The jump from picture books to chapter books is one of the big moments in a child's reading life. The right first chapter book is short enough to finish, funny enough to want another and has just enough pictures to rest the eyes.
Bridge books: still picture-rich
- Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (1970). Five short stories about two friends, told in simple, warm language. A Caldecott Honor book and still one of the best first readers ever made.
- Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson (from 1987). A boy and his very large dog, in a long series of short, gentle chapters.
- Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems (from 2007). Strictly speaking these are early readers rather than chapter books, but the speech-bubble format gives new readers huge confidence.
First real chapter books
- Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (2005). A pig who loves hot buttered toast causes chaos in a quiet neighbourhood. Full-colour pictures on almost every page.
- The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (2014). A proper princess with a secret identity as a monster-fighting hero. Action-packed and very funny.
- Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne (1992), the first Magic Tree House book. Jack and Annie find a tree house full of books that carries them back to the age of dinosaurs. The series runs to dozens of adventures through history.
- Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon (2014). The youngest child in a family has an enormous imagination. Laugh-out-loud funny and very true to life.
How to tell a book is the right level
- Five-finger test
- Read a page; if your child stumbles on five or more words, save it for read-aloud time
- Chapter length
- Look for chapters a child can finish in one sitting
- Pictures
- Illustrations every few pages help with stamina
- Interest
- A book they are excited about can be a little harder
A classic to read together
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett (1948) is a little long for most new readers to tackle alone, but it is perfect for reading a chapter a night together. A boy sets off to rescue a baby dragon, armed with chewing gum, lollipops and a lot of cleverness. It was a Newbery Honor book.
Keeping the momentum
Library visits help more than anything: children can try a dozen series for free and drop the ones that do not click. Let them reread favourites, keep reading aloud to them even after they read alone, and resist the urge to push harder books too early. The goal is a child who reaches for a book on their own.
Younger listeners? Start with our dinosaur picture books worth reading aloud.