Beginner Chapter Books for Independent Readers

By Asia Citro | Illustrated by Marion Lindsay | 96 pages

Zoey is such a great character (and role model). With her sidekick cat Sassafras, Zoey rescues injured magical animals. I love how the books walk you through the process of scientific analysis without ever feeling heavy handed.

By Heather Alexander | Illustrated by Laura Zarrin | 80 pages

If your little readers love a good whodunit mystery, this series is perfect. Wallace and Grace are delightful owl duo running the Night Owl Detective Agency. Help them figure out if there really is a ghost in the garden, who stole the cupcakes, and how to help a lost puppy.

By Kara LaReau | Illustrated by Matt Meyers | 64 pages

The Ratsos, Louie and Ralphie are determined to be tough guys. However, it's hilarious watching as their plans go awry and they always end up being the nice guys.

These are really cute and funny, with illustrations throughout.

By Laurel Snyder | Illustrated by Emily Hughes | 48 pages

This series follows to adorable brothers on their classic childhood adventures. They're both funny and sweet.

By Ron Roy | Illustrated by John Steven Gurney | 96 pages

There are 26 books in this series, a mystery for every letter in the alphabet (plus, a follow up series called A to Z Mysteries Super Edition). Three kid detectives solving clever little mysteries. It’s similar in style and reading level to The Magic Tree House books, and kind of old fashioned in execution. Great fun and a lot of books to work your way through, which is something my kids always love.

By Marjorie Weinman Sharmat | Illustrated by Marc Simont | 80 pages

This is another good series of easy to read chapter books. Nate is a kid detective solving the other mysteries of the kids in his neighborhood – a missing cookie, a missing beach bag, a missing picture. They’ve been around since the 1970’s and I remember reading them when I was in kindergarten/first grade so it was fun to see my kids reading them too. Short chapters and a few illustrations to break up the text.

By Cam Higgins | Illustrated by Ariel Landy | 128 pages

This is one of my favorite beginner chapter book series on this list! Bo Davis is a good dog, but he's always getting into messy hijinks that inevitably end with the need for a bath. Really funny and sweet books.

By Patricia MacLachlan | Illustrated by Marc Boutavant | 56 pages

This is a cute series about a girl and her wonderful and loyal dog, Barkus. Bright colorful illustrations paired with sweet, simple stories make this a winning beginner chapter book series.

By Jacqueline Jules | Illustrated by Kim Smith | 97 pages

Sofia may get into a lot of mischief, but it sure is fun watching her do it! You'll love following along as she figures out what to do when after accidentally switching the salt for the sugar in a recipe. And just wait until you find out what happens when she tries to wash her father's car!

I love the inclusion of Spanish words (1 or 2 per page) throughout the book.

By Paula Harrison | Illustrated by Jenny Lovlie | 128 pages

My kids have loved this adorable series! Kitty's mom is a superhero at night with catlike powers. Kitty hopes that someday she'll be a superhero too . . . and that day may be closer than she realizes.

Great for kids who love a superhero adventure.

By Katherine Applegate | Illustrated by Charlie Adler | 89 pages

Doggo is used to doing things his way and then Pupper shows up, and like any good puppy, brings all the playfulness and messiness that you'd expect. Really cute series from a children's book master!

By Kate DiCamillo | Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen | 80 Pages

This is such a fun series of books! Mercy Watson is a pig, a porcine wonder as her owners fondly refer to her, that stumbles into all sorts of mischief. My girls and I always find ourselves doing a lot of funny accents when we read these books, which inevitably has everyone listening giggling. I think these are just the sweetest books.

By Dori Hillestad Butler | Illustrated by Nancy Meyers | 48 pages

Kayla and her dog King are the cutest mystery solving duo. King doesn't speak human and Kayla doesn't speak dog, but it's so fun watching them try to communicate. These are simple mysteries, with a lot of humor, but they're so well written that it's hard to stop reading.

