Beginner 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), whose title character appears in the brand's logo. Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another 20 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
Parent companyRandom House
Founded1957
FounderPhyllis Fraser
Dr. Seuss
Helen Palmer
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationNew York City
Publication typesBooks
Official websitewww.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/BBK/beginner-booksr
A collection of Beginner and Bright & Early Books

Beginner Books had only four titles in their catalog in 1958. Two years later, they were earning 1 million dollars a year. Random House acquired Beginner Books in 1960[3] and was the largest publisher of children's books in the United States.

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 Seuss Geisel, P. D. Eastman, Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Robert Lopshire. Roy McKie was also an illustrator.

List of Beginner Books
ID Title Year released
B- 1 The Cat in the Hat 1957
B- 2 The Cat in the Hat Comes Back 1958
B- 3 A Fly Went By 1958
B- 4 The Big Jump and Other Stories 1958
B- 5 A Big Ball of String 1958 (later 35th anniversary edition released in 1993)
B- 6 Sam and the Firefly 1958
B- 7 Going to the Moon (U.K.)/You Will Go to the Moon 1959 (later revised edition in 1971)
B- 8 Cowboy Andy 1959
B- 9 The Whales Go By 1959
B-10 Stop that Ball! 1959
B-11 Bennett Cerf's Book of Laughs 1959
B-12 Ann Can Fly 1959
B-13 One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish 1960
B-14 The King's Wish and Other Stories 1960
B-15 Bennett Cerf's Book of Riddles 1960/1999 (part of Riddles and More Riddles)
B-16 Green Eggs and Ham 1960
B-17 Put Me in the Zoo 1960
B-18 Are You My Mother? 1960
B-19 Ten Apples Up On Top! 1961 (later 1998)
B-20 Go, Dog. Go! 1961
B-21 Little Black, a Pony 1961
B-22 Look Out for Pirates! 1961
B-23 A Fish Out of Water 1961
B-24 More Riddles 1961/1999 (part of Riddles and More Riddles)
B-25 Robert the Rose Horse 1962
B-26 I Was Kissed by a Seal at the Zoo 1962
B-27 Snow 1962
B-28 The Berenstain Bears: The Big Honey Hunt (reissue)/The Big Honey Hunt 1962
B-29 Hop on Pop: The Simplest Seuss for Youngest Use 1963
B-30 Dr. Seuss's ABC (translations) 1963
B-31 Do You Know What I'm Going to Do Next Saturday? 1963
B-32 Summer 1963 (later 2001 recolored and censored)
B-33 Little Black Goes to the Circus 1963
B-34 Bennett Cerf's Book of Animal Riddles 1964
B-35 Why I Built the Boogle House 1964
B-36 The Bike Lesson (U.K.)/The Berenstain Bears: The Bike Lesson (reissue)/The Bike Lesson: Another Adventure of the Berenstain Bears 1964
B-37 The Beginner Book of Things To Make: previously published as How to Make Flibbers, etc. (reissue)/How to Make Flibbers, etc.: A Book of Things to Make and Do 1964
The Cat in the Hat Dictionary (U.K.)/The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary 1964
B-38 Fox in Socks (reissue)/Fox in Socks: A Tongue Twister for Super Children 1965
B-39 The King, the Mice and the Cheese 1965
B-40 I Wish That I Had Duck Feet 1965
B-41 The Berenstain Bears: The Bears' Picnic (reissue)/The Bears' Picnic 1966
B-42 Don and Donna Go to Bat 1966
B-43 You Will Live Under the Sea 1966
B-44 Come over to My House 1966 (later 50th anniversary edition released in 2016)
B-45 Babar Loses His Crown 1967 (later released in 2004)
B-46 The Berenstain Bears: The Bear Scouts (reissue)/The Bear Scouts 1967
B-47 The Digging-est Dog 1967
B-48 Hugh Loftings' Travels of Dr. Dolittle 1967
The Cat in the Hat Songbook 1967
B-49 Hugh Loftings' Doctor Dolittle and the Pirates 1968
B-50 Off to the Races 1968
B-51 The Best Nest 1968
B-52 The Berenstain Bears: The Bears' Vacation (reissue)/The Bears' Holiday (U.K.)/The Bears' Vacation 1968
B-53 Ian Flemings' Story of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! the Magical Car 1968
B-54 King Midas and the Golden Touch 1969 (later special edition in 1973 by Scholastic)
My Book about Me 1969
I Can Draw It Myself 1970
