The beginning chapter books our children read can serve as a tool to both build their confidence and escort them into the wonderful world of reading for fun. Here are some great beginning chapter books for 1st graders that my emerging readers have simply adored.
Puppy Pirates series by Erin Soderberg Downing
If you need books for boys who have a solid grasp on phonics but haven’t yet fallen in love with stories, this is the perfect series to start with. Of course girls will enjoy these books too! But speaking from experience, Puppy Pirates really resonated with my son, converting him from a reluctant reader to a confident reader seemingly overnight.
When my son was in first grade, he had the tools to decode but getting through chapter books was a slog for him. He loved listening to audiobooks but he didn’t enjoy reading with his eyes. The Puppy Pirates book series totally changed that. These short, humorous, and delightful tales turned him into a full-blown reader. From the first chapter of the first book, Puppy Pirates Stowaway, he was hooked. He went on to devour the rest of the series over the course of a couple months.
Here are some of the Puppy Pirates book titles to get you started:
- Stowaway
- X Marks The Spot
- Catnapped
- Sea Sick
- Search For The Sea Monster
- Pug vs. Pug
- Lost At Sea
- Best In Class
- Lost At Sea
Absolutely Lucy series by Ilene Cooper
Two of my emerging readers have gone through this book series as 1st graders. If your kid is a dog lover and in need of a light enjoyable read, these books are just the ticket.
- Absolutely Lucy
- Lucy On The Loose
- Look At Lucy
- Lucy On The Ball
- Lucy’s Tricks and Treat
- Thanks To Lucy
- Lucy’s Holiday Surprise
The Adventures Of Sophia Mouse
Sophia Mouse is an entirely lovely series that my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders have thoroughly enjoyed. If you add these books to your shelves, they will be read again and again by the young girls in your life.
- A New Friend
- The Emerald Berries
- Forget-Me-Not Lake
- Looking For Winston
- The Maple Festival
- Winter’s No Time To Sleep
- A Surprise Visitor
- The Great Big Paw Print
- It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
- The Mouse House
- Silver Lake Art Show
- The Great Bake Off
- Hattie In The Spotlight
- The Ladybug Party
How do you encourage an early reader?
When a child is brand new to reading chapter books, they may feel like they are climbing an impossible mountain. Some children feel defeated when they look up at the clock and see that they’ve been reading for a while and they’re still not through a chapter. As parents, we want to ensure that reading is a joy for our children. The easy chapter books in this post will do just that.
Early readers enjoy books with:
- Short chapters
- Illustrations
- Funny characters
- Fast moving story lines
- Few pages
Being able to visually log process can also be motivating for some kids. I made a simple reading chart for beginner readers that you can download for free below. Instead of tracking books they read, kids can color in a star for each page they read instead!
Grab the free printable Pages I Read reading tracker for kids here:
Post this easy reading chart to your fridge or slip it in your kid’s homeschool binder. When they finish reading their first ten pages, consider how you might celebrate together and then print out another copy for their next ten pages.
Here are some ideas for how to celebrate your emerging reader:
- Every time they read ten pages, you read aloud the next ten pages to them
- When they complete their reading chart, you have a dance party
- Lots of verbal affirmation and excitement
- Ice cream or another delicious snack
- Let them shop for the next book they want to read
More Easy Chapter Books For 1st Graders & 2nd Graders
- Cam Jansen Series
- Cobble Street Cousins Series
- Math Matters Series
- Nate The Great Series
- Jack Jones The Pirate Treasure by Zander Bingham
- The Young Reader’s Bible
- The Beginner’s Bible
The American Girls Collection
The 90’s versions of the American Girl Boxset Collection books are absolutely fabulous. My little girl gobbled these up as she became a new reader. While you can still find some of these books brand new, I usually grab gently used copies in great condition off of Amazon or Thrift Books.
A few of our favorites:
- Kaya: An American Girl 1764 by Janet Beeler Shaw
- Felicity 1774 by Valerie Tripp
- Kirsten 1854 by Janet Shaw
- Addy 1864 by Connie Porter
- Samantha 1904 by Susan S. Adler
- Kit 1934 by Valerie Tripp
The Boxcar Children Mysteries by Gertrude Chandler Warner
I’m sure you’ve heard of these classic beginning chapter books. My daughter became a voracious reader on these in kindergarten. She has since continued to re-read this series more than any other. My 1st grade son enjoys listening to The Boxcar Children series on audio but he has found them too challenging to read with his eyes just yet. As I’m sure you know from your own family, every kid is different. I would consider these easy chapter books for 2nd graders.
- The Boxcar Children
- Surprise Island
- The Yellow House Mystery
- Mystery Ranch
- Mike’s Mystery
- Blue Bay Mystery
- The Woodshed Mystery
- Mountain Top Mystery
- School House Mystery
- Caboose Mystery
- House Boat Mystery
- Snowbound Mystery
- Tree House Mystery
- Bicycle Mystery
How do I get my kids excited about reading?
Get your kids excited about reading by making books apart of your daily routine. Skip the screen time and start family read aloud time instead. Set your young readers up with a quiet time each day where they can do simple activities and listen to audiobooks.
Here’s how:
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