By Jordan Quinn | Illustrated by Robert McPhillips | 128 pages

Lucas is a prince and Clara is the daughter of the queen's seamstress. The two team up to explore the medieval lands of Wrenly. This is a popular chapter book series among early readers and the books are very compelling.

By Kate DiCamillo | Illustrated by Tony Fucile | 88 pages

Bink and Gollie are the BEST literary duo! These two girls, one tall and one tiny, have the funniest little adventures. These books are a delight to read. They are, in fact, everything one could want in a children's book.

By Callie Barkley | Illustrated by Marsha Riti | 128 pages

This is a really cute series for all the animal lovers out there.

The Critter Club consists of four girls and in each book they deal with real life issues alongside their animal friends at the vet clinic. They make new friends, solve mysteries, and have all kinds of simple kid adventures.

By Harper Paris | Illustrated by Marcos Calo | 128 pages

These are quick, fun mysteries that smoothly incorporate geography and history in the stories. Ella and Ethan, siblings, travel all over the world in this series.

By Cynthia Rylant | Illustrated by Preston McDaniels | 80 pages

This one is a bit more challenging (probably a step up from the Magic Treehouse books) but still age appropriate for 5 to 7 year olds.

Pandora the cat has lived most of her life in a lighthouse. Seabold the dog has lived most of his life on a boat. But when they meet they decide they don't want to be alone anymore and become a family. These are sweet gentle books and excellent for animal lovers.

By Laura James | Illustrated by Eglantine Ceulemans | 128 pages

This is a funny series about the adventures of a cute little Pug and his human, Lady Miranda. In this one, Pug is going on a seafaring adventure . . . but he's afraid of the water!

By Laura James | Illustrated by Charlie Alder | 98 pages

This fun series about a city dog, Gizmo, how moves to the village of Puddle with his journalist human, has been a big hit with my dog loving 7 year old! I love all the full color illustrations.

By Poppy Green | Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell | 119 pages

I adore these books. It's a delightful series about Sophie Mouse and her forest friends, and the books are all so gentle and sweet. This first book is a wonderful story about what it means to be a kind friend, especially to someone new and different.

By Wanda Coven | Illustrated by Priscilla Burris | 128 pages

Heidi Heckelbeck is an 8 year old with a pretty awesome secret - she's a witch! She has to do all the same stuff any other 8 year old would do, but she's got just enough magic to make it all really fun.

By Jonathan Auxier | Illustrated by Olga Demidova | 112 Pages

Auggie is the caretaker at a very unique stable for one-of-a-kind creatures. In this book, the first in the illustrated series, Auggie has to help Willa the Wisp escape a group of hunters so she can take refuge at the Fabled Stables.

By Elise Broach | Illustrated by Kelly Murphy | 128 Pages

James is going on vacation without his best friend Marvin, a beetle. Marvin is worried about staying home without Marvin, but he ends of having quite an adventure while James is away.

This is a fast=paced adventure story, with short chapters and really charming pen-and-ink illustrations.

By Shannon Hale | Illustrated by LeUyen Pham | 96 pages

These have been a HUGE hit with my second graders! This action packed series follows a brave and adventures princess who can stop monsters and fight evil in her signature black disguise.

Don't let the princess story line fool you - these are beloved by boys and girls!

By Tony Abbott | Illustrated by Tim Jessell | 96 pages

Another good series like the Magic Tree House books, but with more magic and wizardry to liven up the stories.

Three kids find a staircase into a magic world, the secret world of Droon, where adventure ensues. They are exciting, classic good vs. evil stories where good always wins. Bonus, there are a whole bunch of these so if they’re a hit, your child will have plenty to read!

By Annie Barrows | Illustrated by Sophie Blackall | 120 pages

This was the series that turned my daughter into an avid reader! Ivy and Bean don't think they have anything in common, but when Bean gets into trouble and Ivy helps her out, the two become friends forever. (This is about to become a Netflix series and the previews look really cute!)

