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. Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another 20 slightly harder "emergency" words. 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.
Beginner Books had only four titles in their catalog in 1958. Two years later, they were earning 1 million dollars a year and Random House was the largest publisher of children's books in America.

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

Special Beginner Books

The following books are for younger children and are technically part of the series. The "BE" designation stands for Bright and Early.
IDTitlePrint statusYear releasedAuthorIllustratorGrade level equivalent Lexile measure
BE-1The Foot Book1968Dr. Seuss1.1
BE-2The Eye Book1968Dr. Seuss Roy McKie 1.3140L
BE-3The Ear Book1968Al PerkinsWilliam O'Brian 2.4
BE-4The Berenstain Bears: Inside Outside Upside Down/Inside, Outside, Upside Down1968Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.6
BE-5Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb1969Al PerkinsEric Gurney1.5
BE-6The Berenstain Bears: Bears on Wheels/Bears on Wheels: A Bright and Early Counting BookGrolier and Early Moments only1969Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.2
BE-7Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises1970Dr. Seuss2.9
BE-8The Nose BookGrolier and Early Moments only1970Al PerkinsRoy McKie 1.5290L
BE-9The Berenstain Bears: Old Hat New Hat/Old Hat, New Hat1970Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.7
BE-10The Berenstain Bears: Bears in the Night/Bears in the Night1971Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 1.1
BE-11Berenstains' B Book/The Berenstains' B BookGrolier and Early Moments only1971Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-12In a People House1972Dr. Seuss Roy McKie 2.5
BE-13Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!1972Dr. SeussDr. Seuss2.4100L
BE-14Berenstains' C Book: Previously Published as C is for Clown/C Is for ClownGrolier and Early Moments only1972Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain
BE-15The Pop-Up Mice of Mr. Brice/The Many Mice of Mr. Briceout of print1973Dr. Seuss Roy McKie
BE-16The Shape of Me and Other Stuff1973Dr. SeussDr. Seuss2.4350L
BE-17I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words1973Michael FrithP. D. Eastman
BE-18There's a Wocket in My Pocket!1974Dr. SeussDr. Seuss2.1320L
BE-19Great Day for Up1974Dr. Seuss Quentin Blake 1.9
BE-20The Berenstain Bears: He Bear, She Bear/He Bear, She Bear1974Stan and Jan Berenstain Stan and Jan Berenstain 2.5460L
BE-21Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?1975Dr. SeussRoy McKie
BE-22Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!1976Dr. SeussCharles E. Martin
BE-23The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree1978Stan and Jan BerenstainStan and Jan Berenstain1.7100L
BE-24The Hair Book1979Graham TetherRoy McKie
BE-25The Tooth Book1981Dr. Seuss Roy McKie 2.6400L
BE-26Wings on ThingsGrolier and Early Moments only1982Marc BrownMarc Brown2.1180L
BE-27The Berenstain Bears on the MoonGrolier and Early Moments only1985Stan and Jan BerenstainStan and Jan Berenstain1.740L
BE-28Snug House, Bug House!Grolier and Early Moments only1994Susan Schade and Jon Buller1.5
BE-29Snow BugsGrolier and Early Moments only1996Susan Schade and Jon Buller
BE-30Berenstains' A BookGrolier and Early Moments only1997Stan and Jan BerenstainStan and Jan Berenstain
BE-31It's Not Easy Being Big!Grolier and Early Moments only1998Stephanie St. PierreJohn Lund
BE-32Mama Loves: Includes a Punch-Out "I Love You" Card/Mama LovesScholastic Book Club only1999Molly GoodeMolly Goode
BE-33Bear in the Big Blue House: Where is Bear?out of print1999Tish RabeTish Rabe
BE-34Richard Scarry's Chuckle with Huckle! and Other Easy-to-Read Funny StoriesEarly Moments only2005Richard Scarry
BE-35The Knee BookEarly Moments only2005Graham TetherGraham Tether
BE-36Money Money Honey Bunny2006Marilyn SadlerRoger Bollen
BE-37Thomas and Friends: Blue Train, Green Train2006Rev. W. Awdry
BE-38Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs - X Marks the Spotout of print2007R. Schuyler HookeArt Mawhinney
BE-39Thomas and Friends: Fast Train, Slow Trainout of print2014Rev W. AwdryRev W. Awdry
BE-40Ten Eggs in a NestEarly Moments and eBook only2014Marilyn SadlerMichael Fleming
BE-41The Alphabet Book2015P. D. Eastman
Peter Eastman
P. D. Eastman
Peter Eastman

Special Bright and Early Books

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