B-55 The Berenstain Bears: The Bears' Christmas (reissue)/The Bears' Christmas 1970
Some of Us Walk, Some Fly, Some Swim 1971
B-56 Tubby and the Lantern 1971
B-57 Tubby and the Poo-Bah 1972
The Berenstain Bears in: The Bears' Almanac 1973
B-58 Autographs! I Collect Them (reissue)/My Amazing Book of Autographs 1974
B-59 Wacky Wednesday 1974
B-60 The Berenstain Bears: The Bear Detectives: The Case of the Missing Pumpkin (reissue)/The Bear Detectives: The Case of the Missing Pumpkin 1975
B-61 Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! 1975
B-62 Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! 1975
B-63 Please Try to Remember the First of Octember! 1977
B-64 I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! 1978
B-65 Oh Say Can You Say? 1979
B-66 The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone 1980
B-67 Maybe You Should Fly a Jet! Maybe You Should Be a Vet! 1980 (later 40th anniversary edition released in 2020)
B-68 It's Not Easy Being a Bunny 1983
B-69 Spooky Riddles 1983
B-70 What Do Smurfs Do All Day? 1983
B-71 The Very Bad Bunny 1984
B-72 I Want to Be Somebody New!: The Sequel to Put Me in the Zoo (reissue)/I Want To Be Somebody New! 1986
B-73 The Black Stallion 1986
B-74 I Am Not Going to Get Up Today! 1987
B-75 The Cat's Quizzer 1976 (original)/1993 (reissue)
Beginning Readers' Yearbook 1994 1994
The Big Blue Book of Beginner Books 1994
B-76 Stop, Train, Stop! A Thomas the Tank Engine Story 1995
The Big Red Book of Beginner Books 1995
B-77 New Tricks I Can Do! 1996
B-78 Anthony the Perfect Monster 1996
The Big Book of Berenstain Bears Beginner Books 1996
B-79 4 Pups and a Worm 1996
B-80 Honey Bunny Funnybunny 1997
B-81 Come Down Now, Flying Cow! 1997
B-82 Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? 1997
The Big Green Book of Beginner Books 1997/2022
Put Me in the Alphabet!: A Beginner Workbook About ABC's 1997
I Want to Count Something New: A Beginner Workbook About 123's 1997
Pigs of a Feather 1998
Match This, P. J. Funnybunny!: A Beginner Workbook About Matching and Sorting 1998
What's Next, P. J. Funnybunny?: A Beginner Workbook About Sequencing 1998
B-83 Mercer Mayer's Critters of the Night: Roast & Toast 1998
B-84 Monster Munchies 1998
B-85 Babe the Sheep Pig: A Little Pig Goes a Long Way 1999
B-86 The Land Before Time 1999
B-87 Riddles and More Riddles!: Previously Published as Bennett Cerf's Book of Riddles and More Riddles 1960/1961/1999
B-88 Flap Your Wings 1969/2000 (reissue)
B-89 The Berenstain Bears: That Stump Must Go! 2000
B-90 Paws and Claws 2001
B-91 Thomas and Friends: A Crack In the Track 2001
B-92 Big Dog...Little Dog 1973/2003 (30th anniversary edition)
B-93 Thomas and Friends: Go, Train, Go! A Companion Book to Stop, Train, Stop! 2005
B-94 Fred and Ted Go Camping 2005
B-95 Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow 2006
B-96 Fred and Ted Like to Fly 2007
B-97 The Belly Book 2008
B-98 Thomas and Friends: Trains, Cranes & Troublesome Trucks 2008
B-99 Have You Seen My Dinosaur? 2010
B-100 Fred and Ted's Road Trip 2011
The Big Book of Berenstain Bears Beginner Books 2011
My Big Book of Beginner Books about Me 2011
The Big Purple Book of Beginner Books 2012
B-101 A Pet Named Sneaker 2013
Thomas' Big Book of Beginner Books 2013
B-102 Squirrels on Skis 2013
The Big Orange Book of Beginner Books 2015
The Big Aqua Book of Beginner Books 2017
B-103 DC Super Friends: Catch That Crook 2018
B-104 Dreamworks' Trolls: Too Many Cupcakes 2018
B-105 What Pet Should I Get? 2015/2019
B-106 Dr. Seuss's 123 2019
B-107 A Skunk in My Bunk! 2019
B-108 Can You See Me? 2019
B-109 Shut the Door! 1993/2020
B-110 If I Had Your Vote 2020
B-111 The Pink Book 2020
B-112 A Ticket for Cricket 2021
B-113 If I Ran Your School 2021
B-114 I Can Be Anything! 2021
B-115 It's Better Being a Bunny 2022
B-116 Busy Streets 2022
B-117 If I Were Saint Nick: A Christmas Story 2022
B-118 How to Love a Pony 2023
The Big Violet Book of Beginner Books 2023
B-119 Bunny with a Big Heart 2023
B-120 Dr. Seuss's If You Think There's Nothing to Do 2024

