As a teacher I have come across many chapter books. Some I have read once, and some have captured my heart and I’ve read every year to my students. As I read these beautiful books that captured my heart, I knew that someday I would read them to my own child, and I prayed that he or she would love these books as much as I do. Well almost 15 years later my daughter loves books and reading them just as much as me. She loves the time we get to spend together reading.
Reading to and with our children is so important, especially at bedtime. Reading with my daughter before she goes to bed has helped with bonding. Those are the times we laugh and cry together over what is happening to the characters in the story. It’s a time for us to snuggle up together, it’s our special time for just the two of us. Reading to my daughter has helped build her love for reading! Not only have I gotten to share my favorite books with her, but she has gotten to hear fluent reading.
The part of the day when I read to my daughter just seems magical. The house is quiet, the kitchen is cleaned, all the lights are out and just the lamps are on, and my daughter smells of soap from her recent shower. During this time, you can find my daughter and me curled up on her bed reading together!
Below you will find some of our favorite chapter books that we have read together.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. Edward is a china rabbit who becomes lost from his beloved owner. He is passed around for years by many characters. During this time, he learns many lessons about loss, love, kindness, and compassion. This book is one of my favorites and has the most wonderful ending. I’ve read this book many times and with each time I’ve cried and every class I’ve had has cried with me. This is a book that my daughter and I have just started reading and I can’t wait for her to fall in love with Edward and his journey.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This is a classic that I’m sure many of us read in school. My girl loves the Little House series. This book is about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood and the skills she learned on her homestead in Wisconsin in the 1870’s. There are eight more books in the series, but the first will always be my favorite. We love to listen to them on Audible on long trips. They have a fiddle playing in between chapters, just like Laura’s Pa would play in the evenings.
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. This is the first book in the series about a boy named Elmer. Elmer runs a way to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon. On his way he meets some dangerous animals that can talk. This book was written in 1948 and I just happened to come across it when looking for chapter books for my class. They were always a favorite of my students and now they are a favorite of my daughter.
Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins. This book is like Toy Story and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane all rolled up in one. In the first book of the series, you will follow along with Lumphy a stuffed buffalo, Sting Ray, a stuffed sting ray, and Plastic… know one know what she is. These toys belong to the Little Girl and when she’s not looking, they come to life and have their own adventures. Through these characters we learn about friendship, love, bravery, and forgiveness. This book is followed by two other chapter books and a picture book. This series is one of our favorites that we have read again and again in our home.
8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = CHAOS by Vivian Vande Velde. Twitch is a squirrel who nearly escapes an owl by running into a school, but now the principal’s dog is chasing him. If he wants to escape, he will need the help of all the class pets in the school. This book will have you laughing with your child as each chapter is told from a different pet’s point of view. This is an easy and short chapter book, but a good one. There are two more books about Twitch’s adventures.
It was hard for me to narrow down my list of favorite chapter books. I’m a huge fan of reading and a huge supporter of reading to our children every day. I love to introduce my daughter to new books and new authors. Do you have favorite chapter books that your read to your kids?
