Picture books are fun but once I have read some, I need a little more. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love (and always will love) my picture books. But when that happens and I need that little more, (mostly because I need a different looking format) I need an early reader. The two I found recently were Sky & Ty volume 1: Howdy, Partner! by Steve Breen and Surprise! The Adventures of Penguin and Panda volume one by Brenda Maier and illustrated by Fanni Mézes.
Both of them are currently available and will have sequels soon, if they are not already out as well. I read both via online reader copies. And while both are different from each other, you can enjoy either of them or both. However, Sky and Ty is a bit younger than Penguin and Panda. Yet, both are equally fun
Sky is a young cowgirl. But unlike most cowgirls who want a pony, Sky wants a dinosaur. And not just any dinosaur. She wants a furious T-Rex. What she gets is a not so furious, actually polite, (sorta) dinosaur called Ty. Now, this meeting does not get off on the right foot, but soon the two realize that one does not want a dino as a pet, but as a real, good old fashioned pal. And if he can win at a dance off with a bear? All the better! Sky and Ty is set up in short chapters and minimal illustrations, but what is there is a hoot and a holler. The extras are fun, and there is even a cowboy glossary. 
With our Penguin and Panda friends we also get several chapters that are a bit more fleshed out and everything is more detailed. In the classic “buddy book” form, two opposites are best friends. And of course there are problems, issues and things to overcome. Plus, there are adventures and picnics to be had. The art is cute, simple but not simplistic, colorful without being overwhelming and just fits the quirky tone of the text. The illustrations and text compliment each other, giving a relatable story of how friendship is the best gift, misunderstandings happen, and nothing cannot be fixed if you have a friend to work with. The ages for P & P are strong readers or good listeners as things are longer.