Book Club
  • Grolier Book Club Beginner Book Series
  • Scholastic Book Club Beginner Book Series
  • Early Moments Book Club Beginner Book Series

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 Year released Author Illustrator Grade level equivalent (Scholastic)[4] Lexile measure[4]
BE-1 The Foot Book 1968 Dr. Seuss 1.1
BE-2 The Eye Book 1968/1999 Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo LeSieg) Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 1.3 140L
BE-3 The Ear Book 1968/2007 Al Perkins William O'Brian (later Henry Payne) 2.4
BE-4 The Berenstain Bears: Inside Outside Upside Down/Inside, Outside, Upside Down 1968 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) 1.6
BE-5 Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb 1969 Al Perkins Eric Gurney 1.5
BE-6 The Berenstain Bears: Bears on Wheels/Bears on Wheels: A Bright and Early Counting Book Grolier and Early Moments only 1969 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the former prints) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the former prints) 1.2
BE-7 Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises 1970 Dr. Seuss 2.9
BE-8 The Nose Book Grolier and Early Moments only 1970/2002 Al Perkins Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 1.5 290L
BE-9 The Berenstain Bears: Old Hat New Hat/Old Hat, New Hat 1970 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) 1.7
BE-10 The Berenstain Bears: Bears in the Night/Bears in the Night 1971 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) 1.1
BE-11 Berenstains' B Book/The Berenstains' B Book Grolier and Early Moments only 1971 Stan and Jan Berenstain (both credited on the reissue) Stan and Jan Berenstain (both credited on the reissue)
I Can Write Grolier and Early Moments only 1971 Dr. Seuss (aka Theo. LeSieg) Roy McKie
BE-12 In a People House 1972 Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg) Roy McKie ("illustrated by" in the book, "pictures by" in the video") 2.5
BE-13 Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! 1972 Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 2.4 100L
BE-14 Berenstains' C Book: Previously Published as C is for Clown/C Is for Clown Grolier and Early Moments only 1972 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue)
BE-15 The Pop-Up Mice of Mr. Brice/The Many Mice of Mr. Brice out of print 1973 Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg) Roy McKie
BE-16 The Shape of Me and Other Stuff 1973 Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 2.4 350L
BE-17 I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words 1973 Michael Frith P. D. Eastman
BE-18 There's a Wocket in My Pocket! 1974 Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss 2.1 320L
BE-19 Great Day for Up 1974 Dr. Seuss (by) Quentin Blake (pictures by) 1.9
BE-20 The Berenstain Bears: He Bear, She Bear/He Bear, She Bear 1974 Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) Stan and Jan Berenstain ("by" credit on the original issue cover) 2.5 460L
BE-21 Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? 1975 Dr. Seuss Roy McKie
BE-22 Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him! 1976/2006 Dr. Seuss Charles E. Martin (later 30th anniversary edition released in 2006 illustrated by Scott Nash)
BE-23 The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree 1978 Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7 100L
BE-24 The Hair Book 1979/2019 Graham Tether Roy McKie (later 40th anniversary edition released in 2019 and illustrated by Andrew Joyner)
BE-25 The Tooth Book 1981/2000 Dr. Seuss (as Theo LeSieg) Roy McKie (later Joe Mathieu) 2.6 400L
BE-26 Wings on Things Grolier and Early Moments only 1982 Marc Brown Marc Brown 2.1 180L
BE-27 The Berenstain Bears on the Moon Grolier and Early Moments only 1985 Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7 40L
BE-28 Snug House, Bug House! Grolier and Early Moments only 1994 Susan Schade and Jon Buller 1.5
BE-29 Snow Bugs Grolier and Early Moments only 1996 Susan Schade and Jon Buller
BE-30 Berenstains' A Book Grolier and Early Moments only 1997 Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-31 It's Not Easy Being Big! Grolier and Early Moments only 1998 Stephanie St. Pierre John Lund
BE-32 Mama Loves Scholastic Book Club only 1999 Molly Goode Molly Goode
BE-33 Bear in the Big Blue House: Where is Bear? out of print 1999 Tish Rabe Tish Rabe
BE-34 Richard Scarry's Chuckle with Huckle! and Other Easy-to-Read Funny Stories Early Moments only 2005 Jane E. Gerver Richard Scarry II
BE-35 The Knee Book Early Moments only 2005 Graham Tether Graham Tether
BE-36 Money Money Honey Bunny 2006 Marilyn Sadler Roger Bollen
BE-37 Thomas and Friends: Blue Train, Green Train 2006 Rev. W. Awdry
BE-38 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs – X Marks the Spot out of print 2007 R. Schuyler Hooke Art Mawhinney
BE-39 Thomas and Friends: Fast Train, Slow Train out of print 2009 Rev W. Awdry Rev W. Awdry
BE-40 Ten Eggs in a Nest Early Moments and eBook only 2014 Marilyn Sadler Michael Fleming
BE-41 The Alphabet Book 2015 P. D. Eastman
Peter Eastman		 P. D. Eastman
Peter Eastman
The Big Book of Berenstain Bears Stories 2016 Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-42 Dr. Seuss's Book of Animals 2018 Dr. Seuss
BE-43 Dr. Seuss's Book of Colors 2018 Dr. Seuss

