• Welcome
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Learning Apps
  • Alphabet
  • Learn to Read
  • Phonics
  • Spelling
  • Struggling Readers
  • Comprehension
  • Writing with Kids
  • Free Printables

This Reading Mama

Favorite First Chapter Book Read-Alouds

By thisreadingmama 6 Comments

Reading chapter books aloud to children is a wonderful way to build vocabulary, develop mental images, and model fluency. Sharing a chapter book with a child for the first time can be a magical experience.

Favorite First Chapter Book Read-Alouds | Guest post of Growing Book by Book for This Reading Mama

*This post contains affiliate links.

My son was 4 years-old when he was ready to listen to a chapter book. Each night before bed I read to him from a chapter book and it is one of our favorite times together.

As we select chapter book read-alouds for young children, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

  • Pick books that have lots of dialogue.
  • Choose books with short chapters.
  • Select books that you love. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

 

Favorite First Chapter Book Read-Alouds

Here are some of the books that we have had the best success with for young listeners.

 

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden was one of my favorite books as a child. It was the first book I chose to read with my son when he was ready to listen to a chapter books. A cricket makes his way to Times Square after getting trapped in a picnic basket. He meets great friends in New York but yearns to get back to the country.

 

The Littles by John Peterson is a classic about a family of little people who live in the walls of a house. When a new family moves in for the summer, trouble and danger brews. Luckily, the Littles have a plan! You could even have a Family Dinner Book Club after finishing this book.

 

mouse and motorcycle

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Clearly will delight new chapter book listeners as they envision a mouse riding around a hotel on a toy motorcycle. My son begged for me to read multiple chapters each night.

 

51uChQsu8uL

Stuart Little by E.B. White is the book we just finished. Stuart is a mouse who loves adventure and has plenty of it being so small in a big world. I did find that the two chapters about boat racing were full of lots of technical vocabulary. It might be helpful to read or reference a picture book about boats during those chapters.

 

The Magic Tree House: A Perfect Time for Pandas by Mary Pope Osborne are ideal for adventurous children. A Perfect Time for Pandas was the first one that we read in the very long series. It was also our favorite. Jack and Annie climb into their tree house and are transported to another time and place. In this case, they are whisked off to China and get to work with pandas at a rescue center. Along the way they deal with an earthquake too.

 

41cSHC9y2SL

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne makes a good first chapter book because the chapters are episodic. You don’t have to read the chapters in sequence for the book to make sense. You can easily skip chapters that aren’t working for your family.Plus, creating voices for the characters in the story adds to the fun of reading this book aloud.

 

91ivP6BZ3PL

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo is great for new chapter book listeners because it is full of picture support. Mercy Watson is a pig who lives indoors with a family and even gets to sleep in a bed. Her favorite food is buttered toast and she loves adventure. If you enjoy this book, you will be happy to know that there are more titles in the series.

 

I have a long list of books from my childhood that I can’t wait to share with boys. What chapter book do you remember from your childhood? It might be the perfect book to share with your children now.

 

Favorite First Chapter Book Read-Alouds for Young Children

 

profile pictureJodie Rodriguez has served as a teacher, reading specialist and administrator in urban elementary schools for almost two decades. She is the creator of Growing Book by Book where she shares book lists, reading and writing activities, and literacy building tips to help caregivers nurture young readers. You will find a stack of picture books in every room of her house that she loves to share with her two little boys.

Want MORE Free Teaching Resources?

Join thousands of other subscribers to get hands-on activities and printables delivered right to your inbox!

Filed Under: Book Lists

« Alphabet Sounds Learning App
Frogs & Flies: Counting to 5 »

Comments

  1. Laura says

    June 11, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    Mrs. Noodlekugel by Pinkwater, My Father’s Dragon by Gannett, Bink and Gollie by DiCamillo are a few we’ve tried!

    Reply
  2. Mindy says

    June 11, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    Charlotte’s Web & Homer Price (oldie but goodie) and can’t forget Fudge books!

    Reply
    • thisreadingmama says

      June 11, 2015 at 8:52 pm

      We are reading Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing right now! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Lisa says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:14 pm

    We’ve already had so many favorites. My boys are loving the Narnia series (my husband reads those to them at night) and we’ve made our way through many other chapter books too. They really enjoy the Boxcar books. I also like the “Classic Starts” books for abridged classic literature. We’ve read Peter Pan, Dr. Dolittle, the Jungle Book, and more. There really are just so many great books to choose from!

    Reply
  4. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

    June 14, 2015 at 4:43 pm

    Oh Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing and Charlotte’s Web were favorites of mine growing. Those are two that are on our to-read list.

    Reply
  5. Angie says

    August 13, 2015 at 11:40 pm

    We just finished reading Charlotte’s Web in my summer pre-k class. They loved it! I really enjoyed the review we would do each day before reading the next chapter. I love this list, as I was wondering about other books that might be fun for them.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

JOIN MY NEWSLETTER

and get free printables!

Sign me up!


Hi! I’m Becky, a homeschooling mama with 4 blessings who keep me on my toes {and knees}. Before homeschooling, I was a classroom teacher (M.Ed.) and reading tutor. Read more about me here.

Let’s Get Connected!

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Checkout
  • Privacy
  • Affiliates

Copyright © 2023 · Designed by Visibilia Media