Best-Selling Books Under $5 for Grades PreK-2

Enjoy these very simple stories that teach hard-to-explain emotions, such as disappointment, that are so challenging for toddlers and preschoolers to control.

The silly, funny, fantastic story of a boy who didn't wash his hands and the crazy consequences that ensue as he spreads a bit of grossness around.

This upbeat tale features easy-to-follow rhyming text, expressive illustrations, and familiar classroom scenes that will help get little ones excited for their first day of school.

Discover the perfect book to help every little anxious Worrysaurus let go of their fears, and feel happy in the moment at hand!

Emily Elizabeth is starting Kindergarten and she's a little nervous. Good thing that the teacher sent a note home that says each child can bring something from home to make the transition a little easier. But the teacher didn't bet on a child bringing something—or someone—as big as Clifford!

With easy-to-read text and relatable characters,children can boost their reading confidence while also learning how to be a good friend.

This rhyming guide to social skills is a good introduction for young children to the power of kindness. Includes helpful times and activities.

It's Coco's birthday and Zoya wants to give her pup the perfect present. She tries out a few ideas -- including a yarn necklace and colorful frosted treats. But she finally decides to paint Coco's bowl gold. With some paint and LOTS of glitter, Zoya creates a gift Coco is sure to love!

Clifford knows that it takes more than size to Be Big! Be Big is a national campaign to show how small, simple actions can make the world a better place. Remember, it only takes a little to Be Big!

It's bedtime for Plankton and Crabby! Crabby just wants to go to sleep, but Plankton has other ideas. Plankton wants Crabby to take a bath. Plankton wants Crabby to tell a bedtime story. Will Crabby ever get to go to sleep? With comic speech bubbles and full-color artwork throughout, Geisel Award Honoree Jonathan Fenske's early reader series is sure to be a hit with new readers!

Swim along with mermaid Vera and octo-kid Beaker! In these three stories, Vera and Beaker make a new friend with a powerful baby mantis shrimp. Together, they explore the town of Tidal Grove. Then they play fun underwater games!

Frog does not want to sit on a log! But Cat tells him that's where he belongs. Doing his best to find an alternative place to sit, Frog asks Cat a whole lot of questions. For every answer Cat has, Frog has another question, until he finds out what dogs sit on!

In a poem about a Mama Fox's love for her cub, I Love You Because You're You captures the many moods of all children, reassuring them of their parents' abiding affection and approval.

In these three rhyming stories, Princess Truly visits a museum and learns about dinosaurs and butterflies, she solves a mystery when her snack goes missing, and she takes a trip to outer space in a rocket ship with her pug, Sir Noodles. 

Ace polishes up her mountain bike and prepares for the big bike race! She oils the chain and tests the brakes. Then the race begins! But Ace's bike chain comes off the sprocket and then she needs to patch a tire! Will she be able to fix her bike in time and find her way to the finish line?

It tackles the problem of handling disappointment in a clever and straightforward way. Melvin throws a fit whenever he doesn't get what he wants. Apparently, this is tolerated at home and he always gets his way, but at school, the rule is "You get what you get if you don't throw a fit." Melvin learns to control his behavior at school pretty quickly and when he spills the beans at home, his parents take on a new philosophy as well.

Parr's bestselling books have reminded kids to embrace differences, to be thankful, to love one another, and to be themselves. This follow-up to It's Okay to Be Different embraces life's happy accidents, the mistakes, and mess-ups that can lead to self discovery.

Best friends Sniff and Scratch love to play together! Across three giggle-inducing short stories, Sniff and Scratch have fun with toilet paper, they enjoy chasing each other's tails, and they snuggle with Sniff's stuffed duck.

In this groovy story, Pete just can't decide which outfit to wear to school! He has so many options to choose from, so he uses his creativity to decide on the coolest one because, in the end, it's not what you wear, but how you wear it that makes you cool.

In plain language, parents of a brightly colored rockfish share lessons about how to swim joyfully through life.

While children splash in puddles above, down below an earthworm delights in a rainy day. The lively comparison will delight preschoolers.

Princess Truly knows how to help! In these three rhyming stories, Princess Truly lends a hand during her friend's moving day, she cleans up a stinky park with her magical curls, and she helps a farmer get his tractor key from a crow's nest! These funny and empowering short stories promote believing in yourself, building confidence, and having a positive self-image, and foster imagination and curiosity, and are perfect for fans of Ada Twist, Scientist.

Illustrations of workers in a busy town help children understand the valuable role of each worker in the community!

Have you ever wondered what happens to a fiery comet as it races around our solar system? This stunningly illustrated story offers a perfect introduction to a comet's amazing journey and learn a little bit about our planets along the way!

Organized into color-coded levels, these short, compelling stories will have both emergent and more advanced readers entertained and engaged as they explore new stories with their favorite characters.

This stunningly illustrated series offers engaging introductions into a plethora of fascinating nature topics!

