Yesterday, I offered some suggestions for picture books we’ve loved. Today, we’ll move to chapter books.
Obviously, we enjoy the usual: Harry Potter, Encyclopedia Brown, the Dogman series, and My Weird School books. The girls, in particular, have enjoyed the Puppy Place and Magic Tree House series as well. We’ve also enjoyed the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Wayside School books along the way. But for some other options, try these:
For Younger Readers
Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Solfers
This is a fun one that Alex (my most reluctant reader) really enjoyed. Its chapters are short, making it perfect for advanced first- or second-grade readers, and its two main characters are very funny. I liked the very effective handling of hard themes, especially the dynamics of blended families. And there are two more books in the series (though we haven’t read them yet).
Floors by Patrick Carman
I stumbled on this one in our public library and read it myself first. I’m now reading it aloud, and the kids are loving it. Leo is trying to save the Whippet Hotel from sabotage, and my four are totally consumed with figuring out the mystery. There are lots of opportunities for fun, read-aloud voices, if you enjoy that kind of thing. And this is also the first of a three-book series.
Skylanders: Mask of Power by Onk Beakman
This is an eight-book series that my kids LOVED. It was our first introduction to the video game Skylanders, so no prior knowledge is required, and we ended up buying the entire series which my advanced first-grader easily read by herself. They are funny; the story is surprisingly compelling, and the heroes are engaging. Warning: our library only had the first five books and some are now out of print (though ebooks are available for some). We bought used copies of the last three to finish the story, so check to see if your library has the entire series.
Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi
Thanks to some lovely bloggers who pinned posts about great books for kids who aren’t quite ready for Harry Potter (or all of HP), Megan is currently devouring the Spiderwick books. I haven’t read them myself, but they are smaller books with shorter chapters and enough magic to be intriguing without being too scary, at least so far… But as she is fully engaged, I wanted to include these titles on the list.
FOR OLDER READERS
Of course not all books are right for all ages, so here are some other books for upper ages that I or the twins recommend.
The Survivors series by Erin Hunter
This series is by the author of the Warriors books, and I have not read them. But Erin is tearing through the six books about a pack of dogs trying to survive after a major natural disaster destroys the humans and their city. Some big themes and heavy moments (some of the dogs die) mean this one is a bigger commitment than the ones above.
The Serafina series by Robert Beatty
This trilogy is the story of a girl who lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate at the height of its splendor and the battle she must fight to protect her home and its family from a dark enemy. The book is very gothic in its feel, and the magic described is not always a happy thing, but the overarching themes of family and home and becoming who you were meant to be make all three books a very good read.
The League of Seven by Alan Grantz
Another trilogy, this series is set in an alternate 1870s where electricity has been kept secret and monsters sleep beneath civilization. It is creative and edgy, the story gets pretty scary sometimes (the monsters are not remotely tame), and the main characters face very grown-up issues of revenge and what makes someone the good guy or the bad guy. I very much enjoyed this series, but I’ve not yet introduced it to my kids because of thematic concerns.
The Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda
This series is Alex’s current favorite, and the quest to recover the lost gems of the golden belt has kept him engaged through three books so far. The first book drags a bit to begin, but once the second half starts, the action moves along at a better pace. For kids who like magic and quests and having to think your way out of problems, this series is a good option.
Bonus Titles:
Miss Mabel’s School for Girls (by Katie Cross) is the first of a series which I found original. Set in a version of America, a Miss Mabel’s school trains girls to be witches, and the new student has a big secret. I’ve not read past the first book, but older kids might enjoy The Network Series.
The Princess Companion (Melanie Cellier) is the first of The Four Kingdoms series, each of which is a retelling of a fairy tell. Companion retells the Princess and the Pea, but was enough new and interesting that I found it very engaging. A bit of clean romance makes it suitable for middle school readers.
