Post #2 in the Read-Along Children’s Chapter Book Series
Many thanks to those of you who happily shared suggestions for children’s chapter books with me. These are wonderful! I feel like a kid in a candy store! Or, like an adult in a bookstore (my equivalent) while eating candy (especially the pregnancy cravings for chocolate and licorice!).
Here is a list I’ve compiled of the recommendations thus far. I have checked and each one is available through Amazon, although we continue to have great luck when it comes to foraging around second hand shops. I think the list poses a wonderful mix of classics and perhaps less known treasures, along with a great range of topics, with an appeal to boys and girls. Our interest is certainly piqued. This is sure to keep us entertained throughout the summer!
For those of you who’d like to join us and read along in tandem, I will try to post in advance what we are reading each week. Currently, by popular demand, we are about to revisit Black Beauty, since my daughter cannot get enough about horses right now.
Enjoy!
Author Book(s)
Anna Sewell Black Beauty
Roald Dahl Fantastic Mr. Fox; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Thorton Burgess The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
Frances H. Burnett The Secret Garden; The Little Princess
C. S. Lewis The Narnia Chronicles (beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, of course!)
George Macdonald The Princess and the Goblin
L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables
Andrew Peterson The Wingfeather books
Astrid Lindgren Pippi Longstocking
Eric Sloane Diary of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805
Kenneth Grahame The Wind in the Willows
Hannah Hurnard Hinds Feet on High Places
Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie series (Farmer Boy comes as idea for boys)
Mary Dodge Hans Brinker
Meindert DeJong The Wheel on the School
Jean Craighead George My Side of the Mountain
J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit
Mary Norton The Borrowers
Sydney Taylor All-of-a-Kind-Family
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Understood Betsy
Hugh Lofting Dr. Doolittle
Richard Atwater Mr. Poppers Penguins
Marguerite Henry series of horse stories, e.g. King of the Wind
Wilson Rawls Summer of the Monkies; Where the Red Fern Grows
Betty Macdonald Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Beverly Cleary Ramona the Pest
Emily Jenkins Toys Go Out
Marie Lyons Kililea Karen
Carol R. Brink Caddie Woodlawn
James Herriot All Creatures Great and Small
Edward Eager Half Magic
E.B. White Charlotte’s Web; The Trumpet of the Swan; Stuart Little
L. Frank Baum the Oz books
Brian Jacques the Redwall series
Sterling North Rascal
Lloyd Alexander The Prydain Chronicles
William Pene du Boise The Twenty-One Balloons
Madeleine L’Engle A Wrinkle in Time (and the Time series)
Susan Cooper The Dark Is Rising series
Lois Lowry Number the Stars
J. K. Rowling Harry Potter series
Linda Buckley Archer Gideon the Cutpurse series
Norton Juster The Phantom Tollbooth
Janusz Korczak King Matt the First
Mike Mason The Blue Umbrella; The Violet Flash
Lover of God, happy wife, mama to 4, writer, teacher, author of
I would also suggest, “The Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton Porter, “At the Back of the North Wind” by MacDonald, “Betsy Tacey Stories” by Maud Hart Lovelace, and “Nobody’s Boy”….cannot think of the author off the top of my head, but the story takes place in France in the 1800s, written in the 30s, I believe….gorgeous story.
Terrific, thanks Grace! I will probably update the list and/or add a second one, as these are too good to miss.
I am almost certain that ‘Girl of the Limberlost’ is the sequel to ‘Freckles’, by the same author (obviously!). I’ve read both books a long time ago, and recently came across a copy of Freckles at a book sale, much to my delight!
As I scan this list, I feel as if I am looking over the names of old friends. Favorite characters jump out to me from the various titles. To good books and memorable characters!
Here here. Well put!
I’m glad to see the often over looked Edward Eager. All his books are wonderful. I liked Knight’s Castle the best.
I owe many treasures here to thoughtful folks like you who sent in suggestions. I love recommendation lists as it’s tricky to remember things, I find, unless prompted or given wise counsel as to where to find them.
