This survey of reading material for elementary students covers over 320 books from 38 publishers, more than three-fourths published since 1957. The books reviewed were offered by their publishers as "books with stories or interesting information, with simple sentence structure, reasonably limited vocabulary, and a measure of repetition--for those readers at first, second, or third grade level whose skills are gradually developing; books mainly for independent reading." They are discussed under four headings to illustrate the content and characteristics appropriate for children's books: what qualities identify children's books, what can be expected of these books, what they are about, and what they offer for first grade. All books discussed, 100 additional books, and publishers are listed. (LH)