Our Favorite Early Chapter Books for Girls
I consider myself a very reasonable mother when it comes to my kids achieving new things. As an educator, I know all kids reach milestones at their own pace and each one learns differently. So I was surprised with myself when the girls started reading. I was incredibly excited (and a little impatient) for them to become strong independent readers and I could not wait for them to start diving into their own chapter books.
Now if you know us, you know that reading is a huge pastime for every member of our family. More often than not the messes I clean up are piles of books everyone forgot to put away. I have been reading chapter books to the kids since they could first hear, but there is nothing quite so amazing as reading your own adventure as a child. I desperately could not wait for my kids to have that experience. I wanted to instill a lifelong love for reading in each of them. Finding beginner chapter books was a huge priority for me once they were strong independent readers. It took some time to find the types of books and topics they were interested in that fit their skill level. There were definitely a few misses but we finally found some great ones. Here are the girl’s votes for our favorite early chapter books.
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Sophie Mouse
The Adventures of Sophie Mouse were the first chapter books my girls really got into. They are fun stories following Sophie, her friends, and little brother as they navigate school, challenges, new friendships, and fun adventures. I love that each story has a lesson embedded in the tale that our children can learn from. Sophie after all is learning to navigate the world in the same ways our children are. From being nervous about trying something new, learning to have confidence in our own strengths, to learning about new friends who are different from us, Sophie Mouse covers it all in a fun new adventure in each book. My girls couldn’t stop turning pages and yours wont be able to either.
Royal Sweets
Royal Sweets follows Minnie a fairy princess and her friends. Each fairy has the power to make a specific type of sweet treat. My girls enjoy these books for all the fun adventures. They are mysterious with a touch of funny. Definitely check these ones out, but be careful not to activate that sweet tooth while reading about all the fun treats.
Junie B Jones
Junie B Jones. Who doesn’t love seeing the world through the incredibly relatable first grader (later on second grader) Junie B Jones? Her hilarious depictions of life in first grade perfectly illustrate what most of my students experience on a daily basis. My girls particularly loved the hilarious plot lines and misunderstandings. I love to hear the giggles as they read through these books.
I wish I had found these books sooner. Our whole family gets a kick out of them. There is nothing better than a pretty princess who loves pink but can totally kick some serious monster butt! In each story the princess in black, Magnolia, struggles to balance royal life with super hero antics. She is continually saving her kingdom from the monsters that emerge in the goat field from Monster land. These books are so funny we read them as a family and each girls has reread them on multiple occasions. The Purple Bunny Horde was a favorite around here for a long time. These are fast paced books that can easily be read in one sitting if you just can’t wait to find out what happens. They are broken up perfectly to read over a few days too though.
When the girls were younger Fancy Nancy was a popular series here in the house. As they grew those books became a bit to easy but we weren’t ready to give Nancy up just yet. In this spin off, Nancy (now older and in school) acts like a detective with her best friend and they solve interesting and fun mysteries together. From who stole the teachers marble to solving disputes between friends by collecting clues, facts, and evidence. If you have a reader interested in mysteries this is a great place to start.
Tales of Sasha
One of my girls is obsessed with horses. I was having a hard time finding fun adventures at her reading level until we found Sasha. Sasha is a cute little wild pony who discovers a huge secret in book one. Don’t worry I won’t spoil it. The discovery of this secret sends Sasha and her best friend Wyatt through a series of wildly exciting adventures to discover the truth. There is suspense, thrills, and a whole lot of funny sticky situations mixed into these books. So much fun for everyone.
Dolphin Island
Dolphin Island follows an eight-year-old girl named Abby and her family. They own an island and created a resort. Abby meets a friend, Bella, who is visiting and together they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to protect the dolphins who reside near the island. Filled with fun, adventure, and a bit of confrontation, these books are an engaging read that kept my eight-year-old occupied for hours.
What I love most about all of these books is that they are all part of a series. When we find one we all really enjoy I know I can tap into more. We anxiously await the new releases in each series. I love that each book captures their imaginations and keeps them reading for fun. I hope you all enjoy them as well.
Are there any books you would like to add? please post them in the comments below.
Happy reading everyone!
