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Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.

Featured books by

Betsy Lewin

Reading Rockets recommends the following books by Betsy Lewin.

Animal Snackers
Animal Snackers
By: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Simple poems describe the eating habits of various animals ranging from tickbirds to gorillas. Each is accompanied by the artist’s signature animated line and wash illustrations, created especially for this new edition of her poems.

Cat Count
Cat Count
By: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

The ordinary is made extraordinary, from one to ten, as lively language and jaunty illustrations depict cats doing what cats do – or could do!

Books illustrated by Betsy Lewin

Click, Clack Moo:  Cows That Type
Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type
By: Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

With Duck as mediator, the cows type a letter to Farmer Brown requesting electric blankets. The letter-writing — and negotiations — continue to a funny and unexpected ending.

Duck for President
Duck for President
By: Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Do you think things would be better if you were in charge? Duck thinks he can do a better job than Farmer Brown, but once in power he soon tires of the duties and responsibilities of leadership. So he decides maybe he's better off writing his autobiography – which he does on a typewriter that clever readers will recognize from another book by this talented team.

Dumpy La Rue
Dumpy La Rue
By: Elizabeth Winthrop
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

When Dumpy La Rue, a swank swine, wants to dance ballet, his mom suggests that dancing is something that pigs just don’t do. Dumpy proceeds nonetheless, and inspires the other animals to dance to their own step.

First Grade Friends:  The Class Trip
First Grade Friends: The Class Trip
By: Grace Maccarone
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

Sam has quite a scare when he becomes separated from his class on their field trip to the zoo, but learns an important lesson. The rhyming text and lighthearted illustrations will engage and inform readers.

Giggle, Giggle, Quack
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
By: Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

When Farmer Brown leaves his brother in charge, he warns Bob to keep an eye on the duck, because “he’s trouble.” Bob follows the farmer’s written instructions to the letter, but are they authentic? Astute readers will know who’s really writing them from the animated, cartoon-like illustrations. The animals were first introduced in Click, Clack, Moo (Simon and Schuster, 2000), another barnyard chuckler.

Gorilla Walk
Gorilla Walk
By: Ted Lewin
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 6-9
Reading Level: Independent Reader

Ted and Betsy Lewin are the authors and illustrators of this account of their journey to Uganda’s forests to see thgorillasem in the wild. Each artist's observations are documented in their unique style with an engaging text that educates, entertains, and inspires.

No Such Thing
No Such Thing
By: Jackie Koller
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

When Howard complains to his mom about the monster under his bed, she tells him that there is no such thing. When the little monster complains to his mom about the the boy on top of his bed, she has the same response! Children will understand the humor of this tale captured in the breezy illustrations.

Two Eggs, Please
Two Eggs, Please
By: Sarah Weeks
Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-6
Reading Level: Beginning Reader

How many ways can eggs be prepared? Well, the foxy waitress who serves the various animals in this diner finds out! Cheery text combined with lighthearted, sprightly illustrations create a look at late night food fare.

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