Recently, a friend of mine, Melissa @mllittleauthor asked me for help. A young girl she nannies had always been a VERY reluctant reader until Melissa introduced her to the graphic novel series, Bad Kitty. Her young charge had almost finished every book in the series! Now Melissa was looking for some new series to keep up the reading momentum.

This question really made me stop and think. When I was an elementary teacher librarian, a position I retired from four years ago, there had been very little interest in graphic novels. The ones I had purchased simply didn’t circulate. (except for two series: Calvin and Hobbes and Garfield. every book was in shreds and I frequently replaced them. And these series are part of the reason kids came to the library everyday; even the “reluctant readers”!)  Perhaps it was because both parents and teachers discouraged them because they “weren’t really books”. However, in my opinion, anything the kids read was a win. I was, and still am, a firm believer when children read graphic novels they will become more confident readers. Not only do the children need to read the words, they also need to interpret every picture; every facial expression; every setting. If they don’t, the story will make a lot less sense. Ironically, as I was thinking about writing this post, a person a really admire. Pernille Ripp, shared a post stating much the same position in her piece, Stop Rushing Kids out of Graphic Novels. 
I hope you’ll read this to learn more.

The fact that graphic novels weren’t popular in my school, led me to spend my precious book budget on other choices. Due to this fact, I wasn’t familiar with graphic novel series and I realized I needed to catch up quickly. This meant spending quite a few hours at my library browsing through the graphic novel section and through Instagram. Happily, I found several series to suggest to Melissa and now I want to offer these suggestions to you. You’ll have a lot of fun reading these with your beginning reader and then they’ll have a great time reading them on their own. These titles might even entice some of those reluctant readers to dive into a book, and isn’t that exactly what we want? If they become graphic novel fans, please let me know. I have several more series I can suggest for your next library trip! And be sure and tell us about your kids’ favorite graphic novels in the comments!

bad kitty by Nick Bruel

From the publisher:

Bad Kitty is bad. Very bad. But she doesn’t always mean to be. Whether she is trying to be a good little kitty and eat her vegetables or be a quiet little kitty and behave at a birthday party, it seems that trouble finds a way to her. Children will fall in love with Bad Kitty–and be roaring with laughter at all of her antics. Bad Kitty is a delightful picture book and an alphabetical romp through berserk cat behavior, and the follow up books are the perfect introduction to chapter books for young readers.

babymouse by jennifer l. holm and matthew holm

This is a hilarious, fun, action packed series. Here’s the publisher’s summary:

Meet Babymouse—Her dreams are big! Her imagination is wild! Her whiskers are ALWAYS a mess! In her mind, she’s Queen of the World! In real life…she’s not even Queen of the lunch table.

lunch lady by jarrett j. krosoczka

Here’s another series that will grab your kids’ attention with humor, mystery and plenty of adventure. Good Reads description:

This series of graphic novels chronicles the adventures of a school lunch lady who fights crime when she’s not serving sloppy joes.

Geronimo and Thea Stilton 

by geronimo stilton

Geronimo, and his younger sister, Thea are trying their best to make the world a better place. You can read more about that on the Geronimo Stilton website and The Philosophy of Geronimo Stilton.

THE TREE AND ME by bea garcia

This isn’t strictly a graphic novel series, but it is packed with illustrations and many panels that help tell the story. The four books in the series are a lot of fun and will inspire your kids to write, draw, explore and imagine.

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Can you believe it’s the middle of July? The summer is truly flying by, but I’m trying to enjoy every moment. Of course, that means finding time to discover lots of new favorite reads for your summer reading, which I want to share with you. There’s a Young Adult, a middle grade, an early chapter book and one very special picture book. Let me know what books you’ve discovered this summer!

