Did you know that the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement is reading to children? I LOVE reading to my kids. Getting close and cozy and exploring another world with them is so rewarding! It is equally as rewarding to see them pick up a book and not just to look at the pictures, but to read the content. Hearing them laugh and bring their book over to share with me the part that has excited them is awesome!! When my oldest was in 1st grade I started really looking for books that he would enjoy reading aloud to me, for practice with fluency, and reading by himself. I didn’t love some of the books that were adored by others. Either the characters were constantly disrespectful of each other, or the storylines were flat. So, here is a list of fun books for your early elementary school kids! These books are good for both boys and girls and have helped my kids seek out books again and again.
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows. This series of 8 books is perfect for grades 1-3. There are pictures to help keep younger readers engaged, and both girls are so relatable. Ivy and Bean are unlikely friends and get in and out of trouble together. Lest you think this is a series for girls, please know that my boys absolutely loved these books as well!
Galaxy Zack by Ray O’Ryan. This series has 17 books and doesn’t necessarily need to be read in order once you’ve read the first one. A boy moves with his family from planet earth to a planet called Nebulon. It has a bit of a Jetson feel to it as it’s located in space and comes with all the sci-fi gadgets that all my kids loved. The pictures made it for a great bridge between picture books and chapter books.
The Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne. No early elementary school book list is complete without this series! With a whopping 54 books in this historical fiction series, there are plenty of adventures to choose from. Siblings Annie and Jack travel in time and place to find different things to save people!
Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliot. This adorable series is replete with cute pictures. These books can help encourage the most reticent of readers to begin on chapter books! They feel more like a graphic novel, and definitely help kids read longer books than the picture books found on the children’s shelves. There are 16 books in this series.
Narwhal and Jelly books by Ben Clanton. This series is similar to the Owl Diaries in illustrations. They are funny and sweet and the type of books that my kids read for fun to take a break. There are 6 of these books.
Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo. Mercy is a pig who gets into trouble and inadvertently saves the day. She is sweet and endearing. My kids especially loved these 12 books in 1st grade.
Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar. This series of 3 books is hilarious! This is definitely for the advanced 2nd or 3rd grade reader, although it is engaging enough for my bigger kids as well. With pictures only included at chapter headings, and smaller print than the other books listed, this is also a great read aloud for younger kids. Wayside school is full of silly stories that make everyone raise their eyebrows in surprise or laugh out loud!
These books can all help your kids get started to independent reading! You may find that you need to help them get started if they are new to reading by themselves, but once they get started, they are sure to love it! Reading engenders confidence, creativity, imagination, empathy, and vocabulary. The sooner we get our young people reading, the sooner all of these qualities can develop more deeply in their lives.
Happy Reading, Friends!!
If you purchase following our links, apparently we get a few cents back! Regardless, if you read with your kids we consider that a big win for everyone! 🙂 Have Fun!
Kayleen
