Learning to read and having fun can be accomplished at the same time. Finding the right books are key to promoting a positive literacy journey. Below I have shared a few of our family favorite books each separated into reading stages not ages. I believe that each child learns differently and should be encouraged to excel with love, not with fear or concern of falling behind. For your convenience this post contains affiliate links. Simple click the books image. I always recommend the library as your first source for reading material. If you plan to read and reread a loved book or series make sure you shop around for the best price!
Just for FUN - Stories for Little Ones (and Big Ones)
It is easy to find books for young children. Simply bring a bag to the library and fill it up. Look for animals, vehicles, colours and textures. The more books the better. Depending on your child’s attention you may need to flip through and confirm the story doesn’t include massive chunks of text. These books are great, but won’t be appreciated if your child isn’t in the mood to sit and listen. We love reading lengthier picture books and still cuddle on the couch with big stack. I don’t believe there is an age limit to enjoying or benefiting from picture books. The following are a few favorites, not age specific.
Click Clack Moo - Cows That Type
Zog By Julia Donaldson
Stuck By Oliver Jeffers
Franklin (It’s a classic for a reason!)
Reading Basics
Everyone starts reading at a different age. These books are perfect for building confidence and solidifying word family skills - at, ut, an, ex, un, um etc.).
Bob Books by John and Bobby Lynn Maslen
Tug the Pup Set by Julie Wood
Biscuit Set by Alyssa Capucilli
Solidifying Foundations
After laying the ground work and mastering those skills your reader is going to want more interesting content, which means trickier words. These books should include repetitive vowel combinations and compound words along side familiar text. You want to build their confidence.
Be cautious when choosing books as you progress from the basics. It can be deterring to your child when the cover says level one or two and the content is far beyond their abilities (this is due to labelling confusion and not your child's skills). Specifically be cautious when picking up books that are themed on favorite TV shows or superhero characters. Unfortunately, theme drives the text, not the reading level. It is hard to avoid complex words and sentence structure when trying to integrate these developed story lines. The progress from basic to advanced should include slow repeated concepts and layer in more difficult ones over time. You want your child to feel like they are improving and not sliding backwards. The book labels can be deceiving!
Clifford Readers by Norman Bridwell
Pete the Cat by Erin Litwin
Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton
Little Critters by Mercer May
Marley Series by John Grogan
Henry and Mudge Series by Cynthia Rylant
Starting Chapter Books
The best part of moving on to chapter books is they come in a series. Everyone loves to anticipate the next adventure. Selecting the right beginning chapter books are crucial. Stories that are intriguing, fun and overall inviting will give your child a nudge to continue reading. Take time to find plenty of possible ‘winners’. Then trust your child’s instincts. They know what they like and when they like it. Plenty of people recommended really popular books to us and they weren't winners. Even if their children loved them, we all have different tastes. My kids know right away if the story will hold their interest. You don’t need to encourage your kid to read a series they don’t like. This will only make reading feel like work. The goal is for reading to be fun and a pass time they enjoy. If transitioning to chapter books still seems daunting to your child try making it a read aloud. Encourage them to read the first page of every chapter you read to them. Build up from that. If a traditional chapter book doesn’t match try choosing a graphic novel. Words are words no matter what style the author chooses to use to depict them.
Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
Dragon Masters by Tracey West
Nancy Drew Clue Series by Carolyn Keene
The Rescue Princesses by Paula Harrison
Puppy Place by Ellen Miles
13 Story Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths
Pokemon Series by Tracey West
Hardy Boys Clue Book by Franklin Dixon
Magic Puppy by Sue Bentley
Magic Animal Friends by Daisy Meadows
Astronaut Academy by Dave Roman
Dog Man Graphic Novels by Dav Pilkey
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
InvestiGator Graphic Novels by John Green
Secret Coders by Gene Yang
Scooby-Doo! Team Up by Sholly Fisch
Phoebe and Her Unicorn Graphic Novel By Dana Simpson
Experienced Reader, Bigger Adventures
By now your child is a very capable reader and is looking for the next best story! These books might include more complex story lines, challenging language and be a bit bulkier. Again size doesn’t matter, but your reader might find their earlier loves aren’t keeping their reading appetite satisfied. They want more. Encourage them to try a different genera and dive deep into the book search with them. It can be difficult to match content to age. Take your time and read reviews. Soon your child will be devouring a new stack of soon to be favorites.
Pet Trouble Series by T. Sutherland
On the Run by Gordon Korman
Wings of Fire by T. Sutherland
The Unwanteds Series by Lisa McMann
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (These increase in difficulty and content quickly, so be aware of the story line)
Harry Potter Illustrated Version - These are beautiful. Well worth checking out from the library or collecting.
Framed Series by James Ponti
Dawn of the Clans - Warriors and Seekers Series by Erin Hunter
Spy Camp Series by Stuart Gibbs
Treasure Hunters, Max Einstein and Dog Diaries all by James Patterson
Pokemon Adventures Graphic Novels by Hidenori Kusaka
Are you trying to foster a love of reading? Looking for a new approach to encourage your child in their literacy journey? Check out my post on Summer Reading here.
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