Everything You Need for a Treehouse
by Carter Higgins

Oh, my! I was so looking forward to this book and I can happily say it was absolutely worth the wait! This delightful story, along with Emily Hughes’ charming illustrations transport us into the woods and to that treehouse we’ve always dreamed of owning. It describes the adventures we’ve always hoped of experiencing and are definitely on our wishlist for our children.
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This story is a perfect one to read aloud to your little ones of any age this summer. You and your kids can allow your imaginations to run wild, as you read each page and discover each hidden gem of every imaginative treehouse. You can enjoy the word choice such as speckles of sun (my favorite) or warble or rustle and let the heartwarming illustrations help you to figure out the meanings. You can reread the story as your children close their eyes and allow them to simply listen to all of the imaginatively described sounds of the wild. Finally, you can imagine your perfect treehouse together, and dream of the day when that treehouse becomes real!
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I highly recommend this picture book be added to every family’s library and to every library collection. It’s certainly going to find a home on my bookshelf!

meet yasmin by Saadia Faruqi

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing this book. All opinions are my own.
🌺
I am always on the lookout for new early chapter book series and this is a truly special one! It reminded me of the Katie Woo series, which if you understood how much I love Katie, you would know that’s a huge compliment! Not only is it perfect for those little ones who are yearning to move beyond readers to chapter books, but as an extra bonus the main character is a delightful, imaginative and spirited girl from a multigenerational Pakistani American family. The bright, colorful artwork perfectly illustrates the story, which includes many Urdu words and traditions. I loved the fact that there is a Urdu dictionary in the back, as well as questions to help guide the discussion of the story, facts about Pakistan and an art project.
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This endearing series will be released August 1. Librarians order it now and be sure to order lots of copies!

the way the light bends   by Cordelia Jensen

Thank you @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This young adult book is my second novel in verse by @cordeliajensen and it was just as memorable as the first!

Linc and Holly are virtual twins. Holly was adopted as an infant from Ghana and Linc was surprisingly born a short time later. As children, Linc and Holly were inseparable, even though it soon became apparent that Holly was a high achiever and Linc was more imaginative and creative. Their parents, a doctor and a historian, quickly begin to favor Holly and to wonder why Linc has so little academic success. As the girls grow older, their lives become  more and more different, especially when their mother shows so much pride in Holly’s accomplishments and so much disappointment about Linc’s.

This is a story about finding yourself, about family and about the different ways to define success. It is the story of Linc and Holly, virtual twins, sophomores in high school in New York City. It is the story of their closeness while they were growing up, but also about how they have grown apart in their teen years. It is about the loneliness that Linc experiences because her parents value Holly’s academic and athletic success over her artistic success. It is about Holly’s search to gain a real understanding of her background and of the country where she was born.

I flew through this book, which is especially easy to do with books in verse, but the story itself made me want to keep reading every chance I got. I was fascinated by Linc’s pursuit of finding a way she could succeed, and her creative pursuit of photography to achieve that goal. My heart was breaking for Linc as her mother again and again refused to accept her pursuit of artistic goals; as she constantly chastised Linc for failing to work up to her potential, rather than recognizing her achievements. I found myself cheering Linc and Holly on, hoping that their parents would become more open minded, both about Linc’s artistic interests and Holly’s need to understand her heritage, and that she and Holly would find some understanding for one another. This is a book that will provide a mirror for many readers who are trying to find a place to belong.

This story in verse is best for those in grades 8 and up. It deserves a spot in every library. 

From Me to You   by K.A. Holt

Thank you @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amelia is in 8th grade. Three years ago, her sister, Clara, died in a boating accident on their small town’s lake. And Amelia simply can’t move on. The grief is just too much. Her best friend has stuck with her, as has her sister’s best friend, Stitch, as well as all of the citizens of her small community, but it just hasn’t helped. Even her mom and dad have seemed to move on and left Amelia to face her grief by herself, at least that’s how she feels. ✨
Oh, I loved this story for so many reasons! I loved the support, patience, understanding and love that Amelia received from her best friend, Taylor, from Taylor’s grandmother, Mrs. Grant and from Stitch. All of them, along with so many more people in their small town were feeling the sadness of Clara’s death, but always put Amelia first. I loved the closeness of Amelia’s family as they struggled to find a new normal and renewed happiness. But I especially loved Mrs. Grant. We all need a grandmother like her who understands that her unbelievable grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate shakes will not solve all of our problems, but it’s certainly a great place to start. And then willingly listens to us with a gentle ear and a big hug. I loved the support Amelia received from her sister’s friends who were on the boat with her that fateful day, even though they were dealing with their own grief and guilt. And their immediate agreement to help her with a crazy plan that might help all of them, as well as the rest of the town, to move forward. ✨
Even though Amelia is in eighth grade, and some of the main characters are in high school, this middle grade story is one that is completely acceptable for anyone in grades 4-8. From You to Me is one that will be enjoyed and loved by anyone looking for an inspiring book, which is full of heart. It needs to be added to both public and school library collections. ✨