I love this post! We have several children in our family, two of which are up and coming into the chapter books. Although they are able to read on their own at some levels, I really miss reading to them at night before bed. We read through the entire Little House Series last summer and believe it or not, my boys (there are three of them – 8,7,5 yrs old) LOVED the stories with Laura and were really put off when I tried to read Farmer Boy to them. They didn’t want to hear about Almonzo Wilder! They wanted to know what Laura and Mary were up to! I thought for sure they would relate well with the book but we bypassed it and went on to the next book featuring the Ingalls girls! Thank you again for posting this list! Can’t wait to pick out our book for this week!
Thanks, Angela! So happy to have you here! What a funny story about your boys … but then again, can never tell what will appeal, eh? My boys have done the same with things. My girl tends to be interested in just about anything (but especially horses). I will have to start Wilder with them, and the praise keeps pouring in for those. I loved them as a kid (and the series) but haven’t started them yet now. How many little ones do you have? At least 3 boys – wow! You’re a warrior queen :) God bless!
My girls loved Madeleine L’Engle’s Austin Family Series (starting with Meet the Austins). They never really enjoyed the Time Series, but it’s possible that we’re deficient in fantasy genes!
I’ve heard folks tend to fall on one side or the other. i will have to give it a try – I hadn’t been a fantasy person myself, but then that changed as my appreciation changed. You never know what will strike a chord with the kids! Thanks for joining in, Nancy!
I hope I’m not to late to join in the discussion! One of my favorite chapter books for “children” (and me!) is The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. It is an interesting twist on historical fiction and poses a credible explanation to the myths of faerie and elven folk. Each time I read it, I’m struck by the beautiful themes of redemption and absolute truth.
My mom read outloud to us when we were young. We spent afternoons and evening hearing her narrate The Prince and the Pauper, Ivanhoe, The Tale of Two Cities and many more. The earliest I remember is her reading Pinocchio, The Tale Of A Puppet by Carlo Collodi. It has short chapters (2-3 chapters) and we would beg her to read us “just one more.” But, of course, it was never really just one more.
What wonderful memories, Elizabeth! And great ideas to add to our list. There is something extra wonderful about someone we love’s voice reading to us, isn’t there? It’s never too late to join in – thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for compiling this great list! We are printing it out to put in our library bag so we’ll always have it handy. Another title to consider if you update the list, My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett(and the rest of that series. These dragon books were very influential in opening up the chapter-book world to some of the more fidgety and active young listeners in our home. Can’t wait to get to the library!
Thanks, Karen! I will definitely update or add a follow up list. We have printed ours too :) My boys are into dragons so this is a great enticement. Happy reading!
What a fun collection! I enthusiastically second the recommendations for Edward Eager, Caddie Woodlawn, All of a Kind Family, and 21 Balloons!
Here are some Rodkey favorites to the collection! I would particularly like to highlight the E. Nesbit books–she’s was an inspiration to Lewis in mixing modern children and magic and is really delightful and unduly forgotten author. Edward Eager was also influenced by her, if you like Half Magic, you should like Nesbit’s works. Also the Ralph Moody series is a good follow up to the Little House on the Prairie books once the kids are a bit older.
The Treasure Seekers (E. Nesbit)
Five Children and It (E. Nesbit)
Enchanted Castle (E. Nesbit)
Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter
Detectives in Togas
Mystery of the Roman Ransom (sequel to above)
Bonanza Girl
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
The Pushcart War
Ella Enchanted
The Wednesday Wars
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
Little Britches Series (Ralph Moody)
The Avion My Uncle Flew
Return of the Twelves
Holes
The Indian in the Cupboard
By the Great Horn Spoon
The Kingdom and the Cave
The Year of Miss Agnes
Tough Boy and Sister
Sign of the Beaver
School Story/Landry News/Frindle/No Talking (anything by Andrew Clements)
The Ordinary Princess
Tom Sawyer
The Egypt Game
Toliver’s Secret
Dealing with Dragons
Twenty and Ten
Snow Treasure
The following are probably too much for a six year old, but really excellent books to keep in mind for future years. Kids grow up fast, I’m told! :)
Mara, Daughter of the Nile
The Shining Company
The Eagle of the Ninth
Witch of Blackbird Pond
Bronze Bow
Red Scarf Girl
The Endless Steppe
The Westing Game
Maniac Magee
North to Freedom
Master Cornhill
Johnny Tremain
The Thief
Hooray for the Rodkey clan! : ) Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and thorough list. You are right about Nesbit. i love discovering overlooked authors. Will get these on our next list, too. Cheers!