Chapter book recommendations?

[tiff211]

DD6 and DD4 love me to read to them at night. I just to read one of DD15 old books, reading a chapter a night and they really liked it. It was easier to get them ready for bed as they had the aniticipation of the upcoming chapter. Can anyone recommend good chapter books that are not too "old" for them?

Thanks!

 

[JunieJay]

First one that comes to mind is Junie B. Jones.

 

[Daxx]

Junie B. Jones series. I read these to my Kdg. students and they adore them! Start w/the Junie B. where she's in Kindergarten and work your way up through first grade. We recently read "Jingle Bells, Santa Smells! P.S. - So Does May" and they were hysterical!!!!

 

[debbi801]

We just finished reading Charlotte's Web to our almost 5 yr old. He loved it. We'll read either chapter books, or at least books with very few pictures so that he lays quietly. Fairy tales are good, too.

 

[Cool-Beans]

First one that comes to mind is Junie B. Jones.

Second that.

 

[clarabelle]

Boxcar Children

 

[minnieandme]

DS8 just starting reading Captain Underpants and he loves it.

 

[Briarmom]

Ds really liked Mrs Piggle Wiggle in Kindergarten.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I love Mrs. Piggle wiggle! My boys loved the "Fudge" books, too. Little House books are great for little ones too. They are alway fascinated with the differences in life then and now.

I have a bunch of fairy tales from different countries. We've always enjoyed those also.

I just read my first Junie B book. It was cute enough, but I had a difficult time with reading her outloud. I don't know any kid that talks like she does!

 

[Pixiedust34]

My kids liked The Magic Treehouse series at that age.

 

[damo]

My Father's Dragon series.

There was a really good thread going a few months ago on this topic. I'll try to find it. The search function makes that sooooo difficult now!!!

 

[candicenicole19]

Junie B is awesome! My girls (7 and 4 today! Happy Bday Abby) LOVE Junie B books. they also like Amiela Bedeila ( I think that is what they are called) books. We have some Magic Treehouse books and they scare them a little so i would hold off a little. My oldest also likes the older adventure books where you get to choose the outcome of the book. We have not seen these for sale but pictured up a lot at a yard sale over the summer.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Harry Potter, but only if they liked the movies

 

[Cinderella2004]

Another vote for Junie B. We also like the Magic Treehouse books.

 

[sha_lyn]

Another vote for Junie B. We also like the Magic Treehouse books

yep those 2 are the ones I was going to suggest
Also The Rainbow Fairies

 

[traces7]

My 7 year old DD just started reading Judy Moody and Katie Kazoo books. They're kind of cute! She got a little tired of the Junie B. Jones books.

 

[mickeyboat]

Junie B and Charlotte's Web are/were big hit sin our house. I started the Little House on the Prarie, but they weren't really getting into them. We have two Junie B books to finish up, and then I think we are going to start the Trumpet of the Swan - also by EB White (although I don't think I have ever read it, and I need to do a little previewing first).

Denae

 

[Soubrette]

Usually the kids section of your local Barnes and Noble will have a whole shelf dedicated to chapter books. Some of the bestsellers when I worked there were the Magic Treehouse series, and Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel (I think), Captain Underpants, and Julie B. Jones. You could also look into the American Girl series.

 

[DVCLiz]

I second My Father's Dragon and its sequels, along with Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little. The Trumpet of the Swan wasn't as great, if I recall correctly.

The Little House on the Prairie books would be wonderful if your girls enjoy them. Try Little House in the Big Woods and see what they think.

There's a great resource called The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease that lists hundreds of choices. See if you can get a copy at your library.

Julie Edwards (yes, Mary Poppins and Sound of Music) wrote a couple of great children's books - Mandy and the Last of the Really Great Whang Doodles. Roald Dahl was always a favorite at my house, but he's a little snarky so you might have to see if your daughters are ready for his humor (we are a pretty sarcastic family, so mine loved it, of course!!)

Old-fashioned favorites would be Heidi, The Saturdays and others by Elizabeth Enright, A Litle Princess and The Secret Garden. There's a great new book I bought DD for Christmas called The Penderwicks - about a family who goes away on holiday and has adventures on the grounds of a great estate. It's new but has a cozy old-fashioned feel - I think the mom has died and the dad is kind of a bumbling professor.

There are so many great choices!!!!

 

[mrsv98]

I read once that it is good to read "above" your kids a bit. I don't mean reading War and Peace to a 3 yo but reading books that stretch a bit. DH and I have read to DD 6yo:

A Little Princess
The Secret Garden
both by Frances Hodgsen Burnett

The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien

Dragon Rider
by Cornelia Funke

A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeline L'Engle

Charlotte's Web

All of a Kind Family
by Sydney Taylor

Most of the ones listed above were hits, but then she didn't get into Trumpet of the Swan or the Little House books. She may not remember all of them, but we like exposing her to them. We just got Call of the Wild and I think DH will read the to her when we finish the first Harry Potter. We also read "easier" books including all the Magic Tree House/Merlin Mission books, and shorter ones we have around.

I guess this is my long winded way of saying don't limit yourself to books that are at their reading level, get some books that you loved as a child and share them.