Best Early Chapter Books to Hook Readers

We love our read aloud time and now that my kids are getting older and they have longer attention spans, they want to read longer books. There are so many amazing early chapter book series that are perfect for keeping them engaged and wanting to read more and more. They love learning more about their favorite characters and they love the familiar story lines.

Early chapter books can be great for helping your child better understand more complex stories and more complex characters. There are so many great options available now and we definitely have some favorites.

I love books that teach a great lesson and I don’t have to explain too many unkind words or actions. These books definitely keep my kids’ attention (8 years old and 5 years old). While my 8-year-old chooses to read many of these independently, she still likes to listen to me read them as well. My (just recently turned) 5-year-old will happily listen to these captivating stories and his listening stamina often outlasts my reading stamina.

Reading Levels of Early Chapter Books

Each of the books in the series listed below are around reading levels M-P. These levels are simply a guide to let you know the kind of books that are included in this article.

Books at levels M-P can be narrative texts that have a straightforward structure (beginning, series of episodes, and ending) with short chapters. Books at this level will have varied levels of support provided by pictures and are often about concrete themes that may be familiar to your child like courage, imagination, friendship, or family relationships. Your child will learn about characters through what they say, think, and do throughout the books. Books at these levels will have characters that learn and change. These books are filled with adjectives describing people, places, and things and adverbs that describe action. By hearing these books read aloud, your child can acquire new vocabulary words.

 Reading Levels Don’t Define – They Inform 

Don’t let the reading levels determine whether or not your child tries the book. If the reading level seems too hard and your child wants to read them independently, read the first book in the series to your child and then let them read the next book once they know the characters, setting, and how the story goes (problems/solutions/situations). If they want, they could independently reread the first book after they’ve heard it once. The books below are all books we’ve read multiple times.

Our Favorite Early Chapter Books that Really Keep my Kids’ Attention

Dino Riders Series by Will Dare

The Dino Riders Series by Will Dare is my little guys dream! A young boy who tames a Triceratops, wins a huge dinosaur race, and overcomes a bully’s schemes. This series consists of 6 books and my son was so sad when we found out there weren’t any more in the series. We have read each of the books several times now and each time these dinosaur meets wild west adventures keep his attention.

Dragon Masters Series by Tracey West

The Dragon Masters Series by Tracey West is my kids’ new obsession. We have read 12 of the books in this 17 book series. Each of the 12 have been read multiple times. My kids are captivated by the 8-year-old dragon masters and their unique dragons that always save the day. The series is creative and appeals to young children as they meet each character and learn how together the dragon masters can accomplish great things. We love this series!

Heidi Heckelbeck and now Henry Heckelbeck by Wanda Coven

 My daughter loves this sweet series about an 8-year-old witch who doesn’t want any of her classmates to know she is a witch. She likes using her powers but she is careful to keep them hidden from her friends. Henry Hecklebeck is a new series that is about Heidi’s little brother Henry may or may not have special powers like his sister. My son loved the first in this series of four books. We are excited to read more in this series! The Heidi Heckelbeck series books are level M and the Henry Hecklebeck series are slightly easier.

Owl Diaries and Unicorn Diaries by Rebecca Elliot

My daughter LOVED this series in first grade. The bright, fun illustrations of a cute owl and her friends are engaging and super supportive of the text. The Unicorn Diaries are equally as supportive and engaging. Each story follows a familiar story arch and smartly introduces kids to many text features like dialogue, labels, and non-traditional text placement. We love Rebecca Elliot’s sweet series and have recommended them to so many families.

Wallace and Grace by Heather Alexander

Sticking with the owl theme are nighttime detectives Wallace and Grace. Wallace and Grace work together to solve mysteries for their friends. These books are filled with colorful illustrations and the two owls are great examples of how an author uses a character’s actions and words to show the kind of character they are. Both of my kids have enjoyed trying to solve the mystery as we read the books in this series.

Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

This hilarious series about a pig (Mercy Watson) who is treated like a person by her parents will keep your child engaged and laughing at the absurdity of the situations that occur. We love the Mercy Watson books with their vibrant illustrations by Chris Van Dusen.  

Bots by Russ Bolts

This series is a fun graphic novel about two super silly robots who always find themselves in lots of trouble but always manage to find a way out and have lots of fun in the process. These books are quick reads and really encourage your child to make inferences and pay attention to the images to understand the adventure.  

The Last Firehawk by Katrina Charman

 We loved the Dragon Masters series so much that we ordered The Last Firehawk, which is featured in the back of several of the Dragon Masters books and is also a Scholastic Branches book.

The Last Firehawk follows the adventure of three friends as they work together to save their home and the last known firehawk from an evil villan. These short chapters are filled with suspense and action for young children without being too scary. The plot is predictable and yet there are some twists that have surprised us and encouraged us to continue reading to find out what happens next.

These chapter books are great for young readers who want to read more challenging books but still need picture support or for young children who aren’t reading yet but want to hear longer books.

We have loved these books and we hope you find one that your little one loves.