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I hope you’ve had a good week beginning with the school holiday on Monday. It was wonderful to have such warm temperatures on President’s Day! We had a great dinner with my sister, brother-in-law and niece and nephew on Monday. It was fun to catch up! Then on Thursday, we visited old friends and on Friday we got to take one of our niece’s out for dinner. Now I’m ending my week by sharing some Kids’ Books to Remember with you.

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: READ ALOUD

Hank the Cowdog  by John R. Erickson

Agnes and Clarabelle  by Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel. This is the first book of a new beginning chapter book series that you won’t want to miss.

Judy Moody Predicts the Future  by Megan McDonald

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: PICTURE BOOKS

Freedom Summer  by Deborah Wiles. This is an excellent book that will help your kids better understand our country before the Civil Rights Act was law.

Four Feet, Two Sandals  by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed. This story will help your children develop an understanding of, and develop empathy for the refugee children of our world.

Magic Beach  by Alison Lester. This story will help you prepare for your trip to the beach for spring break!

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: CHAPTER BOOKS

Trixie Belden mysteries, along with Nancy Drew books were my first true favorite series. I was surprised and so happy when I found this on the library shelf!

Trixie Belden, The Mystery at Bob-White Cave  by Kathryn Kenny

Mallory vs. Max  by Laurie Friedman

The following two books are part of a fun series that appeal to both boys and girls.

The Girls Get Even  by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Boys in Control  by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

LINKS FOR MOM AND DAD

In celebration of President’s Day:

Fantastic Kids Books about American Presidents

As you begin to get ready for spring break, here are some audio books that will help your trip go much faster.

Great Audio Books for Kids

This link tells about one of my favorite chapter books of the past year.

Survival and Wildness with Peter Brown

This is a new blog you will want to follow. The Loud Library Lady shares a new series that is bound to become a favorite with your family.

We Love Fenway and Hattie!

Thank you for once again inviting me into your inbox. I’m taking a few weeks off, so Kids’ Books to Remember will return on March 19th. Have a good few, hopefully warm, weeks!

As I write, this January day with the most amazing weather is drawing to a close. It was sunny and 60 degrees from mid morning until sundown. My husband was able to wash both cars (one of his favorite things to do!) and we took a long walk. In fact, as I type this, I have the windows open in my den and I’m not even cold! If this lasts, I might be able to make it until spring!

I’ve rounded up some old favorites that I think you should be able to find quite easily. In fact, all of the kids’ books to remember this week are from my public library.

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

Again this week, these stories are appropriate for everyone, even your preschoolers.

Babe, The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith 

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture books

I’ve included a Valentine book and a Groundhog Day book, so be sure and look for these at your library soon, before they’re checked out! Also, if you enjoy this Tacky book, there are lots more in the collection.

Somebody Loves you, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli. This is a wonderful book about kindness, empathy and caring. I’m sure it will lead to some great conversations in your family. 

Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day! by Abby Levine

Three Cheers for Tacky by Helen Lester

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter books

All of these books are the first in a series of books. So if your kids like one of these, there are more, which should be a help on your next library visit.

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

links for mom and dad

Here are two sites to help you learn what new books are coming this year. I always look forward to the new releases and often put them on hold at my library, even before they are published!

17 Picture Books Not to Be Missed in 2017

17 Middle Grade Books to Look Forward in 2017

This is an opportunity to win some books for your home library!

Teacher and Librarian Sweeps

I’ve seen this list posted so many times this week, and most recently by The Eric Carle Museum. It’s one that includes some excellent titles not to be missed. The Eric Carle Museum is a wonderful site to follow on social media, which will lead you to some excellent articles about children’s learning, children’s literature and children’s authors.

35 picture books for Young activists

If you’re looking for a new series to read to your kiddos, here is one for you to try.

piggle wiggle parenting

Thank you for inviting me into your inbox. Have a wonderful week, full of kids’ books to remember!

