Ready, Set, Read!: The Beginning Reader's Treasury

by Joanna Cole, Stephanie Calmenson

Created especially for children who are learning to read, this anthology contains renowned works featuring some of the best-loved characters in children's literature, including Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak's Little Bear, Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad, and the madcap creations of Dr. Seuss. Also included is poetry by Eve Merriam, Lilian Moore, and Gwendolyn Brooks, as well as stories, poems, riddles, and word games.

An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poetry, Fiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1990

About the author

Joanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.

She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.

Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.

Reviews

[Cosette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this book almost every night for the past 8 months. Some cute knock knock jokes and clever sayings. I can't help but wonder.

[Rebecca I · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compilation of various authors with many different themes. I have read it many times. My grandson loves certain selections in it for different reasons.
Sometimes it is the pictures, sometimes it is the rhyming, and sometimes the amusing story. It is a book that makes children become interested in the story. They love to review some of the over and over, and that is a key component of how you learn to read. Whenever I want to hear my grandson laugh, I will just throw out a tongue twister from this book and it is like an inside joke to him. So satisfying.

[Nicole Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice compilation of a bunch of children's books. My kids enjoyed the stories. My 7-year-old was able to read some of them himself. The print is large and it has pictures on every page. The length intimidated my son a little, just because there are so many stories in it. We may try it again in a year or two.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say: "Add this to your library collection." This book is full of stories, poems and riddles. It really covers all the primary grades. It's full of rhymes and sing-alongs. You know a book is going to be good when it starts out with Dr. Seuss "From Hop On Pop." I really enjoy this book so I know that kids will enjoy it as well.

[Fjóla · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is quite a bit below my son's reading level, the humor is right on for a five year old. He really enjoyed it and ended up reading some bits over and over, such as the Morris story and the riddles. This is excellent reading material for beginning readers.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We drug this along with us to Mexico just to have something for Emory to read. She liked it alot, and goes back and reads the jokes and silly stories over and over.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

great variety of stories for the beginning reader. We love that it includes jokes and riddles.

[Benjamin Plume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every kid needs it.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

i remember reading this over and over again when i was learning how to read. :)

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of stories that immediately capture the attention of young minds!