“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” ~ Emilie Buchwald
Reading to our children is one of THE most important things we can do as a parent. Marilyn Jager Adams said, “Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read.” As an educator, I could not agree more. Reading to our children opens doors, inspires creativity, and sets young minds on the path towards lifelong learning. I don’t think I could say it better than Jacqueline Kennedy, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” As an avid reader, a kindergarten teacher, a mother, and a children’s literature enthusiast, I am thrilled to present to you 100 children’s chapter books that you MUST read to your children!
I carefully selected each of the books on this list, and chose based on overall appeal, readability, and ability to capture (and delight, enthrall, and inspire!) a young audience. The majority of books on this list are appropriate for children/readers ages 5-10, although a few will appeal to a younger/older audience. My hope is that you will be inspired to head to your local library or bookseller, and begin working your way through this list with your children/grandchildren.
“So please, oh please, we beg and pray, go and throw your tv set away! And in its place you can install, a lovely bookshelf on the wall.” ~Roald Dahl
2. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
3. Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary
5. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
6. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
8. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
9. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
10. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
11. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
12. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
13. The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
14. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
15. 5 Children and It by E. Nesbit
16. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O’Brien
17. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
18. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
19. The Borrowers by Mary Norton
20. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson
21. Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
23. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
24. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
25. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
26. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
27. Stuart Little by E.B. White
28. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
29. The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain
30. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
31. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
32. The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth
33. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
34. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
35. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
36. Ramona and her Mother by Beverly Cleary
37. George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
38. Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
39. Frindle by Andrew Clements
40. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
41. Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
43. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
44. All-of-aKind Family by Sydney Taylor
45. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
46. Nurse Matilda by Christianna Brand
47. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
48. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
49. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol
50. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
51. The Field Guide: Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
52. The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
53. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Crowell
54. The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo
55. Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
56. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
58. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
59. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
60. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
61. The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
63. Stuart’s Cape by Sara Pennypacker
64. The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
65. The Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
66. The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
67. Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
69. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
70. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
71. The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit
72. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
73. The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
74. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
75. Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry
76. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
77. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
78. Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
79. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
80. The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald
81. Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
82. The Time Warp Trio: Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Sciezska
83. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
84. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
85. Belle Prater’s Boy by Ruth White
86. Sounder by William H. Armstrong
87. The Littles by John Peterson
88. Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
89. The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick
90. A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin
91. No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
92. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
93. Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies
94. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
95. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
96. Henry Reed Inc. by Keith Robertson
98. Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
99. The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
100. My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~ Dr. Seuss
*Please share this post with your family, friends, and social networks to get more parents reading to their children! Let’s help raise up a new generation of readers!
Click HERE for the printable version of this list! Take it to the library, your local bookstore, garage sales, etc! Find a new favorite!
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What a great list! One title that I might add is “Mr Pudgins” by Ruth Christoffer Carlson. It is little know, but truly a gem.
I have a 3 year old that loves reading, we just finished Winnie the pooh and was wondering if you knew which books on your list would be good to start at her age?!
Thank you kindly for the list……I have always read to my son and sometimes it is hard to choose what ones ….this list is AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!
I’m 23 and was pleasantly surprised at how many of these were books I remember from my childhood. In fact, I still have a number of these on my shelf because I couldn’t bear to part with them. I’m about to become an auntie now and, while I know it will be awhile before he can sit through these, I can’t wait to share my favorite stories.
I’m so glad you spotted some old favorites…I can relate. I’m 32 and I picked a ton from my childhood too! Some books you are never meant to outgrow. Love that you want to read to your nephew too! =)
I read quite a few of these inmy third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms. i have friends that have reqd some of them with their younger kids as well. all classes Iever had loved “Best Christmas Pageant Ever.”. Lots of theaters perform it as a play as well. i have never met q child that did not love Harry Potter and want to keep reqding the whole series after the first book. i havereqd them all three times. i can’t wait for my son to be old enough toenjoy them. I also love “There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom” by Louis Sachar. It is really funnyqnddeqls with issues of bullying and self-esteem.
Thanks for compiling this list.
Thanks for the list! I am definitely excited to read some of those…and would like to suggest Pippi Longstocking if nobody else has already. As a mother of a daughter I am always looking for good strong female role models to combat pop culture’s ideal woman, and Pippi kicks ass.
I loved Pippi Longstockings myself and was just checking to see if anyone else had mentioned it. I can’t wait to read these to my daughter. I also loved The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, not sure if these fit the others though.
Oh, I’m just dying for my son to get to the point where I can read things like Encyclopedia Brown with him! For now, I’m just thrilled that he’s finally starting to like Scooby Doo.
Hi Bekki! I love your list! As a first grade teacher I always read the book “The Doll People” by Ann Martin to my class. Every year some little boy would groan and complain that I was reading a “girl book.” I would tell them that I guaranteed that the boys would love it and that they would be the ones begging me to read one more chapter every day. They always were! I’ve now read it to my daughter and she loves it as well.
I loved that book! Thanks for reminding me about it.
I would highly recommend Little Britches by Ralph Moody. We are reading it now and my kids are loving it! They are age 6, 8 & 10 and I am loving it as much as they are. I’m very disappointed to discover our library does not have any more books in the series.
I love your list! Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry is a favorite of mine so I was happy to see it on there. Currently reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my 9 and 5 year old boys. So fun to share the stories I loved with them. Thanks for sharing your list!
I would like to add a book that I have found my third graders love. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate Decamillo. It is a wonderful story. Love your selection.
I have read that book! It is a good one. =)
I also did The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and my Grade 5 students loved it.
This list of books looks very good for Children !!!!
I think they should add Julie of the wolves. Amazing book but not to young
A Winkle in Time. Love the book and message. Also The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Wow!! Just chance upon your blog and wish I had discovered it way earlier! Great stuff here and thank you so much!
Love The Wind in the Willows and the Original Mary Poppins Series
You must add ‘The orchard underground’ by Mat Larkin!! I have read it 4 times already!!!
Than you so much!