Big Dog, Little Dog P. D. Eastman P. D. Eastman/Peter (Anthony) Eastman
B-93 Thomas and Friends: Go, Train, Go!: A Companion Book to Stop, Train, Stop! Rev. W. Awdry/Elizabeth Terrill Tommy Stubbs
B-94 Fred and Ted Go Camping Peter Anthony Eastman Peter Anthony Eastman
B-95 Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow Martha Freeman Steven Salerno
B-96 Fred and Ted Like to Fly Peter Anthony Eastman Peter Anthony Eastman
B-97 The Belly Book Joe Harris Joe Harris
B-98 Thomas and Friends: Trains, Cranes & Troublesome Trucks Rev. W. Awdrey Tommy Stubbs
B-99 Have You Seen My Dinosaur? Jon Surgel Joe Mathieu
B-100 Fred and Ted's Road Trip Peter Anthony Eastman Peter Anthony Eastman
B-101 A Pet Named Sneaker Joan Heilbroner Pascal Lemaitre
B-102 Squirrels on Skis J. Hamilton Ray Pascal Lemaitre

Special Beginner Books

Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners

The following books are for younger children and are technically part of the series. The "BE" designation stands for Bright and Early.

ID Title Print Status Author Illustrator Grade Level Equivalent (Scholastic)[5] Lexile Measure[6]
BE-1 The Foot Book Dr. Seuss 1.1
BE-2 The Eye Book Dr. Seuss (as Theo LeSieg) Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 1.3 140L
BE-3 The Ear Book Al Perkins William O'Brian (later Henry Payne) 2.4
BE-4 Inside Outside Upside Down Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.6
BE-5 Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb Al Perkins Eric Gurney 1.5
BE-6 Bears on Wheels out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.2
BE-7 Mr. Brown Can Moo! Dr. Seuss 2.9
BE-8 The Nose Book out of print Al Perkins Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 1.5 290L
BE-9 Old Hat New Hat Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7
BE-10 Bears in the Night Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.1
BE-11 The B Book out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-12 In a People House Dr. Seuss Roy McKie 2.5
BE-13 Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! Dr. Seuss 2.4 100L
BE-14 The C Book aka C Is for Clown out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-15 The Pop-Up Mice of Mr. Brice (without Bright and Early Books for Beginning Readers series only)/The Many Mice of Mr. Brice Theo. LeSieg (later Dr. Seuss writing as Theo. LeSeig in 100th Anniversary of Dr. Seuss) Roy McKie
BE-16 The Shape of Me and Other Stuff Dr. Seuss 2.4 350L
BE-17 I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words Michael Frith P.D. Eastman
BE-18 There's a Wocket in My Pocket Dr. Seuss 2.1 320L
BE-19 Great Day for Up Dr. Seuss Quentin Blake 1.9
BE-20 He Bear, She Bear out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain 2.5 460L
BE-21 Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? Dr. Seuss Roy McKie
BE-22 Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him! Dr. Seuss Charles E. Martin (later Scott Nash)
BE-23 The Spooky Old Tree out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7 100L
BE-24 The Hair Book out of print Graham Tether Roy McKie
BE-25 The Tooth Book Dr. Seuss (as Theo LeSieg) Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 2.6 400L
BE-26 Wings on Things out of print Marc Brown 2.1 180L
BE-27 The Berenstain Bears on the Moon out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7 40L
BE-28 Snug House, Bug House! out of print Susan Schade and Jon Buller 1.5
BE-29 Snow Bugs out of print Susan Schade and Jon Buller
BE-30 The A Book out of print Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-31 It's Not Easy Being Big! out of print Stephanie St. Pierre John Lund
BE-32 Mama Loves out of print Molly Goode Molly Goode
BE-33 Where is Bear? out of print Tish Rabe Tish Rabe
BE-34 Chuckle with Huckle out of print Richard Scarry
BE-35 The Knee Book out of print Graham Tether Graham Tether
BE-36 Blue Train, Green Train Rev W. Awdry Rev W. Awdry
BE-37 Money Money Honey Bunny Marilyn Sadler Roger Bollen
BE-38 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs - X Marks the Spot out of print R. Schuyler Hooke Art Mawhinney
BE-39 Fast Train, Slow Train Rev W. Awdry Rev W. Awdry
BE-40 Ten Eggs in a Nest Marilyn Sadler Michael Fleming
BE-41 The Alphabet Book P. D. Eastman P. D. Eastman

Bright and Early Board Books

Most, if not all, of these books are abridged versions of Beginner Books or Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners. These books are not numbered.

Big Bright and Early Board Books

References

  1. ↑ Judith Morgan and Neil Morgan, Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography (Da Capo Press, 1996), ISBN 978-0-306-80736-7.
  2. ↑ Excerpt available at Google Books.
  3. ↑ Scholastic Book Wizard
  4. ↑ Scholastic Book Wizard
  5. ↑ Scholastic Book Wizard
  6. ↑ Scholastic Book Wizard

External links

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