Paired Fiction and Nonfiction for Beginning Readers

Help young readers build literacy skills with paired nonfiction and fiction series!

Our Pull Ahead Readers books have simple text patterns that support emergent readers as they build their recognition of high-frequency sight words while strong image-text matches help them predict unfamiliar words. Book themes include curricular science and social-emotional learning topics. Teaching guides and other literacy tools accompany each title. All books are available in library bound, paperback, and digital formats. Read on to learn more about each series, and how the titles pair with each other!

Character Builders

Explore the building blocks of character with beginning readers. These books give readers actionable ideas for living out positive traits, including caring, honesty, positivity, and responsibility.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
A Beautiful DayBI Am PositiveB
Caring for SisterBI Am CaringA
Ready for BedDI Am HonestC
Time to CleanCI Am ResponsibleD

Helpful Habits

Follow along as the children in each book model good habits and social-emotional skills.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
Dev Makes a CardBLeading OthersA
Help, Please!CAsking for HelpC
Isaac’s TreeDBeing MindfulD
Jordan Is ReadyCPlanning AheadB
Lola and Lupe’s HouseCWorking with OthersC
Paco TriesBSetting GoalsC

Let’s Look at Animal Habitats

Explore all the places that animals can live–the ocean, polar regions, rain forests, and more.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
The FishAI See the OceanA
A Good NutBLittle Woodland AnimalsB
The Little PenguinCPolar AnimalsD
My Baby ElephantABig Grassland AnimalsA
No Bugs HereCAnimals in the Hot DesertC
Up the TreeDUnder the Rain Forest CanopyD

Let’s Look at Weather

Discover what happens during different types of weather events. Nonfiction books teach emergent readers about rain, snow, and more using photos and simple vocabulary. Illustrated fiction books pair with each nonfiction title to further develop reading skills.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
Duck Sees the RainALook at the RainA
Hiding from LightningCWhen Lightning StrikesC
Into the CloudsCSo Many CloudsB
Snow DayBThe Snow Is FunA
Turtles in the SunBThe Sun Shines EverywhereB
A Windy DayDWhen the Wind BlowsC

My Community

Celebrate the varied communities that make up our country – from rural areas to bustling cities.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
Cam’s WalkCSuburban PlacesC
Grandpa’s PhotosDCommunities Then and NowC
I Look UpARural PlacesA
Wait, Ride, WalkCUrban PlacesB

Plant Life Cycles

Watch plants develop from seed to sprout to flower, fruit, or vegetable.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
Baking ApplesALet’s Look at Apple TreesA
Bean SoupBLet’s Look at BeansB
Dandelions to EatDLet’s Look at DandelionsD
Flowers in the SunCLet’s Look at SunflowersC
Pumpkin SeedsCLet’s Look at PumpkinsD
Sharing BerriesDLet’s Look at StrawberriesD

Science All Around Me

Inspire young scientists with these introductions to concepts such as food chains, forces and motion, life cycles, states of matter, and more.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
Emily’s PumpkinAApple SeedsB
Hungry Little BearCWhat Eats WhatD
In the GardenCNature WalkC
Making TeaDChanging WaterC
Mia Can See PatternsANature Has SpotsA
Milo and the BallCPull and PushB

Seasons All Around Me

What do you love about the seasons? With these simple books, emergent readers will become careful observers of seasonal changes.

FictionGRLNonfictionGRL
The EggDSpring FlowersC
Fall ColorsCFall LeavesC
Maya Likes the BeachAWe Like the SummerA
Snow ClothesBWinter FunB

Click here to download these pairing grids as a PDF, and see all Pull Ahead Readers books on our website.

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