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 (1957). Cerf compiled a list of 379 words as the basic vocabulary for young readers, along with another twenty 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 a million dollars a year and Random House was the largest publisher of children's books in America.
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.
Early Beginner Books employed many famous illustrators including the aforementioned Theodor Geisel, P.D. Eastman, Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Robert Lopshire. Roy McKie was also an illustrator.
The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary (1964, Dr. Seuss and P. D. Eastman)The Cat in the Hat Songbook (1967, Dr. Seuss) - NOTE: This book was re-released in 1993, and Beginner Books was removed.The Little Black Pony Races (1968, Walter Farley)My Book about Me (1969, Dr. Seuss and Roy McKie)Some of Us Walk, Some Fly, Some Swim (1971, Michael Frith)The Bears' Almanac (1973, Stan and Jan Berenstain)My Amazing Book of Autographs/Autographs! I Collect Them (1974/1990, Michael Frith)The Cat's Quizzer (1976, Dr. Seuss) - NOTE: This book was reprinted in 1993 into B-75.Beginning Readers' Yearbook 1994 (1993)The Big Blue Book of Beginner Books (1994) Put Me in the Zoo/A Fly Went By/Are You My Mother?/Go, Dog. Go!/The Best Nest/It's Not Easy Being a BunnyThe Big Red Book of Beginner Books (1995) I Want To Be Somebody New!/Sam and the Firefly/Stop That Ball!/Robert the Rose Horse/The Digging-est Dog/The Very Bad BunnyThe Big Book of Berenstain Bears Beginner Books (1996/2011) The Big Honey Hunt/The Bears' Picnic/The Bear Scouts/The Bears' Christmas/The Bear Detectives/The Missing Dinosaur Bone/The Bike Lesson/The Bears' Vacation/Bears in the Night/The Spooky Old TreeThe Big Green Book of Beginner Books (1997) Great Day for Up/Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?/I Wish That I Had Duck Feet/Wacky Wednesday/Maybe You Should Fly a Jet!/I Am NOT Going to Get Up Today!Pigs of a Feather (1998, Tish Rabe and K. Klimo)My Big Book of Beginner Books about Me (2011) The Foot Book/The Eye Book/The Ear Book/The Nose Book/The Tooth Book/The Knee BookThe Big Purple Book of Beginner Books (2012) Sam and the Firefly/Snow/I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words/Flap Your Wings/Big Dog...Little Dog/Fred and Ted Go CampingThe Big Book of Thomas the Tank Engine Beginner Books (2013) Stop Train Stop/A Crack in the Track/Go Train Go/Blue Train Green Train/Trains, Cranes and Troublesome Trucks/Fast Train Slow TrainDr. Seuss's Beginner Book Collection (2015) The Cat in the Hat/One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish/The King's Wish/Green Eggs and Ham/Hop on Pop/Fox in SocksThe Big Orange Book of Beginner Books (2015) Ten Apples Up On Top!/In a People House/Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!/The Shape of Me and Other Stuff/Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo!/Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!Grolier Book Club Beginner Book SeriesBright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners
The following books are for younger children and are technically part of the series. The "BE" designation stands for Bright and Early.
Bright and Early Board Books
Most, if not all, of these books are abridged versions of Beginner Books or Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners. These books are not numbered.
The Alphabet Book by P. D. EastmanI'll Teach My Dog a lot of Words written by Michael Frith, illustrated by P. D. EastmanBig Dog... Little Dog by P. D. EastmanAre You My Mother by P. D. EastmanEres mi Mama? by P. D. EastmanGo, Dog. Go! by P. D. EastmanVe, perro. Ve! by P. D. EastmanFred and Ted Like to Fly by Peter EastmanThe Snowman by Raymond BriggsWhat Time Is It? by P. D. Eastman (out of print)Old Hat, New Hat by the BerenstainsSombrero Viejo, Sombrero Nuevo by the Berenstains (out of print)Inside, Outside, Upside Down by the BerenstainsHe Bear, She Bear by the BerenstainsSummer by Alice Low, illustrated by Roy McKiePut Me In The Zoo by Robert LopshireStop, Train, Stop! by Rev. W. Awdry (out of print)Para, Trencito, Para! by Rev. W. Awdry (out of print)Blue Train, Green Train by Rev. W. Awdry (out of print)Dr. Seuss's ABC's by Dr. SeussFox In Socks by Dr. SeussHop On Pop by Dr. SeussTen Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Roy McKieThere's a Wocket in My Pocket! by Dr. SeussOh, The Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. SeussMr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. SeussThe Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. SeussThe Ear Book by Al Perkins, illustrated by Henry Payne (out of print)Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins, illustrated by Eric GurneyThe Nose Book by Al Perkins, illustrated by Joe MathieuThe Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Joe MathieuThe Eye Book by Theo LeSieg, illustrated by Joe MathieuThe Foot Book by Dr. SeussBig Bright and Early Board Books
Fast Train, Slow Train by Rev W. AwdryWould You Rather Be a Bullfrog? by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Roy McKieDr. Seuss's ABC's by Dr. SeussThe Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan BerenstainOh, The Thinks You Can Think by Dr. SeussMr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. SeussTrains, Cranes and Troublesome Trucks by Rev W. AwdryThe Many Mice of Mr. Brice by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Roy McKieSleepy Time with Aurora by Andrea Posner, illustrated by Sue DiCiccoBath Time with Ariel by Andrea Posner, illustrated by Sue DiCiccoThe Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael SmollinFox in Socks by Dr. SeussAre You My Mother? by P.D. EastmanHop on Pop by Dr. SeussGo, Dog. Go! by P.D. EastmanThe Big Box of Bright and Early Board Books About Me (The Foot Book, The Eye Book, The Nose Book, The Tooth Book)The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Joe MathieuThe Foot Book by Dr. SeussThere's a Wocket in My Pocket! by Dr. SeussThe Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. SeussInside Outside Upside Down by Stan and Jan BerenstainOld Hat New Hat by Stan and Jan BerenstainTen Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Roy McKieOne Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
