I have such fond memories of making the transition from picture books to chapter books with my young kids. There’s something really special about the first few times you make it through a real chapter book together. And I must confess, there are certain books my kids are entirely capable of reading on their own that I try to save for us to enjoy together as a family. If you’re looking for one of those captivating stories to share with your young family, here’s a list of favorites that were a hit in our house when my kids were around 4 to 8 years old:
- A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
- The Borrowers by Mary Norton
- The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warren
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
- Heidi by Johanna Spyri
- Henry Huggins Series by Beverly Cleary
- The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
- The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
- Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
- The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
- My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
- Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
- Ramona Series by Beverly Cleary
- Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Stuart Little by E. B. White
- The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
- Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
(Not quite ready to tackle a full chapter book? Here are some books that helped us make the transition from picture books to chapter books.)