See the picture? Now read the clue. Then start looking for everything! A is for apple and airplane and ant. But where are they? Are those balloons on the letter B? See the snow-white ice on the cold letter C? Alright, the D is dotty, the E is a soft pink eraser, the F is on fire, and the G is glittery. But where are these other objects that begin with those letters?

This stunningly illustrated series offers engaging introductions into a plethora of fascinating nature topics!

What's Little Critter to do when he can't get his way? He could pack up his toys and cookies and leave home for good. But will he? Or is a yes waiting for him just outside the door? Find out in this delightfully grumpy read.

Beauty is much more than how one looks on the outside. True beauty is found in conquering challenges, showing kindness, and spreading contagious laughter. Beautiful girls are empowered, smart, and really, really strong!

David's teacher has her hands full. From running in the halls to chewing gum in class, David's high-energy antics fill each school day with trouble, and are sure to bring a smile to even the best-behaved reader.

Let's go for a walk outside and see what we can see! Let's go for a walk outside, underneath the trees!

Stroll through the neighborhood with the Rhymington Square monsters in this charming storybook based on Super Simple's catchy music video "Let's Go For a Walk Outside." Along the way, see how many things from the list you can spot! Can you find the unicorn? What about the cat-shaped cloud?

The Gingerbread Man runs as fast as he can in this fast-paced classic about a very determined little cookie!

Sniff is a dog. Scratch is a cat. And they’re best friends… most of the time! In these three hilarious short stories, Sniff and Scratch find creative ways to reach a pie on the kitchen counter, Sniff panics when Scratch gets stuck in a box, and they meet a strange new dog and cat just like them.

From Dav Pilkey, creator of the New York Times bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, comes Dragon, the heartwarming hero adored by Dav's youngest readers!

Organized into color-coded levels, these short, compelling stories will have both emergent and more advanced readers entertained and engaged as they explore new stories with their favorite characters.

Ty and Corey love to visit the museum. When they step through the doors, they become scientists. They study bugs and hunt for fossils. They catch the wind. When Ty can"t participate in a lab activity because of his age, he uses his big imagination at home. Discovering new things is so much fun!

In the first zany, hilarious Fly Guy picture book, Buzz tries to help Fly Guy find the right pet. It seems that everyone else at the park has a pet, so Fly Guy wants one, too. A dog licked Fly Guy. A frog chased Fly Guy. A cricket was too jumpy. Who will be the best pet for Fly Guy?

Priya is excited to plan her aunty's birthday party. She will donate the money she makes to help the cutest endangered animal on the planet, the quokka! But the party is this Saturday! With so many items on her to-do list, can she get it all done in time?

Pete uses his magical paintbrush to help his unicorn friend find the missing colors in her rainbow tail. Designed to encouraging a reading journey with simple language, repetition, and whimsy.

Best friends Unicorn and Yeti have lots of fun in these sparkly, laugh-out-loud stories. With full-color artwork, speech bubbles, and easy-to-read text throughout, this adorable book is perfect for new readers!

Is it time yet? This STEM-focused romp about pupation will tickle little ones who know how hard it is to wait. “Absolutely charming” -SLJ

Note: If the teacher says to bring something from nature for show-and-tell, she does not mean an alligator! But nothing will stop Magnolia, who's determined to have the best show-and-tell of all—until her reptilian rapscallion starts getting her into some major trouble.

This nonfiction reader compares and contrasts two ferocious animals: a coyote and a dingo! Readers will learn about each animal's anatomy, behavior, and more. Then compare and contrast the battling pair before finally discovering the winner!

Miguel and Clarke are on the look-out for their next great adventure. They go to the library to find ideas. Clarke reads about spies and Miguel reads about space. Across four short stories, Miguel and Clarke use the power of their imagination to travel to outer space, explore a new planet, make a map of the stars — and they even encounter aliens!

A creative spirit learns that thinking "ish-ly" is far more wonderful than "getting it right" in this gentle new fable from the creator of the award-winning picture book The Dot. Ramon loved to draw. Anytime. Anything. Anywhere. Drawing is what Ramon does. It's what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. Follow Ramon's journey as he gets back into drawing. 

From a Velociraptor's sharp sickle-tipped toes to a T. rex's giant curved teeth, and from the body armor of an Ankylosaurus to the long neck of a Brachiosaurus -- discover what it would be like if you had one of these wild dinosaur parts!

Sandra Markle's bestselling What If You Had... series is now in Scholastic's Level 2 reader format! Perfect for kids just learning to read independently, this imaginative book explores what would happen if you looked in the mirror and saw a pair of animal eyes instead of your own.

If you could have any animal's hair, whose would you choose? Each spread will feature a photographic image of the animal and its hair on the left and an illustration of a child with that animal's hair on the right. 

Tag and Skyla have returned to Perodia to begin their warrior training. But when their friend Blaze returns with troubling news that her mother has gone missing, Tag and Skyla's warrior skills are quickly put to the test.

Even as a child, Martin Luther King Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it - peacefully, with powerful words.

With a little bit of magic and a whole lot of kindness, the Love Puppies are here to help kids overcome some tough social situations. Because with the power of love, anything is paw-sible!