I Dig

¡Me gusta leer!

by Joe Cepeda

Two brothers and a dog have fun at the beach! This Level C book is perfect for kindergarteners and rising first graders.

Look.
I dig.
I see a crab.
I see stars.

When two brothers at the beach find a shovel, they use it to discover all sorts of fun in the sun.

Very simple text and fun pictures support comprehension in this delightful book, ideal for new readers just starting out. Easy to read and brightly illustrated, this is a perfect book to read on their own!

I Dig is a companion to Joe Cepeda's other I Like to Read books, Up (a Guided Reading Level B book) and I See (Guided Reading Level B), featuring the same curious, excited brothers exploring the world around them and celebrating the diversity of everyday life.

For readers who've mastered basic sight words, Level C books feature slightly longer sentences and a wider range of high frequency words than Level B books. Level C book are suitable for mid-to-late kindergarten readers. When Level C is mastered, follow up with Level D.

The award-winning I Like to Read © series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards. Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors--create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published May 14, 2019

About the author

Joe Cepeda grew up in East Los Angeles, California. At first, he studied to be an engineer. He went back to college later to study art. He has done illustrations for magazines as well as for children's books. Joe Cepeda thinks that children who want to be artists or illustrators should read a lot and study math.

Joe Cepeda is the illustrator of many awarding-winning picture books including Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison, What a Truly Cool World by Julius Lester, a Family Life Magazine Top 10 Best Books of the Year, a Family Fun Critic's Choice, and BCCB Blue Ribbon Book, Mice and Beans by Pam MuÑoz Ryan, and Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley which was an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists. Mr Cepeda received his BFA in illustration from California State University, Long Beach. Mr. Cepeda received the Recognition of Merit Award for 2000 from The George G. Stone Center for Children's Books. His illustrations have appeared in publications such as The Los Angeles Times; Buzz, Inc. Magazine; and Latina Magazine.

Reviews

[Shaye Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

With just a few words per page, this book is intended for a beginning reader. Two little boys are hanging out at the beach when a large wave crashes to shore. One of the boys discovers a shovel and he begins digging deep into the sand. He unearths a few items, such as a crab and a starfish. In the end, they simple relax, look at the stars, and leave the beach with a new friend in tow. Each page provides excellent context clues in the illustrations to encourage comprehension. The artwork for this book was created with Corel Painter and Adobe Workshop.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[IvyInThePages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 leaves out of 5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children/ Picture book
Type: Book
Worth?: Yes

[Maggie]

This is the first real book that Maggie read by herself. January 2025.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an easy reader presented with full page illustration and in a larger format than the standard easy reader. Unlike standard easy readers the illustrations are in full color and cover the entire page. Very limited vocabulary with two or three sentences.
The reason for my two star rating is the illustrations or the boy following the dog into a tunnel they dug at the beach. That is a highly dangerous situation as sand is one of the most unstable form of aggregate there is!

[Chandler Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a similar written style to the age old See Spot Run, I Dig follows the adventures of one young boy while on a beach outing with his brother. He first sees a wave that carries a small shovel ashore. The little boy shares his newfound treasure with his brother and begins to dig in the sand. He finds some seashells and a crab and continues to dig. He creates a pretty elaborate tunnel and finds some star fish and a dog! He follows the dog out the tunnel to where his brother is resting on a towel. They play frisbee with the dog and then all lie down to watch the stars. What a great day. This book presents a fun tale of independent exploration and discovery that will surely delight young children as they embark on their own journey of reading discovery.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this guided reading level C book, part of the "I Like to Read" series, a young boy and his brother are on the beach when a wave throws him a shovel. She he is digging down and down, creating a n extended tunnel in which he sees a crab, sea stars, and a dog before he pops up onto the beach again. Very short sentences and easy words make this a good choice for beginning readers, and the illustrations are kid-friendly. I should note that we lose children every summer, who get caught in collapsed sand caves and tunnels. This books is a joyous romp, but it wouldn't hurt for parents to add a mild-mannered warning.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the ocean waves bring a boy a shovel, he begins to dig, and discovers, shells, a crab. starfish, and even a dog underground. He spends the rest of the day/evening looking at the stars with the dog and his brother? Dad?

The illustrations tell this great minimally worded story about a fun day on the beach. For a beginning reader, this is perfect. The illustrations give great context - no surprises, and there's lots of room for the child's imagination to fill in story.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written for the market supported by followers of the Fountas and Pinnell guided reading level system. The level (C) is displayed on the cover. Inside are illustrations of two boys enjoying a day at the beach. The text is minimal and simple--reminiscent of Dick, Jane, and Sally books of old.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

July 2019 - another successful attempt at Ben reading on his own. He only needed help with a couple words that didn't have visual clues, and as with the other I Like to Read books, there's extra story in the illustrations that makes it interesting enough to hold a beginning reader's attention.

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The other two beginning reader books from Cepeda were B level and this is C. You can tell as there is a bit more variety in the text. That being said, I think some of the pages are kind of weird and could be confusing for beginning readers. Like the boy digging up and emerging from the sand.

[A Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and repetitive text for very young readers. I liked the beach theme, but I wish the illustrations had been more engaging in order to keep young readers coming back to this book again and again.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two brothers joyfully digging up the beach.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very, early reader, with a side of adventure.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book for beginning readers! I liked the story...simple yet cohesive...and it was fun to read.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Everyday beach adventures in this very simple beginning reader, perfect for those readers just getting comfortable with a few easy sight words.

[Krista Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning reader book with repetition

[kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

too simple

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kid read this book almost entirely themself! That said it wasn't the most engaging.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this "I Like to Read" series since it features books with interesting illustrations and easy-to-read text for youngsters learning to read. In this particular title, two boys are enjoying a day at the beach. A wave crashes to shore, bringing with it the perfect tool for digging in the sand. The two boys, presumably brothers, are excited, and one boy delves deeply in the sandy beach, unearthing shells, a crab, starfish, and even a dog. At the end of this exciting day, it looks as though the boys might have made a new friend even while slowing down the pace of things. Created with Corel Painter and Adobe Workshop, the illustrations have an interesting texture that calls for close examination. The faces of the boys are filled with excitement too. Reading this one won't get old for youngsters because of the imaginative quality on display here.

I reread the board book version of this one, and I still find it helpful for beginning readers or students learning to read English. Those two brothers and their dog are adorable.