My daughter is currently reading the Ivy and bean books. She loves them. I am in need of some other books like these for her to read. I'm really struggling because she is so young and some of the content in chapter books doesn't suit her emotional maturity (she just turned 5 a few weeks ago).
My daughter is also reading the Disney Fairy books and she has read tons of the Rainbow Fairies. Any other suggestions on chapter books for her? I have the Magic Tree house series (well, it's lost in my toy closet and I need to find it)....
What else might be good for her age but advanced reading level? She literally reads a book or two a day, so I need suggestions!
THANK YOU for all the great suggestions! This will keep her busy for a while ;-) I had talked to the preschool librarian, but she just suggested Ivy and Bean.
Bad kitty (the first two aren't chapter books but still fun)
Little House on the Prairie
Sophie the Awesome
Wind Dancers: If Wishes Were Horses
Butterfly Meadow
the Wayside School books
Most Beverly Cleary books
Babymouse (graphic novels)
Most of these are definately not classics but I remember my daughter really enjoying them
Go to the Scholastic book website.
Scholastic books are in schools and you can search their site per age/grade, and you can see what the book is about etc.
I had the same problem with my girl: reading but the content not necessarily appropriate. Here's what we found:
Daisy Dawson series
No Flying in the House
Because of Winn-Dixie - I'd read this one with her because of some of the content
Gooney Bird Greene - Love these! Super educational, fun, fantastic writing
Ramons books
My Father's Dragon
My daughter is older (9) but recently read a pretty simple book that might interest your daughter. It was called "Dragon in the Sock Drawer." I think there are 3 books after that. She also read a series with puppies (Puppy Palace?) and cat (Kitty Corner?) I can't remember the exact names of the series, but a librarian could probably help you. They were cute books, and appropriate for a 5 year old.
Our daughter loved the Rainbow Fairy series by Daisy Meadows, and there are a GAZILLION of them. You might also consider the Flat Stanley books, and Boxcar Children has worked well for her too. Narnia might work too. Personally, I'd hold off on the Secret Garden and A Little Princess for a couple years if you can--our daughter loves them, however she's 7 1/2 and even that seems like a stretch in terms of her maturity.
My five year old girls love the Magic Tree House series. Seriously - it's the best. Find it in your toy closet!! No questionable content ever. They also like the Clementine books, although there's a slight emotional maturity gap between where they are and where the books are. Fancy Nancy is also great, and good for building vocabulary. My kids loved the Rainbow Fairies too, and now they're reading the Silverlake Fairy School series. It's a bit more advanced - reading level and maturity (mean girl at school) but still appropriate. Personally, I hated the Junie B Jones books - bad manners, bad behavior, overall not what I want my kids to model.
junie b jones
horrible harry
wayside school
amelia bedelia
jeronimo stilton
nate the great
bad kitty
Geronimo Stilton
Creepela Von Cacklefur
Thea Stilton books
These are all written by Geronimo Stilton
Take her to the library! The children's librarian is a great resource for this, this is what they are there for. S/he will be able to make lots of personal recommendations based on your daughter's interests and reading level.
Clementine
Fancy Nancy i think the chapter books Nancy Clancy by Jane O Connor
Puppy Place and Kitty Corner 2 series by Ellen Miles
Junie B Jones- the kid love her I don't love the bad grammar and mischief but my kids know not to ever act like her
Ramona the brave the beverly cleary series there were a whole lot more of these than i realized
Its a smidge more mature but my kids also like A to Z mysteries by ron roy
little house on the prairie books like Little house in the big woods the first one.
and i would really pull out your magic tree house she is totally at the perfect spot for them.
Ramona books were one of my daughter's favorites.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is very funny, but because of the old-fashioned language might be a bit of a challenge yet. Perhaps that's one you could read together.
My daughter also liked a series called "Dinosaur Cove" but it's really geared towards dinosaur fans. ;)
Roald Dahl...Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc...
