Today is my last day of school! I have had a wonderful year with my 7th graders, watching them grow as readers and writers. Yet, I am ready for the pace of summer–for porch time with my husband, mornings at the park with my kids, and lots and lots of reading!
This Summer Reading series is designed to help you find books for your children (and for yourself!) over the summer break. Check out the earlier posts in the series.
Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
Picture Books for 4-8 Year Olds
Today I give my top recommendations for chapter books for early readers. If you are a parent of young children, you know that a chapter book is a real status symbol. It marks a child’s transition from a beginning reader who focuses on word recognition and fluency to a more confident reader who wants more challenging content.
This summer reading list is filled with chapter books designed for those emerging readers. Ones simple yet challenging, with great stories. They also make fantastic books to read aloud as a family. I have read most of these with Big Brother. Happy reading!
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl is a master of imagination. All of his books have a fantastical element to them that appeals to children. I’ve found that Fantastic Mr. Fox is a good introduction to Dahl’s work. Shorter than some of his more famous books (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach for example), the story is quick-paced and engaging. Chapters are short and humor abounds. Kids want to find out if Mr. Fox will manage to outsmart the greedy farmers and keep his family alive.
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Published in 1948, My Father’s Dragon tells the story of Elmer and his journey to save the poor baby dragon chained and abused on Wild Island. Elmer has many exciting, and often humorous, adventures along the way. This imaginative classic has entertained children for decades. There are also two books that follow it in the series: Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland.
The Adventures of Peter Cottontail by Thornton Burgess
My grandmother (herself a fifth grade teacher) loved Thornton Burgess’s animal books and always recommended them to children. Burgess created an entire world of animals who talk, have adventures, try to outsmart each other, get into scrapes, and help each other out. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail (which is now over 100 years old!) is a good starting place for the child who loves nature and wants to meet Peter Cottontail, Jimmy Skunk, Reddy Fox, and more.
Dinosaurs Before Dark: The Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie discover a treehouse filled with books in the woods by their home. When they realize that the treehouse will take them to the lands and times of the books, the real adventure begins. In this first installment of The Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie travel to the time of the dinosaurs and narrowly avoid becoming a meal. With dozens of books in the series, The Magic Tree House books can really hook a young reader.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
I remember reading and rereading this book as a child. There is something about the self-sufficiency of Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny that is really appealing to a young reader. As the children run away from their grandfather (whom they have never met), they discover an abandoned boxcar in the woods. They turn the boxcar into their home, cook their own meals, find odd jobs to earn money, and eventually meet the man they have been running from for so long. The first of a long series, though one of only 19 that Warner actually wrote.
The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo by Judy Blume
Many avid fans of Judy Blume novels may not realize that her first published work was a very short book for early readers. The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo is an ideal first chapter book because of its humor, engaging plot, and brevity. Children who have to share their parents with siblings will particularly relate to it.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
No list of chapter books would be complete without Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classics. Millions of young readers over the past several decades have followed Laura, Mary, Pa, Ma, and Baby Carrie on their journey around America during the westward expansion. This fantastic insight into a historical time period completely unlike our own should grace every child’s library.
Cam Jansen: The Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds by David A. Adler
Finally, most children are problem solvers by nature. They enjoy a good mystery and get excited when they find clues to solve it. The Cam Jansen series lets readers follow Cam (nicknamed “Camera” for her photographic memory) as she solves mysteries in her hometown. With many books in the series, Cam could entertain a child for the entire summer!
So, take the family to the library or visit a bookstore and fill your child’s summer with wonderful books!
What chapter books would you recommend for early readers?
(This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.)
(Linked to Frugal Fridays, Pintastic Pinteresting Party Tips and Tricks Tuesdays, Pick Your Pin Tuesday.)
