Friday, December 14, 2018

Ten terrific chapter books for growing readers (ages 6-9)

Chapter books play an important role in children’s reading -- helping them transition from decoding individual words to reading for the joy of a story that builds in their minds over several days. Enjoy and share!

Bad Kitty, by Nick Bruel: This hilarious series will hook kids with its goofy humor and exaggerated illustrations. Bruel balances simple sentences with fast-paced stories in this series that make new readers laugh and beg for more. In Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, one of my family's favorites, Bruel explains exactly what you’ll need to do to get your favorite feline into the bath. (ages 6-10)

The Bad Guys, by Aaron Blabey: Mr Wolf decides that he's fed up with always being the "bad guy," so he persuades his friends that they need to do nice things for a change. The want-to-be good guys try hard to shed their carnivorous ways, but when they rescue a stranded kitty she's terrified of their pointy teeth. Each mission brings hilarious antics--and a terrific underlying message challenging prejudice and refusing to let setbacks get you down. (ages 6-10)

Boris for the Win, by Andrew Joyner: Boris dreams of winning the big race at school. He practices and works hard, but when it comes down to the big day, he's faced with a dilemma: will he go for the gold, or help a friend in need? Kids will relate to Boris, the goofy little warthog who’s the star of this very easy beginning chapter book. (ages 5-8)

Critter Club, by Callie Barkley: In the series opener, Amy she spends her spring vacation helping at her mom’s veterinary clinic. When a local puppy goes missing, Amy tracks down the clues and saves the day. With the reward money, Amy and her friends start a local animal shelter. This series brings lots of smiles with four likable, diverse characters and plenty of cute animals. (ages 5-8)

Emma Is on the Air by Ida Siegal: Emma Perez dreams big and bold. She wants to be FAMOUS! When she sees an investigative reporter on the TV news, she knows that this is just the career for her. When Javier, finds a worm in his lunch at school the next day, it’s the perfect story for Emma to investigate. Emma is a likable character with an upbeat attitude. (ages 6-10)

Ivy & Bean, by Annie Barrows: Ivy and Bean is my absolute favorite series for 1st - 3rd graders. I love these two friends who are so goofy and full of mischief. Bean is sure that she will never be friends with Ivy, especially when her mother insists that Ivy is such a nice girl. “Nice, Bean knew, is another word for boring.” But when she finds out that Ivy is in training to become a witch and might have the perfect spell to cast on Bean’s bossy older sister, this unlikely duo become inseparable. (ages 6-10)

Mercy Watson, by Kate DiCamillo: Mercy Watson is not just a lovable pig, she’s the darling of Mr. and Mrs. Watson. They are sure she’ll get them out of trouble, but readers know that Mercy is really only thinking about hot buttered toast. Kids laugh at each one of the Mercy Watson books, full of crazy antics and lots of hot buttered toast. (ages 5-8)

The Notebook of Doom, by Troy Cummings: A 2nd grade student wrote to me, "This book was terrific!!!! It was really funny. The main character is Alexander. His dad thought the balloon goons were just balloons but they were evil and sucked all of the air. I think people that like funny books would like this book." Definite kid approval. (ages 6-10)

Princess in Black, by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale: Who says princesses can’t wear black and fight the bad guys?! Princess Marigold is prim and proper as she has tea with Duchess Wigtower. As soon as the monster alarm sounds, the princess makes a quick costume change and heads out to save the day using special moves like the "Sparkle Slam" and the "Twinkle Twinkle Little Smash." Terrific fun! (ages 5-8)

Sofia Martinez, by Jacqueline Jules: Sofia does all sorts of things to get noticed--from wearing a huge hair bow to making her grandmother a piñata for her birthday. It isn’t easy being one of three sisters, especially when your mother can’t tell your pictures apart! Sofia’s happy, loving Latino family brings smiles, and many readers will relate to her stories. (ages 5-8)

Unicorn Rescue Society, by Adam Gidwitz: On his first day at a new school, Elliot and his new friend Uchenna discover a mythical creature that looks like a tiny blue dragon. When Professor Fauna, their eccentric science teacher, realizes this is the mythical Jersey Devil, he invites them to join the Unicorn Rescue Society. As the series unfolds, Elliot and Uchenna will rescue mythical animals from different cultures and places, bringing young readers traveling the globe with them. Emerson students are loving this new series, perfect for readers who are moving beyond Magic Treehouse but still want a story that moves quickly. (ages 7-10)

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©2018 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

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