Your Child's First Chapter Book
Finding just the right chapter book to start your child’s love of reading independently is an exciting time. Transitioning from picture books to chapter books opens up a wide range of literary adventures for young readers to embark on. With new genres, relatable topics, and a diverse collection of characters, there are incredible books to choose from for your child’s first chapter book.
How do you choose what kinds of books to introduce to your young reader? Should you lean into their current interests? Offer them a way to learn more about new topics. Share stories about characters like them or who are going through similar situations. Perhaps you just want to throw them into the deep end of the mystery or fantasy genres. From classics like The Magic Treehouse series to the Amelia Bedelia series, there is something out there for every kid.
Picture a video-game-loving kid venturing into the pixelated landscapes of the Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles. An animal lover giggling alongside the delightful Narwhal and Jelly duo. Each book is a gateway to a different universe, fostering a love for reading through the lens of creativity and curiosity. Captivating stories like Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business can help a child starting at a new school, or who brings homemade food to lunch.
Non-fiction books such as the Blastoff! Readers books are perfect for those who love learning facts about the world, animals, or science. Chapter books such as Nate the Great and Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid unravel mysteries that spark intellectual curiosity. Fantasy classics like Dragons in a Bag spark the imaginations of young readers.
So, whether it's the joy of discovery, the thrill of mystery, or the laughter shared with beloved characters, your child's first chapter book can inspire a love for reading that can last a lifetime. Here are a few of our favorite chapter books perfect for young readers.
Magic Tree House Books Boxed Set
by Mary Pope Osborne
Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie in this boxed set featuring books of the #1 bestselling chapter book series!
Grilled Cheese and Dragons #1
by Nancy Krulik - Ben Balistreri
Meet the princess who'd rather wear a suit of armor than a crown!
Princess Serena (or as she prefers, Princess Pulverizer) doesn't want to be a princess--she wants to be knight! But her father, King Alexander of Empiria, thinks she still has a lot to learn when it comes to exhibiting valiant behavior.
Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles: The Complete Series: Books 1-6 (Minecraft Woosdword Chronicles)
by Nick Eliopulos
All six books in the only official MINECRAFT chapter book series in one awesome boxed set!
Five young Minecraft players in the real world find themselves transported inside the game they love. But now it's not a game--and they will have to use everything they know to explore, build, and survive!
Super Scary Narwhalloween
by Ben Clanton
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER! Publishers Weekly - Globe and Mail - Toronto Star
Dive into three new stories that are sure to fright and delight!
Amelia Bedelia Chapter Book 4-Book Box Set: Books 1-4
by Herman Parish - Lynne Avril
Amelia Bedelia is all boxed up--literally! This box set includes the first four funny books in the bestselling Amelia Bedelia Chapter Book series and will be a welcome gift for early readers who like to giggle.
Short, fast-paced chapters, tons of friends and funny situations, and black-and-white illustrations on every page make the Amelia Bedelia chapter books an ideal choice for readers.
Mindy Kim Collection Books 1-4 (Boxed Set)
by Lyla Lee - Dung Ho
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this adorable chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl with big ideas. Read the first four books in this collectible boxed set!
Anna Hibiscus
by Atinuke Atinuke - Lauren Tobia
From acclaimed Nigerian storyteller Atinuke, the first in a series of chapter books set in contemporary West Africa introduces a little girl who has enchanted young readers.
Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa, amazing Africa, with her mother and father, her twin baby brothers (Double and Trouble), and lots of extended family in a big white house with a beautiful garden in a compound in a city.
Meet Yasmin!
by Saadia Faruqi - Hatem Aly
Meet Yasmin! Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who's always on the lookout for those "aha" moments to help her solve life's little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn't get too big, of course! A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.
Ralph Mouse 3-Book Collection
by Beverly Cleary
Get ready to zoom through these fast-paced stories full of exciting adventures by Newbery Award-winning author Beverly Cleary.
With Ralph S. Mouse behind the handlebars of his favorite toy motorcycle, there's no telling what readers will encounter.
Go Camping
by Maddie Frost
Camping or Glamping?
Albert and Pickles are an unlikely pair of besties and they're ready to explore the great outdoors for the first time. Albert is ready to camp the old-fashioned way while Pickles thinks he's going to a five-star resort under the stars.
Nate the Great
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat - Marc Simont
Shortly after a breakfast generously supplied with pancakes, Natethe Great got an urgent call from Annie.
Dog Man: A Graphic Novel
by Dav Pilkey
From worldwide bestselling author and artist Dav Pilkey comes Dog Man, the canine cop who's part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!
George and Harold have created a new breed of justice. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound digs into deception, claws after crooks, rolls over robbers, and scampers after squirrels. Will he be able to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty?
Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid
by Megan McDonald - Peter H Reynolds
In honor of Judy Moody's younger "bother," the creators of the award-winning series have put themselves in a very Stink-y mood.
Shrink, shrank, shrunk!
Every morning, Judy Moody measures Stink and it's always the same: three feet, eight inches tall. Stink feels like even the class newt is growing faster than he is. Then, one day, the ruler reads -- can it be? -- three feet, seven and three quarters inches! Is Stink shrinking?
Dragons in a Bag
by Zetta Elliott - Geneva B Geneva B
The dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!
When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch!
When your child is ready for their first chapter book, the options are endless. From fantasy to mystery, non-fiction to classics, every kid will find something that sparks their imagination. For parents who may feel a bit overwhelmed by all the options, listen to your young reader. Take them to peruse the shelves of a library or bookstore and see what catches their interest. You never really know what special adventure they might find tucked away on a bookshelf.