Book Club
  • Grolier Bright and Early Book series
  • Scholastic Bright and Early Book series
  • Early Moments Bright and Early Book series

Bright and Early Board Books

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

  • The Alphabet Book by P. D. Eastman, additional materials by Peter Eastman
  • I'll Teach My Dog a Lot of Words written by Michael Frith, illustrated by P. D. Eastman
  • Big Dog...Little Dog by P. D. Eastman
  • Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman
  • Eres mi Mama? by P. D. Eastman
  • Go, Dog. Go! P.D. Eastman's Book of Things That Go illustrated by P. D. Eastman
  • Ve, Perro. Ve! by P. D. Eastman
  • Fred and Ted Like to Fly by Peter Eastman
  • The Snowman illustrated by Raymond Briggs – Note: the only Bright and Early Board Book without any words
  • What Time Is It? by P. D. Eastman (eBook only)
  • The Berenstain Bears: Old Hat, New Hat by the Berenstains
  • Sombrero Viejo, Sombrero Nuevo by the Berenstains (out of print)
  • The Berenstain Bears: Inside, Outside, Upside Down by the Berenstains
  • The Berenstain Bears: He Bear, She Bear by the Berenstains
  • Summer by Alice Low, illustrated by Roy McKie
  • Put Me In The Zoo: A Book of Colors by Robert Lopshire
  • Stop, Train, Stop! by Rev. W. Awdry
  • Para, Trencito, Para! by Rev. W. Awdry (out of print)
  • Blue Train, Green Train by Rev. W. Awdry
  • Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! by Dr. Seuss
  • Fox In Socks: Dr. Seuss's Book of Tongue Twisters by Dr. Seuss
  • Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
  • Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Roy McKie – Note: this book is a 1998 recolor edition.
  • There's a Wocket in My Pocket! Dr. Seuss's Book of Ridiculous Rhymes by Dr. Seuss
  • Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss
  • Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises by Dr. Seuss
  • The Shape of Me and Other Stuff: Dr. Seuss's Surprising Word Book by Dr. Seuss
  • Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Roy McKie
  • The Many Mice of Mr. Brice by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Roy McKie
  • The Ear Book by Al Perkins, illustrated by Henry Payne
  • Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric Gurney
  • The Nose Book by Al Perkins, illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites by Dr. Seuss

Big Bright and Early Board Books
  • Fast Train, Slow Train by Rev W. Awdry
  • Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog? by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Roy McKie
  • Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! by Dr. Seuss
  • The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain
  • Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss
  • Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises by Dr. Seuss
  • Trains, Cranes and Troublesome Trucks by Rev W. Awdry
  • The Many Mice of Mr. Brice by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Roy McKie
  • Fox in Socks: Dr. Seuss's Book of Tongue Twisters by Dr. Seuss
  • Are You My Mother? written and illustrated by P. D. Eastman
  • Hop on Pop: The Simplest Seuss for Toddlers Use by Dr. Seuss
  • Go, Dog. Go!: P. D. Eastman's Book of Things That Go by P. D. Eastman
  • The Big Box of Bright and Early Board Books About Me (The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites, The Eye Book, The Nose Book, The Tooth Book)
  • The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites by Dr. Seuss
  • Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric Gurney
  • The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss (writing as Theo. LeSieg), illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • The Nose Book by Al Perkins, illustrated by Joe Mathieu
  • There's a Wocket in My Pocket!: Dr. Seuss's Book of Ridiculous Rhymes by Dr. Seuss
  • The Berenstain Bears: Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan and Jan Berenstain (Kohl's-exclusive)
  • The Alphabet Book by P.D. Eastman, additional materials by Peter Eastman (Kohl's-exclusive)
  • Put Me in the Zoo: A Book of Colors by Robert Lopshire (Kohl's-exclusive)

See also

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. "RANDOM HOUSE EXPANDS; Acquiring Stock of Beginner Books, Pending Approval". The New York Times. July 29, 1960. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  4. Scholastic Book Wizard
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