đź“š Chapter Books You'll Actually Want to Read with Your Kids
"The story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now." The Story of Us by Taylor Swift
Let's talk chapter books. Reading a chapter book in lower elementary school is essentially a status symbol. I remember kids that couldn't even read yet would check them out from the school library to flex on their classmates.
But it can be really hard to pick out the correct chapter book for kids. Advanced readers may stumble into books that are inappropriate for children their age. In contrast, some books may be too trivial for your child's reading level. I broke down great chapter books based on a child's age instead of ability.
Ages 5-7 (Kindergarten and First Grade)
Junie B Jones Collection: This endless series of books chronicles a girl's outlandish adventures in ​kindergarten​ and ​first grade​. Be warned- Junie is the ultimate nonexample of how to act. She uses some potty language, but gets children this age roaring with laughter. Need a preview? Watch my ​parody​ on her books.
Shark Princess: A lot of young readers are desperate to read graphic novels, but many are not appropriate for their age. The ​Shark Princess series​ is great for kids aged 5-7. There are ​2 books​ in this graphic novel series so far.
Ages 7-9 (2nd and 3rd grade)
The Kids of Cattywampus Street: People are saying ​this book​ has the same magic of a Roald Dahl book written in modern times. Each of the 11 chapters is about a child living on Cattywampus Street. It has beautiful illustrations and would interest children younger and older as well.
The Never Girls: This ​new series​ from Disney is about a group of girls living in Neverland with Tinkerbelle. If your reader loves a little whimsy, fairies, and adventure, this book is for them.
Ages 9-11 (4th and 5th grade)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: I'm sure you've heard of this​ famous series ​. It's wildly popular in elementary schools. Many younger kids try to read this, but it's actually intended for children ages 8-12. There is some bullying and poor decision making that an older child will be able to think about more clearly than younger kids. If your little one keeps checking out this graphic novel from the library, there's no harm in looking at the pictures, but maybe save the context for when they are a bit older.
Ready or Not! series: ​Abby is a 9 year old ​dealing with lots of tween issues. Written in the same spirit as a Judy Blume book, she learns to cope with her friend moving away, wearing deodorant, and learning her beliefs.
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đź’– Family Time: I took some time off to visit family in Cape Cod this week. My family has been visiting here for generations. This tradition started when my great grandparents (both scientists) studied frogs in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. We said goodbye to my Great Auntie Carol. She passed in November, but we waited til this summer when family could gather.
Road Trip! It's road trip season which means I restarted my audible account. I've a sucker for celebrity memoirs and have been listening to Busy Phillips' This Will Only Hurt a Little. Get 3 free months of audible ​using this link.​
Science Vs: I just finished listening to the newest season of the ​Science Vs podcast.​ I love this podcast because it takes modern science myths and finds out if they are true. This season covered topics like pitbulls, gluten, and anti-aging skin care (not for the faint of heart!). Do you listen to this podcast?
I hope you're having a wonderful summer!