Early Chapter Book Recommendations
Books for first and second graders who are ready to move from early readers to chapter books
It’s a dilemma everyone faces in their reading journey. What should we read when we are ready to move to the next level of reading material? In this case, parents and educators want to guide young children as they graduate from reading “Early Readers” (also called just “Readers”), with their very simple story structure and limited vocabulary, to “Chapter Books,” with their more interesting stories and larger vocabulary pools.
The challenge is that children still enjoy looking at pictures and get a bit overwhelmed if there are too many words on the pages, but they have a longer attention span and their vocabulary is advancing well past that of Readers.
Enter early chapter books. They often hit that sweet spot with pictures and are a length that engages children’s growing attention span. The most popular series are “Junie B. Jones” by Barbara Park and “Magic Treehouse” books by Mary Pope Osborne, but there is a wide world of early chapter books beyond those series. Here are just a few options for budding bibliophiles. These were selected to appeal to a wide range of readers.
“Anna Hibiscus” by Atinuke
Readers might have encountered Anna Hibiscus in picture books before graduating to chapter books. Anna Hibiscus is about a girl who lives in Africa with her very large family. Adventures and great family and friend interactions ensue.
“Questioneers” by Andrea Beaty (“Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters” is book 1)
Readers might remember meeting Rosie, Ada and Iggy in picture book format, and now they have more adventures! This is a fun series about friendship and STEM.
“Bad Kitty” by Nick Bruel
Bad Kitty features the misadventures and shenanigans of a cat named Kitty. Expect hilarious escapades!
“Hubble Bubble” by Tracey Corderoy
Pandora’s grandma is a witch who causes magical mayhem but sets everything right before the last page.
“Unicorn Diaries” by Rebecca Elliot
Bo Tinseltail, a unicorn with the power to grant wishes, stars in this series about unicorn daily life and friendship.
“Owl Diaries” by Rebecca Elliot
Eva the owl shares her adventures in a diary format, similar to Unicorn Diaries. Themes include friendship and teamwork.
“Angelina Ballerina” by Katharine Holabird
This series of books includes picture books, early readers and chapter books about a mouse who LOVES to dance. Lessons of working hard and helping friends are interspersed with gentle moments of humor.
“Zach and Zoe Mysteries” by Mike Lupica
Twins Zach and Zoe love sports and solving mysteries. Teamwork and perseverance are themes throughout.
“Rainbow Fairies” by Daisy Meadows
Join this group of fairies as they help humans solve problems, work together and have magical adventures.
“Amelia Bedelia” by Herman Parish
Amelia Bedelia is a maid who takes things very literally with surprising and hilarious results. These books demonstrate forgiveness, humor when making mistakes, and friendship.
“Ivy + Bean” by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall
Two very different girls become best friends and have loads of mischievous adventures.
“Yasmin” by Saadia Faruqi
Join sassy, personable, creative Yasmin as she spends time with her close-knit family.
Non-fiction considerations
But what if your child doesn’t like fiction? What if nothing but the facts appeals? How about introducing your child to nonfiction if they just want to read about sharks or dinosaurs, trains or tanks, or which animal would win in a contest of two very different animals? Nonfiction in the child’s interest area is always a solid choice when considering books. Usually the vocabulary is a bit more advanced, and the reading level can be significantly higher, BUT the child is motivated to read it because they are interested in the topic. Information is often in bite-size pieces to make it easy for them to work through.
A final word
Helping your child decide what to read next as they graduate from Readers to chapter books doesn’t have to be stressful. Look at the book with the child to see if the number of words on the page and the size of the print looks like a comfortable fit. Also, remember that it’s OK to not finish a book that doesn’t pull you in or is too hard; we want reading to be fun, not a slog. So let your child try on different kinds of books and decide what works best for them. The good news is that at the library you can check out and return as many as needed when deciding what kinds of books are best for each individual, regardless of age.
Melody Palmer is the Youth Librarian for the South Broken Arrow Library. She is also a mother and grandmother who loves spending time baking and reading.
