I love giving a good book recommendation. My dream job would be an elementary school librarian where I can spend my days suggesting good books to early readers.
Here are a few chapter books for grades 7-9. These are good for reading aloud in the classroom (yes, you can still do read-aloud at this age!) or for them to read personally.
Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
I recently wrote a list of chapter books suitable for grades 1-3, whether that’s to read aloud in your classroom or to have the students read independently to themselves. Now it’s time to give those middle grades some love!
I’m not going to lie, chapter books in the 4-6th grade range are some of my absolute favorites. There are so many great novels and series for this group specifically! Here are just a few of my favorites.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
The first few books in this series are great for kids in this age group, and as they get older and become better readers, the books later in the series are more fitting.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
This book is a perfect introduction for kids into World War II. The storyline is captivating while still keeping a good reading level for grades 5 & 6.
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
The Charlie Bone series is a great one for those who love Harry Potter and want a new fantasy world to read about.
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
This chapter book is great for those children who might be weary of reading chapter books. It’s easy to read and has a fun storyline.
Frindle by Andrew Clements
It is a classic for a reason! The influence this teacher had on her students! The ending of the book! It’s all incredible. An absolute must-read.
I’ve been searching for good chapter books to read aloud to my first grader at home and making myself a list on my phone for future reference. So obviously I need to share that list now with all of you! Here’s a tried and true list of good chapter books for grades 1-3 that can be read aloud over time or independently depending on the child’s reading level.
Matilda by Roald Dahl This is our current read because the musical featured on Netflix has been on repeat all summer at our house, so obviously we needed to read the book!
The Magic Treehouse Series by Mary Pope Osborne. Such a classic series and bonus that there are so many books within the series that it’s hard to run out of content.
A to Z Mysteries by Rob Roy. It’s a kid-friendly mystery series that is perfect for hooking kids in and experiencing that “one more chapter!” feeling.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. This book is next on our list to read once we finish Matilda. The humor in this book cannot be beaten, no matter your age!
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. This was the chapter book we read last spring. It’s such a classic that it would be wrong to not include it on this list! Of course, I cried my eyes out at the ending, even after reading this book dozens of times.
Other notable mentions:
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beezus and Ramona, Ribsy, and more by Beverly Cleary
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Lisa’s Ugly Glasses and Luna’s Rescue by Erica Richardson
Which chapter books are you going to suggest to your students to read next?
