1st grade reading list

1st grade students in US schools are commonly assigned 287 books across Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA curricula. Each title links to its grade citations.

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Most-assigned nationally: across every US state’s official reading and award lists, the Elementary (K–5) titles appearing in the most states are Wonder (29 states), Because of Winn-Dixie (26 states), and Shiloh (25 states). From our 2026 study of 13,258 source-cited assignments (as of 2026-07-13).

Start here — the most-assigned 1st grade titles

Ranked by how many curricula actually cite each title for this grade, then read against the Common Core Appendix A complexity band. Reading level is not the same as thematic maturity — several of these sit below the band and are assigned for discussion.

  1. Balloons over Broadway

    Melissa Sweet

    Cited in 3 curricula, taught from grade 1 to 4.

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  2. Big

    Vashti Harrison

    Cited in 3 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  3. Last Stop on Market Street

    Matt de la Peña

    Cited in 3 curricula, taught from grade K to 3. Covers grandparent relationship, urban community and gratitude. Lexile measure 610L.

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  4. Blue

    Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

    Cited in 2 curricula across 2 states, taught from grade K to 4.

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  5. Are You Ready to Play Outside?

    Mo Willems

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  6. Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!

    Geoffrey Hayes

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  7. Bink and Gollie: Two for One

    Kate DiCamillo

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  8. Charlie & Mouse Even Better

    Laurel Snyder

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  9. Don't Throw It to Mo!

    David A. Adler

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  10. Fox the Tiger

    Corey R. Tabor

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  11. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

    Laura Numeroff

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 3. Covers humor, imagination, cause and effect. Lexile measure 410L.

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  12. Juana and Lucas

    Juana Medina

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 3.

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  13. Make Way for Ducklings

    Robert McCloskey

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 3. Covers family, urban nature and community helpers. Lexile measure 730L.

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  14. Officer Buckle and Gloria

    Peggy Rathmann

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 3.

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  15. See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog

    David LaRochelle

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  16. There Is a Bird On Your Head! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)

    Mo Willems

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2.

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  17. Traction Man Is Here!

    Mini Grey

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  18. Boogie Boogie, Y’all

    C.G. Esperanza

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  19. Grandfather's Journey

    Allen Say

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  20. I Talk Like a River

    Jordan Scott

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  21. Mr Tiger Goes Wild

    Peter Brown

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  22. Pocketful of Posies

    Salley Mavor

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  23. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

    Mordicai Gerstein

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 5.

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  24. The Snowy Day

    Ezra Jack Keats

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 2. Covers winter and seasons, city childhood, first-person exploration. Lexile measure 500L.

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  25. Where the Wild Things Are

    Maurice Sendak

    Cited in 2 curricula, taught from grade K to 3. Covers imagination, anger and tantrums, home and family. Lexile measure 740L.

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  26. A Mischief of Mice

    Christie Matheson

    Cited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade K to 3. Covers mystery, nature and friendship.

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  27. Buffalo Fluffalo

    Bess Kalb

    Cited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade K to 2. Covers humor, identity and friendship.

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  28. Butt or Face?

    Kari Lavelle

    Cited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade K to 2. Covers humor, nature and animals.

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  29. Dadaji's Paintbrush

    Rashmi Sirdeshpande

    Cited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade K to 3. Covers grief, family and art.

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  30. Don't Think of Tigers

    Alex Latimer

    Cited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade K to 3. Covers imagination, humor and bedtime.

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287 books with a 1st grade citation

Titles whose grade range covers 1st grade in a state ELA curriculum or a national reference (Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB).

Show all 287 titles

Reading the whole 1st grade reading list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

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Narrow by curriculum

Full curriculum guides: Common Core State Standards (ELA)

Grade lists overlap more than they look: the median assigned book is taught across four grade levels, so a title here may well appear a year either side.

Cross-check by state

Some titles are cited nationally, others only in one state’s standards. These 5 states have cited 1st grade assignments:

Browse 1st grade by theme

Browse 1st grade by genre

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Frequently asked questions

What books do 1st grade students read in US schools?

287 books are commonly assigned to 1st grade students across US schools — sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state curricula. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations.

How many books are on the 1st grade reading list?

This page lists 287 1st grade titles, of which 287 have a verified state or national curriculum citation at the 1st grade level.

Are these 1st grade books in Common Core?

Many 1st grade books on this list appear in the Common Core State Standards Appendix B exemplar texts. Each book card links to its full citation history including which states + curricula reference it. Look for the "Common Core" tag on individual book pages.

How do I pick a 1st grade book for my student?

Filter by curriculum using the pivots above (Common Core, AP, IB, Cambridge, state-specific). Each book page shows its grade range, themes, and which curricula list it. For homeschool or differentiation, books with overlapping grade ranges (±2 grades) work for 1st grade students.

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