In January, I’m always a little sad that autumn and the holidays are past, but in another way it’s good to get the house back to normal (although I’m finding it hard to locate everything I put away in all of those places I was sure I’d remember!) and back into a routine. I think we’re just about there! I’ve started making my January soups and I actually spent some time curled up under a cozy blanket, burning candles and reading “grown-up books”. This reminds me about a new section I’ve added to the list on the right hand side of the blog, titled “What I’m Reading Now”. I’m going to strive to keep it up to date to let you know about the adult and kids’ books I’m reading every week.

As part of “returning to normal”, I visited the library this week and spent a lot of time perusing the shelves in search of some kids’ books to remember for January to share with you over the next few weeks. And because I’ve been reading several blogs and articles over the holidays, I’ve found some links about reading and children that I think you might find interesting.

I hope you find lots of books that will be just right for your family, and will help make your next library visit a little bit easier!

kids’ books to remember for january: read alouds

The choices this week are appropriate for ages three and up, and each one is part of a series.

Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin

Mrs. Noodlekugel by Daniel Pinkwater

In Aunt Lucy’s Kitchen by Cynthia Rylant

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER for january: picture books

Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden by Edith Pattou

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey

I Like the Way You Are by Eve Bunting

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER for january: chapter books

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Ida B. … and her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly Save the World) by Katherine Hannigan

Howiday Inn by James Howe

links for mom and dad

What if Schools Taught Kindness?

Curiosity Unbounded:
50 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls

picture book heroes honored at eric carle awards

barbershop cuts prices for kids who read aloud during appointment

posts you may have missed

14 Books to Help your Child be More Compassionate

Thank you for inviting me to pop into your inbox. Have a wonderful week, full of books to remember!

What a wonderful week it has been in our house! I am so thankful that much of my family gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving. It all began with the preparations and the cooking (which is half the fun) and ended with a delicious dinner last night with all of my kids. In between, we had a fun siblings night with my sisters, brother and spouses at our house, while the cousins gathered together at my son’s home, a great Thanksgiving brunch and dinner, a fun “turkey trot” on Friday, along with a birthday party that night celebrating my brother-in-law’s 60th birthday. We were even lucky enough to get to share the evening with some our new in-laws (after two weddings this summer, our family is definitely growing! How fun is that?!). And to top everything off, I heard some very kind words about Red Canoe Reader. What a perfect weekend!

Now that we’re all getting back into the routine, I wanted to let you know about some books to add to your library lists for your kiddos. These are definitely some kids’ books to remember!

kids’ Books to Remember: read aloud 

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L.Konigsburg

Boxcar Children by Gertrude Warner

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson

kids’ books to remember: picture books

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

The Piggy in the Puddle by Charlotte Pomerantz

If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Zoom at Sea by Tim Wynne-Jones

kids’ books to remember: chapter books

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

links for mom and dad

Tips to Encourage Kids to Spend Time Reading

25 Picture Books that Promote Empathy and Respect

a bronx librarian keen on teaching homeless children a lasting love of books

posts you may have missed on red canoe reader

beginning chapter book series list is here

Historical Fiction: reading about kids in the past

Do you have some kids’ books to remember? Please let me know in the comments! Look for a post very soon about some books to add to your holiday shopping list!

I am sitting on a deck in Michigan on a beautiful day and looking out at the glittering lake. I hope your summers are going as well as mine, and you are enjoying lots of happy family times in the warm weather. We receive such a limited number of these perfect summer days, so I try to make the most of every one!

This  past month has been a whirlwind of family activities! We drove to Lubbock, Texas, to attend our niece, Haley’s Honor Ceremony and Graduation from Texas Tech. She is now a Speech Language Pathologist and we couldn’t be prouder! It meant so much to us to be able to be a part of the special weekend. We then visited old friends in Colorado and Kansas and created lots of special, new memories. The fun didn’t stop there. We then returned home and hosted a wedding shower for our niece, Kelly! Now we are looking forward to her July wedding and to our niece, Julia’s shower and wedding later this summer. It’s a little crazy, but giving us so much joy and great family memories!

I know school has been our for many of you for a few weeks now, and because I remember what happens once the newness of summer vacation begins to wear off, I want to share some books that might add some fun and joy to your summer. Some of these are for the parents and teachers, and some are for the kids.

