Big Bugs and Other Bug Stories
Part 1 of the Reading Quest series
Bugs! See the work of an artist who makes giant sculptures of some of the world's smallest creatures. Enjoy a creepy crawly counting poem. Learn about an insect eating caterpillar and get answers to questions such as "why can't bugs talk?"
Night Walk and Other Nighttime Stories
Part 2 of the Reading Quest series
In the Dark! Find the lights in the scary night. What do sheep count to fall to sleep? Enjoy a silly story about when the lights go out… dancing. Learn how bats can fly at night and how they drink water in flight.
Down a Wombat Hole and Other Fuzzy Stories
Part 3 of the Reading Quest series
Australian and arctic animals! Meet a scientist who studies wombats and another who studies arctic foxes. Enjoy a fun story about animals having a jumping competition and another about animals having a special grown-up birthday party.
Biddledee Bear's Dinner and Other Mealtime Stories
Part 5 of the Reading Quest series
Food! Make a breakfast that will make you smile, then help Biddle Bear count as he eats many types of food. Crack the code of what is in the Garbage Stew. Learn about the colorful lunches children eat in Japan.
What Will You Do Today? and Other Playtime Stories
Part 6 of the Reading Quest series
Activities are better together! There are so many fun things to do. How will you spend your day? Enjoy a poem about a visit from Grandma. Then read about animals all having fun on a teeter-totter. Then Tex and Indi go to an art museum and find inspiration.
Off to the Beach and Other Sandy Stories
Part 7 of the Reading Quest series
Fun at the beach! Alex packs toys for a beach trip. Duck and Goose have try a new sport at the lake. Emma realizes that the wild animals should be free, no matter how small. Learn a safe and easy trick for examining sea creatures up close.
Squirrel School and Other Real Squirrel Stories
Part 8 of the Reading Quest series
Squirrels! Learn about the survival of different types of squirrels.
Anita's Playhouse and Other Imagination Stories
Part 9 of the Reading Quest series
Imagination! Anita builds a creative fort. A bucket can be anything you desire. Zoey plays dress-up at school. She decides to be a cowgirl and then creatively builds a horse. The read a fun story about misunderstanding idioms and imagination taking over.
Pizza and Other Yummy Stories
Part 11 of the Reading Quest series
Culinary traditions! Enjoy mouthwatering poems about pizza and pancakes. See the importance of family traditions and that food can bring people together. Learn how pizza became a popular food and make a mini pizza of your own.
Robot on the Ice and Other Real Technology Stories
Part 12 of the Reading Quest series
Science and technology! Learn advances in keyboard technology, how computers find websites, and answers to questions such as "why are computers slow?" Discover how astronomers make an important outer space discovery and follow a robot as it roams Antarctica.
Splish-Splash and Other Water Stories
Part 15 of the Reading Quest series
Splash! Bert, Beth, and Grandpa make a splash in the pond. The Timbertoes have a fun time on a rainy day. Visit a waterpark with Tina, Kevin, and Aunt Dora. Pick a favorite marine animal with Camila's class at the aquarium.
Mariana Gives Thanks and Other Grateful Stories
Part 16 of the Reading Quest series
Giving Thanks! Join Mariana, various children and Spot in deciding what they are thankful for. Enjoy poems featuring what food animals are grateful to eat. Explore a traditional Thanksgiving feast with a fun light story about a girl who wants to have an authentic Pilgrim meal.
What Will You Wear? and Other Dressy Stories
Part 20 of the Reading Quest series
A perfect outfit for every occasion! Mom helps Isabel get dressed and ready for school. Bella's Dad helps her get ready for a birthday party. Dona Rosa tries to stand out from her flamingo friends by buying colorful new clothes. Arizona and her friends have fun with a clothes swap.
Flopping Frogs and Other Real Frog Stories
Part 26 of the Reading Quest series
Frogs! Learn about the unique jump of the Tailed Frogs in the Pacific Northwest. Figure out where the mysterious sound of a thousand bells comes from. Discover the dangerous journey of a wood frog. Get a close look at the tiny "famous" frogs from the rain forest.