By Carolyn Keene | Illustrated by Peter Francis | 96 pages

It's Nancy, Bess, and George, but this time solving mysteries for the 6 to 8 year old crowd. If your little reader loves a good mystery, this is a cute series to check out.

Written and Illustrated by Rhode Montijo | 128 pages

After a gum chewing accident (gum in hair!) a girl ends up with super elastic powers. A fun and unique story with a superhero twist.

Written and illustrated by Aaron Blabey | 144 pages

This is a hilarious series about a group of bad guys ( a wolf, a piranha, a snake, and a shark) that want to reform and do good things. Their first "good" mission is to break 200 dogs out of a maximum security dog pound. Laugh out loud funny!

By Fran Manushkin | Illustrated by Tammie Lyon | 32 pages

Katie Woo is a spunky Asian-American first grader learning how to get along with other people and learning from her mistakes. There are more than 50 books in this series! Perfect for kids who like realistic fiction.

By Tracey West | Illustrated by Graham Howells | 96 pages

This is a phenomenal fantasy series for young readers. When 8-year-old Drake is unexpectedly brought by a soldier to King Roland's castle, he finds out he has been selected to train as a young Dragon Master with three other kids. The books are action-packed and very engaging. Kids will fly through this series!

By Daisy Meadows | Illustrated by Georgie Ripper | 80 pages

It's true that this series is predictable and silly, but it's also true that kids LOVE these books and they fly off the shelves. They turned one of my kids into a reader and for that, I'm a forever fan. Each book highlights a different rainbow magic fairy and in each book they have to overcome some sort of challenge.

The nice thing is that if your kids do fall in love with these, there are 214 of them!

By Jack Chabert | Illustrated by Sam Ricks | 96 pages

If your little reader loves a spooky story, this is the series to pick! Eerie Elementary is one scary school, which Sam Graves figures out on his first day as the school hall monitor. Quicksand on the playground, lockers that open and close by themselves, and a really scary performance of Peter Pan. Sam and his friends have to save the whole school!

By Saadia Faruqi | Illustrated by Hatem Aly | 96 pages

Yasmin is an energetic and creative Pakastani American girl that you can't help but fall in love with. She frequently finds herself in difficult situations but always manages to come up with a clever solution to solve the problem. These are absolutely darling books!

By Katrina Charman | Illustrated by Jeremy Norton | 96 pages

This is a suspenseful quest adventure and it's fantastic! Thorn, a powerful vulture is using dark magic to destroy the magical land of Perodia. A young owl named Tag and his best friend, a squirrel named Skyla, may be Perodia's last hope. It's an action packed series.

Written and Illustrated by Cyndi Marko | 80 pages

Kung Pow Chicken is a very funny superhero who fights crime in the city of Fowladelphia. It's punny and funny and uses some graphic novel elements to really grab young readers.

By Kara West | Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez | 128 pages

Mia Macarooney is a totally regular kid who finds out one day that she's a superhero. Her life flips from ordinary to extraordinary overnight. Follow along with her adventures at the PITS (Program for In-Training Superheroes).

By Jeff Brown | Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan | 96 pages

Flat Stanley is awesome. These books are from the 1960’s, but a recent reprint has made them popular all over again. When Stanley wakes up one morning he discovers that a bulletin board fell on him during the night and he is now only a half inch thick – he becomes Flat Stanley. My kids loved every book in this silly series. Easy to read, every book around a hundred pages.

Written and illustrated by Abby Hanlon | 176 pages

Though easier to read than the Beverly Cleary books, and ideal for a transitional chapter book, the character Dory has been compared to Ramona. She is a rascal of a little sister and her antics always leave my girls giggling.

While my daughter was reading this book, she kept wanting to come read passages out loud to me because she thought they were so hilarious – I call that reading success!