SUMMER ACTIVITY BOOKS

Nature Anatomy by Julia Rothman, is perfect for all of your little ones who are fascinated by nature and are bombarding you with questions! I gave this to a special little neighbor and he keeps it by his bed, making sure it’s always available to answer his questions. It is a wonderful book for any family who loves the outdoors and are taking those summer walks to the park or the woods or the beach. And as a bonus, that this former librarian loves, it introduces the concept of research to your kids!

 Henry David Thoreau for Kids by Corinne Hasfield Smith, a tour guide at Thoreau Farm, in Concord Massachusetts, has written a book which is a good choice for parents and kids to read together to introduce older children to the wonders of the world. It provides background about Thoreau and 21 hands on activities that relate and honor Thoreau’s ideas, such as  keeping a daily journal, planting a garden, baking trail-bread cakes, going on a half-day hike, and starting a rock collection. It even integrates technology with nature activities such as describing and providing a link to a birdcall identification app.

PARENT AND TEACHER SUMMER READING SUGGESTIONS

If you are looking for a feel good book that will inspire you to read to your kids every day, this is it! In The Reading Promise Alice Ozma shares the story of her father reading aloud to her for eight straight years. If you are wondering if spending so much time each evening reading to your children, is truly worth it, this will surely convince you that it is!

I first read about Thirty Million Words by Dana Suskind last fall, and immediately knew I wanted a copy. Dr. Suskind  is a Cochlear Implant Surgeon who discovered the true value of talking to and with your children from birth through age three. She  was concerned about why some of the children who were returning to see her for their post operative appointments were so talkative and some were not. Were the cochlear implants not successful with some children? However, after much research she discovered that some of the children were hearing lots of language in their homes and some were not. This book will tell you how to create the “best language environment” for your child. It will help you to understand why the first step to successful lives for our children is to simply talk to your children in a way that builds their brains. This is a perfect gift for young parents and early childhood teachers.

I first learned about Reading Picture Books to With Children by Megan Dowd Lambert on the Eric Carle Picture Book Museum Facebook page. I truly think it’s an important book that all teachers and librarians need to read! It describes the techniques to use when reading aloud to help the children interact with the story and to truly see and understand the importance of the pictures and to get them to “think with their eyes”. I always thought it was so important to interact with the kids when I was sharing a story (that’s why my story times were always so long!), but this opened my eyes to new techniques and vocabulary to use during my story times in the future.

TWO HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS FOR KIDS

The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, a Newberry Honor book for 2016, is the story of Ada and her brother, Jamie, during World War II in both London and then the English countryside. I read this in a few hours. I just couldn’t put it down! Children will learn so much about history during World War II and the impact that it had on the children.

Ada has a club foot and her mother is very ashamed of her. Ada is never allowed to leave their one room apartment in the slums of London and is punished by being locked in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. When Ada learns that Jamie is leaving on the train with many other London children to escape the war and live with families in the English countryside, she decides she must go with him. This story describes their adventure beginning with their escape from their apartment, their harrowing train ride and then their new life in a small village. Because Ada has never left her apartment, she has so much to discover and to learn to trust. You share her joy, as well as her terror that she may have to return to London and face the wrath of her mother.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood tells the story of Gloriana June Hemphill and her life in Hanging Moss, Mississippi, during the summer of 1964. Glory is so excited. School is out and it’s just a few weeks until the most important day of the year – her birthday on the 4th of July. Every year she celebrates in the same way. She invites all of her friends to have cake and ice cream and to go swimming at the town pool. However, this year things are different. There are rumors that the town pool may close because it must now be integrated. Glory can’t believe it, so she decides to write a letter to the town newspaper to protest. The story is a memorable novel about family, friendship and making choices.

CHAPTER BOOKS, BEGINNING CHAPTER BOOKS AND PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS

Finally, I want to remind you to visit my past posts that will give you some more ideas for your kids when they just don’t know what to read next!

Beginning Chapter Book Series List is Here!

New Picture Books for All Ages!

New Kids Books You Don’t Want to Miss!

The Chapter Book Series List has Arrived!

Are there some books you would like to suggest for the summer reading lists? Please let us know in the comments below.