Mike Gets a Library Card and Other Reading Stories
Part 29 of the Reading Quest series
Reading! Mike gets his first library card. Megan and her classmates prepare for story time. Tex and Indi join a summer reading program at their local library. Toby writes a book report and learns that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Catty Jane and Friends
Part 36 of the Reading Quest series
Friends! Catty Janes goes to the lake with her friends. Catty Jane shows her new trike to her friends. Catty Jane finds a way to play in the water without getting wet. Catty Jane's friends cheer her up on a bad day.
Lulu's Adventures
Part 37 of the Reading Quest series
Fun with Lulu! Lulu acts like different animals, rides an imaginary train, plays dress-up, and saves the day with her flashlight.
Mike Gets a Library Card and Other Reading Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Reading! Mike gets his first library card. Megan and her classmates prepare for story time. Tex and Indi join a summer reading program at their local library. Toby writes a book report and learns that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Stories by LaDonna Frankenheim, Marianne Mitchell, Lissa Rovetch, and John J. Bonk.
The Timbertoes: Work and Play
Part of the Reading Quest series
It takes work to have fun! Tommy searches for more honey for his snack. Tommy and Mabel build a tower, Pa builds a canoe, and the whole Timbertoes family puts together a picnic to enjoy. Stories by Rich Wallace and Marileta Robinson.
The Earth Breathed Fire and Other Real Volcano Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Hot magma! Learn all about volcanoes from how they're formed, to what happens when they finally blow their tops! Hear about how scientists who study volcanoes get close enough to do their jobs. Stories by Nancy Marie Brown, Megan Clements, Chris Dietel, and Highlights for Children.
I Like Cats! and Other Purr-fect Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Meow! There are so many kinds of cats, but they all seem to have one thing in common: they love mischief! Tex and Indi deal with Cow interrupting their projects. Jesse and his parents decide what to name their cat. Another family ends up with too many cats who won't go away! Stories by Highlights for Children, Lissa Rovetch, and Joy Cowley.
The Magic Box and Other Magical Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Enchanting tales! Jonah shows Linda a magical box! A fable tells of a magical tree that creates moonfish. While trying to learn magic tricks, Rabbit accidentally casts a spell on himself. A boy is rewarded for his good deed with a magical paper boat that promises to save them. Learn about visiting a magical place any time you like. Stories by Marianne Mitchell, Joy Cowley, Maggie Murphy, Marilyn Bolchunos, and Marilyn Kratz.
The View From Camp and Other Camp Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Camp out! Bryan and Syd are totally different, but they were put together as camp roommates and have to learn to get along. Tara and Shelly overcome their fears to become members of the camp's canoe squad. Tex and Indi make a blanket fort to pretend they're camping in the woods! Zach, Miguel, and Dad go camping. When they go to bed, they listen for animal noises, but all they can hear is Dad snoring! Stories by Highlights for Children, Carol A. McClelland, Lissa Rovetch, and Marianne Mitchell.
Feeding Fuzzy Tail and Other Winter Survival Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Bundle up! Maria and Grandma watch as a squirrel prepares for winter. Dad and Isabel watch different types of wild animals getting ready for the chilly winter. A fable tells of a little bird that cannot fly south for the winter. Each year before the river freezes, barges bring supplies for the long Alaskan winter. What will the barge bring for Ben? The arctic squirrel hibernates underground to survive the harsh winter. Stories by Marianne Mitchell, Bonnie Highsmith Taylor, Diana C. Conway, and Karen G. Ballen.
Voyage to Pluto and Other Real Planetary Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Our planets! Get to know all about Pluto's size, landscape, and more! What are the different phases of the moon? Where did Saturn get its rings? Is the earth really spinning? Learn the answers to these questions, and more! Stories by Ken Croswell, Ph.D. and Highlights for Children.
The Adventures of Spot: Hungry, Hungry Spot
Part of the Reading Quest series
Spot is hungry but can't find anything to eat. Spot buries his biscuit to keep it safe. Spot sniffs around outside to capture different scents. Spot hears his favorite sound… dinner! Spot enjoys different times of day. Stories by Marileta Robinson.
