A couple years back, I created a list of chapter books that were suitable for very small children to have read to them. We are big readers in our house! If you were to come over right now, you'd see bookshelves everywhere. And we could use more....there are books on the couch, the coffee table, the kids' beds, and even on the kitchen counter.
My husband started reading chapter books to the kids when they were as young as age 3. But we found it difficult to find advanced books that were suitable for children who weren't even in kindergarten yet!
So, we visited with our librarian, asked other parents, and put together a list.
And it was so helpful for so many! We had over 110 comments of other parents pitching in their ideas. It's been a long while, but we thought we'd put that list in a single printable PDF for you to bring with you to the library:
It's a 5 page document full of awesome titles. It's been so helpful to have on hand!
Or, you can just view the list below!
CHAPTER BOOKS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN (Ages 4-8 for read-aloud)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken
Adventures of a South Pole Pig
Alice in wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Animal Stories by Thornton Burgess
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Because of Wynn Dixie by Kate diCamillo
Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Captain Underpants Series by Dav Pilkey
Catwings books by Ursula K. LeGuin
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker
Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
Dear Hound by Jill Murphy
Ella Enchanted Gail Carson Levine
Elves and Fairies Annie R. Rentoul and Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
Emily’s Runaway Imagination Beverly Cleary
Famous Five by Enid Blyton
Freddy Anniversary Collection by Walter Brooks
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson
Grayson by Lynne Cox
Half Magic by Edward Eager
Indian in the Cupboard series by Lynn Reid Banks
Halibut Jackson by David Lucas
Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary
How to Train your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
James Herriot Treasury for Children
Junie B Jones Series by Barbara Park
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Little Women Louisa May Alcott
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
Matilda Roald Dahl
Mercy Watson series by Kate diCamillo
Milly-Molly-Mandy Joyce Lankester Brisley
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet
No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
Peter Pan J.M. Barrie
Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Ralph S. Mouse books by Beverly Cleary
Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
Secret Seven by Enid Blyton
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs
Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black
Swiss Family Robinson Johann D. Wyss
Tale of Despereaux by Kate diCamillo
The Adventures of Olga da Polga By Michael Bond
The Alfie Books by Shirley Hughes
The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The Boxcar Children Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
The Cricket in Times Square George Seldon
The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) by Avi
The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Henry books by DB Johnson
The Light Princess, The George MacDonald Treasury
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Littles by John Peterson
The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate diCamillo
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
The Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
The Ordinary Princess By M.M. Kaye
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Winnie the Pooh A.A. Milne
Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum
Thanks for all your input, and happy reading!!