Happy Summer!

A few weeks ago, I sent out an email to all of the library volunteers from the past school year, to let them know about Red Canoe Reader. I received a lot of kind and supportive responses. It meant so much to me. When I was an elementary school librarian, the volunteers played a vital part in the success of the library. They are the moms who didn’t mind trying to make sense of the crazy and mixed up library shelves, to check in hundreds of books or to rearrange the furniture. And most importantly, they were the moms who kindly helped the kids with their many requests and needs. There was never a complaint when a little one would ask, for example, for the “blue book with an elephant on the front”. Even with that small amount of information, they would always do their best to help the kids to find the perfect book! And that was not an unusual situation. It happened multiple times through out the day! So, when one of the moms mentioned in her reply to my email that her son, a rather reluctant reader, was  needing some new beginning chapter book series on the second and early third grade levels, I got busy with this addition to the website. I was planning to compile a list of beginning chapter book series, so this prompted me to get started! I had already posted a list of middle grade chapter books a month ago, Chapter Book Series, so if you have some kiddos who are ready for books on the 3rd – 6th grade levels, that is the list for them. If your kids are not quite there yet, then try some of the series in this new list, Beginning Chapter Books.

Reading Strategies for beginning chapter book Series

I suggest going to the public library and getting several books on the list. It doesn’t need to be the first in the series. Luckily, the majority of these series can be read in any order. Then let your little one choose a book, cuddle up and begin to read it together. You can take turns reading pages. Perhaps, you can read a few chapters each night or more if you can’t put it down! In that case, keep reading! I found with my kids that once they found a series they loved, a great strategy was to buy the books. There’s something about owning the book, that adds to their confidence. Of course, if you have a great public library, you may not need to do that. You may just be making lots of trips to pick up new books!

As always, this list is certainly not all of the beginning chapter book series out there. For one thing, early chapter books are defined differently by publishers, librarians, teachers and parents. These are simply books that appealed to lots of different kids with lots of different interests in my library. And when a child finds the perfect series for them, they are going to keep reading. I’ve seen it happen so many times and it’s magical! It’s one of the reasons I loved being a school librarian.

Do you know of some beginning chapter books to add to the list? I’ll look forward to hearing your suggestions in the comments below.

Before I wrote my first post for Red Canoe Reader, I had plans of composing several lists of books that I would share with you through links in the menu. Unfortunately, I spent so much time composing the posts that I neglected to make those lists. Well, I posted my first list – Chapter Book Series List! It includes many titles that you can find at your public library, purchase at your favorite bookstore or possibly even have on your own shelves.  I have included links to Amazon, if you’d like to purchase these for the children in your lives, as well as the Accelerated Reader and Lexile Levels to help you find a series on your child’s level. I’ve also divided the list into realistic fiction, graphic novels and fantasy to help you choose.

I have included chapter book series in many of my previous posts, so I hope you’ll check these out, as well. Here are the titles of the posts and the links:

Some New and Noteworthy Kids Chapter Books

HISTORICAL FICTION: READING ABOUT KIDS FROM THE PAST

CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS: CHAPTER BOOKS

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN SERIES

Of course, you might be having a hard time enticing your child to read any book, or at least anything you suggest! I recently read about an idea that I want to share. On the blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, Anne Bogel recently described  her strategy about getting her kids to read. She goes to the library and brings home a large stack of books. They might be chapter books, nonfiction, graphic novels or picture books. Then she plops the stack on the kitchen table. When the kids walk by they get intrigued and usually pick up a book and begin to read! She never says a word. I just wish I had thought of that when my kids were little!

And finally, please remember, the chapter book series titles in this list, as well as the books in my previous posts, don’t begin to be a complete list of chapter book series titles. What books should I add to the list? Let me know in the comments and I’ll make updates!

And please share this post with your friends who might be looking for some ideas to entice their kids to read.

In my last post, I wrote about some of the new chapter books in Some New and Noteworthy Chapter Books and I wrote about some of my favorite chapter books in my post, Children’s Books for Christmas: Chapter Books.  Those books are usually written on the third grade level and higher. But what about the kids who are not quite ready for these, but are eager to feel the pride in reading chapter books? That is when I would lead them to the colorful displays of the early chapter books in the library. The displays made it easy for the kids to choose their own book, once they were familiar with the series.

