After completing our 100 books reading challenge (read about it here), I intended to keep it going with level 2 and level 3 books but quickly learned it was not working for my daughter. After a couple of weeks I realized that she was ready for books that matched her interests and had more complex storylines than what the I Can Read! books offered.
I set out to find early reader chapter books that would keep my daughter’s love of reading alive. In my opinion, chapter book series are better than stand alone books for early readers. Starting a new book can seem daunting or intimidating to a young reader but they tend to be less hesitant to open a book if they are already familiar with the characters and setting. I have also found that the first few will set the scene and develop the characters but after that, the books can mostly can be read in any order. So once they are hooked, they can read any book they find at the library without having to wait for a specific one to become available. You can always put in requests at your local library to obtain copies of any books they don’t have!
I spent a lot of time searching for quality books that would keep my kids reading. Luckily, they both loved reading and were willing to try a lot of new books. Although we found many good books, these were the ones that my girls absolutely loved and wanted to devour the entire series.
Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott
My daughter earned a set of these books as one of the rewards for completing her 100 book reading challenge. Each book contains diary entries written by Eva about her life at home and school. The easy to read text and illustrations on each page make this series a great entry point for reading chapter books independently.
Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo has written many best-sellers including The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Before introducing those longer books to your child, start with this cute series about the adventures of a lovable pet pig, Mercy Watson. The chapters are short and there are illustrations on each page.
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
Princess Magnolia has a secret, she leads a double life defeating monsters as The Princess in Black. This is another great chapter book series full of illustrations that will hook your kids interest with many action adventures.
Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn
This was the first series that completely hooked my oldest daughter and it was so fun to watch her fall in love with these books. She went straight for these at the library and constantly checked in with the librarian about getting more put on hold for her or transferred from other library branches. This series follows Lucas, a prince, and his friend Clara on their adventures as they explore the lands of Wrenly.
Dragon Masters by Tracey West
If your kid is obsessed with dragons like my youngest daughter, they will love this series. A group of kids train with their dragons to uncover their dragon’s special powers and become dragon masters. Another great thing about this series: they are all available as audiobooks through the hoopla app with our local library card. My kids not only love reading these books, but they have also spent hours listening to them while drawing and designing dragons of their own. This series is best read in order of publication.
Pet Rescue Adventure by Holly Webb
Are there any kids who don’t love puppies and kittens? My daughter absolutely loved these books and read each of them multiple times. Each book follows the heart warming story of a different puppy or kitten. Warning from my daughter: most of these books have sad scenes in the middle but always have a happy ending.
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
This well known, beloved series is popular for a reason. When I told our children’s librarian that my daughter was a voracious reader who was searching for more early reader chapter books that would keep her interested, she recommended this series to us. My daughter has loved reading about Jack, Annie and their magical tree house that allows them to travel through time. I love hearing about all the things she learns through reading this series. Just yesterday, I was helping her with her homework and asked her if she knew about hieroglyphics and she responded, “Oh yeah! I learned about that in Magic Tree House.” Several of the books also have graphic novel adaptations and my daughter has loved reading those also to see more illustrations from some of her favorite scenes.
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
If your kids love the idea of solving mysteries, but you don’t want to introduce any scary themes, try this mystery series. My kids love reading about Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose solving non-scary mysteries around town. Each book in the 26 book series has a title that corresponds to letters in the alphabet.
Nancy Drew Clue Crew by Caroline Keene
Another mystery series for those who love practicing their detective skills. I’m sure you are familiar with the classic Nancy Drew series. Luckily, this early reader version includes kid friendly mysteries like missing dolls, stolen secret recipes and a pony that somehow keeps escaping from the zoo.
Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
I absolutely LOVED this series when I was a kid. I was thrilled a few years ago to find a set of the first 5 at a second hand store and immediately snatched them up. Of all the series on this list, I think this is the most challenging reading level so I read the first book aloud to both girls. It was fun revisiting the story of siblings Henry, Violet, Jessie and Benny living on their own until they are reconnected and with their grandfather. After reading the first book together, my daughters have read many others from the series. This is also a series that has a lot of the audiobook versions available through Hoopla.
