Early Chapter Books Kids Love (Our Favorite First Chapter Books)

I have a stack of early chapter books here: some of my kids’ favorites from when they started getting into chapter books. These are great for kids who are ready for something a bit meatier than a picture book, but not all the way ready for a full novel.

Let’s take this one step at a time.

Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

These were my kids’ absolute favorite books to start reading. Mercy is a hilarious pig who gets into all sorts of mischief, often with her neighbor, Eugenia.

The illustrations are bright and colorful, with mostly one per page, and the stories are so engaging. There are six books in the series, and this was a definite whole-family favorite for us.

Magic Bone by Nancy Krulik

All of my kids loved this series. It’s about a funny dog named Sparky, and when he chews on his magic bone, he’s transported to a different place in the world (and I think a different time period, too). It has illustrations and is a really engaging beginning reader. I think there are about 12 Magic Bone books.

The Great Mathemachicken

This one is by the same author as Magic Bone, Nancy Krulik. Doesn’t that name sound fun? It was a favorite especially with my boys, because it combines easy reading, humor and math, and they love all of those things.

It’s even a little earlier than the others, with lots of pictures and about 75 pages, so it’s very doable. There are even instructions to make a wheel-and-axle toy; I think we made it with both my boys. It’s a great option for readers who are just ready for something a little more than a picture book.

Rainbow Magic

This was a favorite series of my daughter’s. There are many, many books about different fairies. They have similar plot lines: a goblin-type bad guy and his cronies try to make things hard for the fairies, but the fairies always prevail.

There are still some pictures, and they’re easy and engaging to get into. It’s a good series if you want a lot of volume.

Geronimo Stilton (and Thea Stilton)

A favorite especially with my boys. There are so many Geronimo Stilton books, and my daughter loved the books about his sister, Thea, too.

The Geronimo books are in color, which makes them really fun for kids to look at. Some of the bigger ones have jokes and puzzles to figure out. Very engaging, but still reading! There are a few different versions, including Cave Mice, and now some Geronimo graphic novels my kids are enjoying.

The Last Firehawk

Both of my sons really liked this series. I didn’t read it with them much, but we have quite a few of the books. It’s about birds and other animals going on adventures. Great series.

Dragon Masters

My kids have loved Dragon Masters, and again, there are a lot of books in the series.

Why I love a long series for new readers

I love series with a lot of books for early chapter book readers. Your child is already getting familiar with the characters, and then they carry that into the next story. After a few books, the world feels pretty homey to them.

Who these books are for

I had a lot of these books in my second-grade classroom, and many seven- and eight-year-olds loved them. My son in third grade still loves a lot of them. And my sixth grader will sometimes still bust out a Geronimo and enjoy the story.

They’re a really good option if your child is ready for something meatier, but not all the way ready for a full novel.

(Still building reading confidence? Here’s how to teach your child to read at home.)

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