Harry and the Lady Next Door (by Gene Zion)

Harry the dog may not know much about music, but he knows what he likes. And he doesn't like the loud, high-pitched singing of the lady next door. After some not-so-subtle music lessons, which literally land Harry in the doghouse, he happens on a solution to his problem. Humorous, easy-to-read text and child-friendly drawings make this a fine choice for beginning readers.

An I Can Read Book, divided into four chapters, HARRY AND THE LADY NEXT DOOR follows Harry's efforts to deal with a constantly singing neighbor. The chapter division allows for shorter or longer reading sessions and also provides a reading progression: The first three, shorter chapters lead up to the longer and slightly more text-heavy final chapter.

Harry books are perennial favorites with preschoolers, so parents will welcome a volume that builds on this popularity to encourage early reading. Still, readers who love Harry for being a real dog may feel that, in this outing, he comes a little too close to anthropomorphic behavior.