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Quality Early Chapter Books?


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DD is 5 and loving Mercy Watson. She reads a lot of picture books and easier books to herself as well. Next year she will go to an immersion school for K (Spanish) and I want to continue challenging her and growing her English reading ability. I'm looking for some quality, must-read early chapter books for a 5 year old. She hasn't seemed interested in Magic Tree House and they seem a bit fluffier than I want. Any  recommendations for quality literature for a 5 year old to read?

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My oldest daughter's first chapter book(s) was the My Father's Dragon trilogy at age 5.  For her, it was the right amount of mild challenge without being overwhelming for a first chapter book. 

 

I originally used The Courage of Sarah Noble and The Bear on Hemlock Mountain as bedtime read-alouds, but she later chose to re-read them by herself.  They also dovetail nicely with colonial America studies.  I would consider them more challenging than My Father's Dragon.

 

It can be tough getting the right amount of "challenging, but not too challenging."  One thing I've noticed is that it's helpful to be within earshot when she reads something a bit challenging so I can catch possible mistakes.

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My oldest daughter's first chapter book(s) was the My Father's Dragon trilogy at age 5. For her, it was the right amount of mild challenge without being overwhelming for a first chapter book.

 

I originally used The Courage of Sarah Noble and The Bear on Hemlock Mountain as bedtime read-alouds, but she later chose to re-read them by herself. They also dovetail nicely with colonial America studies. I would consider them more challenging than My Father's Dragon.

 

It can be tough getting the right amount of "challenging, but not too challenging." One thing I've noticed is that it's helpful to be within earshot when she reads something a bit challenging so I can catch possible mistakes.

What's the print size like in My Fathers Dragon? We read the first one allowed but I could have her do it again. She's a little funny with print size and while she can read smaller font, she preferres not to.

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We like Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries. They are not capital L Literature, but my kids liked them better than Magic Treehouse. I found them good for readers who are still young but not beginning readers anymore.

Yeah. I expected her to like Magic Tree House. She's more of a science/Stem kid though. I think I have an A to Z mystery on our shelf. I'll have to look. Thanks!

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If she loves Mercy Watson, has she read the Tales From Deckawoo Drive books? (We also love the Bink and Gollie books by the same author; like Mercy Watson, they appear at first glance to be very simple, but contain more complex vocabulary than most traditional early readers. And they're also very funny.)

 

For 5 year old who is reading fluently and enjoys reading, the options almost seem limitless to me...she can read and enjoy beautiful picture books, which often have more complex language, as well as chapter books IF she is determined to do so. There are some really beautifully illustrated fairy tales and fables (Paul O. Zelinsky and Jerry Pinkney are two of our favorites) that my daughters would just pore over at that age. If I had to name must-read, quality chapter books for this age, I'd say I'm partial to the Ann Cameron books about Julian, Huey, and Gloria-- starting with "The Stories Julian Tells." The book that got my oldest daughter into reading chapter books was Grace Lin's book "The Year of the Dog", though. Sometimes it's hard to know what will be a hit.

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One of mine really loved The Unicorn's Secret series by Kathleen Duey (I think there are about 8 of them; they tell a whole story so you have to read them in order, unlike a lot of other early readers).

 

My older two both liked A-Z Mysteries and The Secrets of Droon books.

 

Clyde Robert Bulla wrote a lot of early chapter books on a lot of different topics.

 

I'll second (or third) the recommendations for Dick King-Smith and the My Father's Dragon books.

 

Oh, and the Jenny Linskey books (about a cat) are nice.

 

Different kids like such different stuff - one of mine loved Magic Treehouse, one read a few and lost interest, the third never touched them.  Just a warning- don't ever try to read Magic Treehouse out loud; it might result in brain hemorrhage.  I made sure to have the kids read those independently.  So.many.fragments.

Edited by Matryoshka
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What's the print size like in My Fathers Dragon? We read the first one allowed but I could have her do it again. She's a little funny with print size and while she can read smaller font, she preferres not to.

 

The print in My Father's Dragon is slightly larger than the print in Magic Treehouse.

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Yeah. I expected her to like Magic Tree House. She's more of a science/Stem kid though. I think I have an A to Z mystery on our shelf. I'll have to look. Thanks!

Eric Sanvoisen's Inkdrinker series

JC Greenburg's Andrew Lost series

Anne Whitehead Nagda math stories

Tomie DePaola Strega Nona

David Adler Cam Jansen

 

Smaller print would be Johanna Hurwitz's Riverside Kids and John Peterson's The Littles. They would be readalouds if no ereader to magnify print.

 

Ask around for an older Childcraft series

Edited by Heigh Ho
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I haven't checked reading levels on these, but some that my daughter has liked and probably fall into the same quality category as Mercy Watson:

 

Zoey and Sassafras by Asia Citro (aimed squarely at young STEM girls)

Princess in Black by Shannon Hale (also writes books for older kids like The Princess Academy series, which is quite good)

Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo (same author as Mercy Watson)

Chicken Squad by Doreen Cronin (same author as the Click Clack Moo picture books)

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

Cam Jansen by David Adler (there's a somewhat simpler/shorter Young Cam Jansen series as well)

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

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If she's five year's old, you'll really have better luck with picture books. Many picture books are at a higher reading level than chapter books for that age group, using more advanced (that is, unusual) vocabulary, and you know they're age appropriate.

Edited by Tanaqui
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If she's five year's old, you'll really have better luck with picture books. Many picture books are at a higher reading level than chapter books for that age group, using more advanced (that is, unusual) vocabulary, and you know they're age appropriate.

I was going to suggest the exact same thing in almost the same words. They are also not as overwhelming to little ones. They are able to feel accomplished in a shorter

Time frame.

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If she's five year's old, you'll really have better luck with picture books. Many picture books are at a higher reading level than chapter books for that age group, using more advanced (that is, unusual) vocabulary, and you know they're age appropriate.

She does read a lot of picture books throughout the day. I would say that they're about 80%+ of what she reads. I definitely still plan to have her read picture books. She also loves chapter books and has been asking for more. I mainly wanted a list to pull from for when she asks for more.

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My oldest daughter's first chapter book(s) was the My Father's Dragon trilogy at age 5.  For her, it was the right amount of mild challenge without being overwhelming for a first chapter book. 

 

 

 

 

We use "My Father's Dragon" trilogy as the first chapter book series after phonics readers. It still has some pictures and is just the right amount of challenge to bridge over to regular chapter books.

 

 

Another good one that we used right before "My Father's Dragon" was the "Dick and Jane" old school hardcover treasuries. We also really liked the Penguin Young Readers leveled books, level 3-5 are fantastic as early chapter books. They also have lots of non-fiction ones.

 

My kids weren't into the Magic Treehouse fiction stories, but the non-fiction Magic Treehouse ones about various topics were a big hit.

Edited by strawberryjam
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don't ever try to read Magic Treehouse out loud; it might result in brain hemorrhage. I made sure to have the kids read those independently. So.many.fragments.

So many fragments. My son and I buddy read the dinosaur one, and I am seriously considering selling our set because of the fragments. I don't want him picking up bad writing habits.

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