There's nothing more exciting for a youngster than to learn how to read! It's always nice to have the best beginning books on hand to continue their excitement, increase their reading ability and bring about the "movie of the mind".

I've compiled a list of some of the best, and newest, emergent readers and chapter books for those new readers in your household. I will begin with the easiest readers and then list books with more difficulty, and finally ending with chapter books. Parents need to take heed so that they are always aware of the level of their child's ability and never expect the child to read books beyond their capabilities. This not only frustrates the child, but takes away from the fun of reading. Parents can always stay abreast of where their child's level is by listening to them read nightly. Beginning books have few words and full page pictures on every page. As the child increases in reading ability, the text becomes smaller and more words are added with less and less pictures until ultimately the pictures are now seen only in the child's mind.

Let's Clean Up , by Peggy Perry Anderson, is a delightful easy reader with a funny storyline. Mother frog has just helped her little Joe clean up his very messy room. But now he finds that he has lots of room to play and messes it up once again. Kids and moms alike will relate to this fun and relevant emergent reader book.

Lucky Days with Mr. and Mrs. Green , by Keith Baker, has three stories rolled into one book. All three are delightful and inventive. There are two other books about this alligator couple: Meet Mr. and Mrs. Green and More Mr. and Mrs. Green .

Mildred and Sam and Their Babies , by Sharleen Collicott, has to be one of the cutest books celebrating families and the fun had by all!

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa , by Erica Silverman and Illustrated by Betsy Lewin, has four stories about Kate and her horse and their friendship just grows with the stories inside this great book.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle , by Jennifer Richard Jacobson and illustrated by Abby Carter, is a very clever story about how one child overcomes an annoying classmate who tattles and bosses everyone around.

Big Surprise in the Bug Tank , by Ruth Horowitz and illustrated by Joan Holub, is a very funny story about how two brothers get two pets for their aquarium: cockroaches. But the next day, there seems to be much more than 2 cockroaches!

The Children Who Smelled A Rat , by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by Katharine MacEwen, is written and drawn ingeniously. This clever book will surely awaken the desire to read in youngsters!

And if that book doesn't create the desire to read, this next book will! Mercy Watson to the Rescue , by Kate DeCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen, is great fun to read and to look at the pictures! Mercy is a delightful pig who lives, and sleeps, with the Watsons. You'll be smiling all the way to the end with this book.

When Guinea Pigs Fly! , by James Proimos and Andy Rheingold, is about a small guinea pig, Brooks, who has a big dream. He wants to leave the pet store and see the world! And when he does finally leave, the adventure begins!

The Lighthouse Family: The Eagle , by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Preston McDaniels, is one of many books in this series and every one is full of adventure and rich in language.

Bella Baxter: Inn Trouble , by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens and illustrated by John Shelley, is wonderful and funny and you become acquainted with Bella and all of her humorous situations at her parent's Bed and Breakfast Inn.

Sly the Sleuth and the Pet Mysteries , by Donna Jo Napoli and her son Robert Furrow, and illustrated by Heather Maione, is an outstanding beginning mystery for kids who may like that kind of genre. Watch for more Sly mysteries.

If your child likes sports, here are two short chapter books that will have them reading to the end. The Real Slam Dunk and The Real Lucky Charm are both by Charisse K. Richardson. The first is illustrated by Kadir Nelson and the second is illustrated by Eric Velasquez.

Beany and the Meany , by Susan Wojciechowski and illustrated by Susanna Natti, has Beany being paired up with the biggest bully in the class to work on a science project. Very interesting events begin to occur!

Blast to the Past: Disney's Dream , by Stacia Deutsch and Rody Cohon and illustrated by David Wenzel, is one in a series enlightening children for a first read into biographies of inspiring people.

The Klondike Kid: Adventure in Gold Town , by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Bill Farnworth, is another possible first read in historical fiction. This is the third book in this series.