And about this time of year, those displays contained very few early chapter books, because the kindergarten and first graders had discovered them. So many times, those beginning readers would come in and ask for a book with chapters. They might still be reading on the first grade level, but they wanted to have the thrill of moving on to reading chapter books. This meant the books needed to have a table of contents containing a list of the chapters and the page numbers. The book might have only three chapters, but that didn’t matter, because it was a chapter book!

Then the next step would be finding that series that would draw them in and make them eager to read another one. My assistant and I would spend what seemed like endless hours working with all of our kids to help them find the perfect book, because we knew if we could hook them on a series, most likely we would create a real book lover.

Recently, I saw a blog post about early chapter books that I was very much in agreement with. Sarah Mackensie wrote about early chapter books on her blog, Amongst Lovely Things, titled Series Books that Will Turn Your Struggling Reader into a Voracious Reader. I was very excited to read her thoughts, because her ideas and methods were so similar to what we tried to do in our elementary library. In addition, Sarah has excellent step by step instructions to help make your child into a reader who is eager to read every book in a series! She also includes a list of many chapter books that will entice your child. When I saw this post, I was already planning to write about early chapter books, so I was excited to read Sarah’s ideas and wanted to share her post with you. I would encourage you to give her ideas a try, if the child in your life needs a little extra support and guidance to make them into a lifelong reader.

cynthia rylant early chapter books

Once the kids began chapter books they had many favorites. And I was constantly searching for new series, to make sure they could find a perfect book when they were ready to move on to a new one. To introduce early chapter books, I would read the first few chapters of some early chapter books during my weekly storytimes with the kindergarten and first grade classes. I always started with Cynthia Rylant’s Henry and Mudge and High Rise Private Eyes series.

When the kids wanted to try another series (or all of Henry and Mudge and High Rise Private Eyes are checked out), I would suggest another series by Cynthia Rylant, Mr. Putter and Tabby.  

These are all well loved early chapter books that give the kids a real sense of accomplishment.

national geographic readers

For the children who would rather read a nonfiction book, National Geographic Readers are a great choice. They range from second grade through fourth grade reading level, Lexile 220 – 650, AR 1.9 – 4.2. Due to this wide range of levels, you might want to check on each book on the Lexile site and the AR BookFinder site to find the right book for your child.

Katie Woo and Max and Zoe

Two extremely popular early chapter book series for the kids, once they are ready to move on from the Cynthia Rylant books are Max and Zoe, and Katie Woo. Katie is a sassy, spunky, curious and funny Chinese American girl who is great at getting into trouble. The character was inspired by the great niece of the author, Fran Manushkin. Max and Zoe feature Max and his best friend Zoe as they explore different places and meet new people. 

BILLIE B. BROWN and HEY JACK by sally rippin

Billie B. Brown is a girl and her best friend Jack lives next door. The Billie B. early chapter book series describes her quirky adventures from her point of view. Hey Jack gives her next door neighbor a chance to be heard. At first it was hard to convince our early readers that they should read both series, even though there might be a girl or a boy on the cover (horrors!), but once we convinced them to give it a try, they loved both series.

star wars and lego chapter books

Finally, two more favorites are the Star Wars and the Lego early chapter books. These books were loved by kindergarteners through third or fourth grade, no matter their reading level. In fact, one little guy would come in almost every day and want a new Star Wars books. I tried to convince him to try something else, and sometimes I would succeed, but often he was adamant that he wanted a Star Wars book. He told me that he and his dad would read them together and read them over and over. I soon realized that the books might be above his reading level, but they were providing some special family time. Since the new Star Wars movie was released in December, I would guess these are even more popular now!

Finally, for Lego lovers, there is a series of Lego early chapter books. They range from first grade through fifth grade reading level. These books describe adventures of lots of different characters and include many about Star Wars, making them extra popular!

This is just a short list of some of my favorite early chapter books. There are so many more! Look for a list of these books to be added to my website within the next few weeks. I’ll let you know when that happens! And please remember, that although the links from the book titles direct you to Amazon, most of these books can be found in your public library.

Which early chapter books series are your favorites? Please let me know in the comments below!