The Save and Other Soccer Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Goal! Casey had never played soccer before, so why did she decide to volunteer as goalie? Conor comes up with a plan to save his soccer team from their season-long losing streak. Jose learns that teamwork is important in soccer, and in family life. Jenny Benson plays soccer with the pros! Stories by Steve Garagiola, James M. Janik, Dorothy K. Mock, and Jen Bryant.
Mariana Gives Thanks and Other Grateful Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Giving Thanks! Join Mariana, various children and Spot in deciding what they are thankful for. Enjoy poems featuring what food animals are grateful to eat. Explore a traditional Thanksgiving feast with a fun light story about a girl who wants to have an authentic Pilgrim meal. Stories by Highlights for Children, Leslie Kimmelman, Laura Goering, Marianne Mitchell, and Marileta Robinson.
The Adventures of Spot: Let's Play!
Part of the Reading Quest series
Let's Play with Spot and Splinter! Spot and Splinter play hide and seek. Splinter finds lots of fun things hiding in nature. On a rainy day Spot plays outside, while Splinter stays dry inside. Spot can't decide whether to play with his ball or chew his bone. Spot and Splinter play tag. Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Everella's Wand and Other Fairy Tale Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Fairy tales! A young fairy becomes selfish and loses her powers. Can she earn them back? Curley needs clean uniforms to deliver mail, but the dry cleaner is closed for the week. His sister supplies him with fairy tale costumes to make his mail deliveries! A lazy man is visited by a lazy fairy godmother, and an ambitious girl finds a job along with a fantastic adventure! Stories by Marjorie R. Sheffer, Linda Kao, Bradford H. Robie, and Maggie Murphy.
Five Frosty Friends and Other Snowy Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Brr! Five snowmen race down a hill, but only one makes it to the finish line. In another kind of snowstorm, Jem uses her quick thinking to save her new friend, Vianna. Issac is excited to see snow for the first time, and Angela finds a new way to fly. Stories by Kathleen Doherty, Roxanne Werner, Nancy Dearborn, and Wendy Hogarth.
The Timbertoes: Silly Fun
Part of the Reading Quest series
Silly Fun! Tommy and Mabel play a game of keep it in the air. The Timbertoes try riding a unicycle. Tommy and Mabel go snow shoeing. Mabel digs a whole, try to guess what she plans to do with it. Stories by Rich Wallace and Marileta Robinson.
Snowballs in Space and Other Real Space Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
All about space! Learn about everything from space junk, to how stars and galaxies were formed. What can we learn about space that could help us in the future? Stories by Tony Helies and Ken Croswell, Ph.D.
Ask Arizona: Getting to Know Animals
Part of the Reading Quest series
Taking care of animals! Arizona learns that farm work isn't easy. Arizona's family adopts a kitten from the animal shelter. While Arizona's family pet sits a labradoodle, Cow has a hard time accepting the canine visitor. Arizona discovers that pets without fur are just as fun as pets with fur and just as much responsibility. Stories by Lissa Rovetch.
What Will You Do Today? and Other Playtime Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Activities are better together! There are so many fun things to do. How will you spend your day? Enjoy a poem about a visit from Grandma. Then read about animals all having fun on a teeter-totter. Then Tex and Indi go to an art museum and find inspiration. Stories by Lissa Rovetch, Vijaya Bodach, Sherry Shahan, and Eileen Spinelli.
Rebecca Rides the Trail and Other Real Horse Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Giddy-up! Read about Rebecca who rides her horse, Snickerdoodles, for 98 miles on the Texas Independence Trail each year. Are you ready to learn how horses talk and communicate through body language? Janet trains guide horses, and John tames the wildest horse by making friends with it. Stories by Mary Ann Hellinghausen, Leslie Wyatt, Shannon Teper, and Deborah Kearney.
A Spaghetti Tale and Other Saucy Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Pizza and spaghetti! Watch as Joe makes pizza. See what mishaps occur when the new girl at school brings a lunchbox of her brother's invention. Laugh at Tedd Arnold's silly story about his cockatoo. Learn with Arizona about how hard it is to have a family member in the military and ways to make the distance feel smaller. Stories by Tedd Arnold, Lissa Rovetch, Highlights for Children, and Sean Varner.
