Beginner Chapter Books

Have you ever needed a book for a reader who is taking their first steps into independent reading, but isn’t quite ready for a long, text-heavy chapter book? There’s good news! Your reader might be interested in beginning chapter books. Beginning chapter books act as a great bridge between leveled reading books and regular chapter books. These books fill a great role in your child’s reading; they’re chapter books, so your child doesn’t find the content beneath their ability level, but short and easy enough for them to not get overwhelmed. The perfect fit to transition into fully independent reading! 

The Princess in Black Series by Shannon Hale
Princess Magnolia has a secret- she isn’t just a princess that likes to hang out in the castle enjoying tea parties, but actually a superhero that protects her kingdom from danger! Throughout this series, we see the Princess in Black going on adventures, helping friends, and stopping baddies all while trying to keep her identity as the kingdom’s princess hidden. The books are packed with plenty of action and humor that are sure to keep readers of all ages coming back for more. I recommend this series as a must read for kids that like superheroes, princesses, or superhero princesses!

Good Dog Series by Cam Higgins
Looking for a series featuring an adorable puppy that lives on a farm? You might want to put the Good Dog series at the top of your reading list! This series follows the gentle adventures of a sheepdog puppy named Bo as he gets into trouble, gets out of trouble, and tries to lend a paw to his barnyard friends. A great book choice for kids who want something lighthearted and fun that still touches on relatable topics like friendship and adversity. 

Yasmin Series by Saadia Faruqi 
Meet Yasmin. Yasmin is a bright, creative, brave second grader whose imagination can sometimes get her into more trouble than you would expect. Yasmin and her problems are extremely relatable, especially to readers of a similar age to Yasmin, but the joy of this series is in watching how she overcomes her mistakes and challenges using ingenuity and perseverance. This series would be a great pick for kids looking for a main character that isn’t perfect, but learns from their mistakes and grows all the more because of them. 

The Magic Treehouse Series by Mary Pope Osborne, adapted by Jenny Laird 
A very popular and long running series centered around a pair of siblings that travel through time using a (you guessed it) magic treehouse. These books are educational, fun, and always an exciting read guaranteed to pull in any reader. I especially recommend the graphic novel adaptation to anyone with a reader that wants more pictures on the page or that enjoys a more visual form of storytelling!