Introducing Chapter Books to Young Readers

By Melissa Summers for Alpha Mom

Did you know May 12-18 is Children's Book Week according to the Children's Book Council? I didn't either until I decided to write about the chapter books my kids and I have enjoyed reading together. What a lucky coincidence.

When Max was three he loved a book called The Truck Book. It was full of pictures of trucks with their names below. "Digger", "Steam Roller", and sometimes, for fun, a three worder would be thrown in, like "Front-End Loader." Reading this book at bedtime was one of the darkest hours of my day. It's not that I needed to be reading Kafka at bedtime, but something with a narrative, a plot, a climax....even just one of those things would have been nice. I tried to hide the book. I tried to insist that tonight we're reading a story, not a book of pictures. This didn't go over very well and in the middle of the tantrum, I realized I'd just painted myself into one of those really stupid parenting corners. You know, the one where once you're in it you realize it was really stupid to back yourself in?

So what if I hated the book, this was his time to sit with me and share something he loved. So for about ten excruciating months I feigned interest and glee at "Fuel Tankers" and "Back Hoes."

When my daughter started reading chapter books to herself at bedtime I realized a couple things. I could probably start reading chapter books with my son and this would make each night like a television episode. Each night we'd close the book and wonder what would happen tomorrow. I also realized I could read with my daughter, trading pages, or I could bring my own book to her room and read next to her on the bed.

I realize neither of these things are particularly novel ideas, but still reading chapter books with my kids and next to my kids has been such a simple pleasure for all of us, I highly recommend it. Here are five of my family's favorite chapter books to get you started.

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
The Mouse and The Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Marley A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri D'Aulaire and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire

Read more about our five favorite chapter books to read with your kids at Alpha Mom.

From the Community…

Comments 1-5 of 5

Posted by Bbee Thu May 15, 2008 3:31pm PDT

My father would gather us kids around the kitchen the table when I was very young and read classic stories like Huck Fin and Tom Sawyer.
I just loved it! He would do the voices and I was always on the edge of my seat!
And now that I am a mother I too gather my brood and read aloud! I feel so loved when my boy is curled up next to me on the sofa listening to me tell a story!
Mitchell has quite a library and I love it when I too look in on him in his room and he is flippin' the pages with eager anticipation! He too loves the big truck books!

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Posted by lilyblue Fri May 16, 2008 10:12am PDT

My son also loved "The Truck Book". He had it memorized as a toddler. The book is pretty shabby looking from all of the use it had, but it's still on my bookshelf. Although it didn't offer a story, this book helped my son to develop a love of reading. We eventually read many chapter books together, but "The Truck Book" was the most memorable.

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Posted by werbiefitz Fri May 16, 2008 12:58pm PDT

jessie.nate - what does looking to date outside your race have to do with favorite family chapter books?

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Posted by Andrea Fri May 16, 2008 7:29pm PDT

I'd also like to suggest all the Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers) and Doctor Dolittle (Hugh Lofting) books. The stories are in not-too-long chapters that even squirrely little kids can sit through...especially if you read the character dialogue with accents.

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Posted by straymoon Sat May 17, 2008 4:12pm PDT

I guess chapter books can be more interesting then picture books but i would think reading any kind of book is better then not reading at all. Children need to learn new vocabulary words and learn to enjoy reading. Reading is a life long adventure with books of all kinds. Boys dont have the same interests as girls when selecting books to read. Wait until your sons want to read fact books (non fiction) instead of books with girl plots and settings! Take your children to the public library or your local bookstore let them find a book they want to read. Take note of the type of book they want to read. Be happy they want to read! Take the adventure with them.

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Comments 1-5 of 5

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