The Box House and Other Crafty Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Finding solutions! See what Elijah can do with only a cardboard box and a little creativity. Learn about the difference between building a Lincoln Log cabin and a log home. Watch as Tex and Indi rescue their cat Cow from a tree. Find out how the three little worms make a beautiful bookcase. Discover all that you can build with toothpicks, glue, and your imagination. Stories by David L. Roper, Linda Haas Manley, Lissa Rovetch, and Highlights for Children.
Ask Arizona: Life at Home
Part of the Reading Quest series
Siblings, pets, and tv! Arizona figures out how to handle twin siblings. Arizona realizes that a lost pet should be returned to its family. Arizona learns to not revolve her life around watching television. Stories by Lissa Rovetch.
Flying Galaxies and Other Real Galactic Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Swirling galaxies! Scientists and astronomers have determined that there are other galaxies just like ours, and have even calculated how old they are. Learn about how scientists determined that our galaxy is a giant swirling pinwheel of stars. Stories by Ken Croswell Ph.D., Tony Helies, and Highlights for Children.
Down a Wombat Hole and Other Fuzzy Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Australian and arctic animals! Meet a scientist who studies wombats and another who studies arctic foxes. Enjoy a fun story about animals having a jumping competition and another about animals having a special grown-up birthday party. Stories by L.E. Carmichael, Ph.D., Douglas McInnis, Karen Steiner, and Highlights for Children.
Splish-Splash and Other Water Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Splash! Bert, Beth, and Grandpa make a splash in the pond. The Timbertoes have a fun time on a rainy day. Visit a waterpark with Tina, Kevin, and Aunt Dora. Pick a favorite marine animal with Camila's class at the aquarium. Stories by Valeri Gorbachev, Marianne Mitchell, and Rich Wallace.
Where Walruses Chill Out and Other Real Arctic Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
Chilly adventures! Learn about Arctic climate, animals, and about the differences between the Arctic and the Antarctic. If you think all penguins live in the Antarctic, think again! Stories by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen, Susan E. Quinlan, Tim Davis, and Randi Lynn Mrvos.
What Will You Wear? and Other Dressy Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
A perfect outfit for every occasion! Mom helps Isabel get dressed and ready for school. Bella's Dad helps her get ready for a birthday party. Dona Rosa tries to stand out from her flamingo friends by buying colorful new clothes. Arizona and her friends have fun with a clothes swap. Stories by Lissa Rovetch, Highlights for Children, Ana Galan, and Marianne Mitchell.
Spring Surprise and Other Springtime Stories
Part of the Reading Quest series
It's springtime! Rabbit is inspired by a daffodil, and throws a party. Discover why there's bubbly foam on plants and evergreen trees in the spring. Mandy and Ben play outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Sarah looks for a new spring coat. A frog sits near the meadow on a busy spring morning. Stories by Highlights for Children, Beverly J. Letchworth, Marianne Mitchell, Clara Gillow Clark, and Marilyn Kratz.
Tex and Indi: Outdoor Adventures
Part of the Reading Quest series
Play outside! Tex and Indi plant tomato seeds, play catch in the park, and go for a picnic. At the beach they make a new friend. After swim class, Tex and Indi pretend to be frogs. Stories by Lissa Rovetch.
Tex and Indi: Be Kind to Mother Nature
Part of the Reading Quest series
Nature! Tex and Indi find fun shapes in the clouds, make bird feeders, and wish on the moon. The whole family plants a garden. Then Tex and Indi go on a nature hike with their Aunt. Stories by Lissa Rovetch.
Ask Arizona: Making Choices
Part of the Reading Quest series
Friends! Arizona uses an old trick to make a decision. Arizona learns that true friends like you for the person you are not for the things you have. Arizona helps a friend figure out what it means to be a true friend. Arizona discovers that her fantastic friend acts differently when other friends are around. Stories by Lissa Rovetch.