If you can still find Babysitter's Club, those are great...there was the Little Sisters set too, but I never read those so I'm not sure if they're great or not.
Sweet Valley Twins...not Sweet Valley High... ;)
And as far as Dr. Seuss goes, I think the larger books like The Lorax, I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew, etc, are not only super fun but will help her reading skills improve even more.
I know your daughter might be too young to read these on her own, but it might be fun to read them to her, or to keep them in reserve for when she is older/more advanced.
Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House on the Prairie series.
There are a number of books in the series, and they are all a historical account of her actual experience growing up in the late 1800's in the midwest.
It can be a great opportunity to discuss with her some of the differences about "then" & "now", as well as open dialogue to discuss how Laura felt about things, & handled situations.
I loved the books when I was growing up, & am looking forward to when my niece is old enough to enjoy them!
T.
If she likes dogs and cats...I recommend the
Puppy Place and Kitten Corner books - These series are usually about a puppy or kitten that go to a foster pet home and how they find a home for them.
My son is 5 (almost 6) and we're reading Ivy and Bean right now too. He loves them! He could read them to himself, but I have been reading them to him. I'm also currently reading him the Ramona books. These are definitely harder than I+B or Magic Treehouse, so I'm not sure if she'd be able to read them to herself. Some of our other favorites and some recommendations from my sister, who is a children's librarian:
Cam Jansen / Young Cam Jansen
Arthur Chapter Books
Henry & Mudge
Mercy Watson
Geronimo Stilton (these were a bit harder, she might not be ready - bigger words and a little more confusing story line)
books by Cynthia Rylant (author of Henry & Mudge)
Frog and Toad books + others by Arthur Loebel (sp?)
Bailey School Kids
Charlotte's Web
Anything by Dr Seuss is great for girls or boys and there are a variety of reading levels available.
When she gets older, try Dealing with Dragons (a series).
My 4 yr old loves Shel Silverstein poems.
What about Ramona Quimby?
http://www.amazon.com/Number-Stars-Lois-Lowry/dp/0547577095
for age 9 and up
The Henry & Mudge series or the Annie & Snowball series
All the kids in my son's kindergarten class seem to love The Boxcar Children--an oldie, but a goodie.
Junie B Jones
Princess Posey
Baily School Kids
A to Z Mysteries
How about Step Into Reading levels 3 and 4. They would be at her reading level, but still the subject matter appropriate for her age. They may take her more than one sitting to read them, so she'll still feel like she's reading big-kid books and most of the characters kids like have a few of those.
I am reading the whole Wizard of Oz series to my five year old son and he loves them. I think they are very gender-neutral. However, they do have some content that I edit a bit surrounding race/ethnicity and gender roles.
That sounds like I am crazy, but if you haven't read those in a while, remember they were written in the early 1900's. One book has the N word several times and the second one has an "army" of silly women who try to run the city but really just want to steal all the jewels and each chocolate all day. When they clearly could both run the city AND steal the jewels and eat chocolate all day.
The first one and Ozma of Oz are my favorites :)
The Secrete Garden
The Little Prince
Narnia Series
Mary Poppins
Mr Poppin's Penguins
The Little Princess
I know these are all Longer books, but have the right emotional range, are engaging and should challenge her. They would be great to read together.
Encyclopedia Brown by Donald Sobol
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (he wrote Make Way for Ducklings and Lentil - also a great book). The first story is a bit suspenseful (read it yourself first - the other chapters are just plain fun). but they are all fun and very funny.
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond - there are apparently 20 of these - we have only read the first and it is wonderful
The Magic Treehouse books are formulaic but my son enjoyed them at that age.
I wouldn't restrict her to 'girl' books at all or she will really miss out on a lot of classics.
Mercy Watson books!! Sooo cute and fun to read. A to Z mysteries are good, too. I second the idea of going to the library. Also, google "if you like to read... you'll also like..." Don't forget the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder-oldies but goodies!!
