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Recommend chapter books for 7 year old

22 years ago

My 7 year old grandaughter is in first grade and a avid reader. She loves "chapter books" and I want to start her on a special series, but don't know what to choose. What did your little girls love? I want a series appropriate to her age even though she reads above grade level.

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Comments (21)

SandiD
22 years ago
My girls have enjoyed the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park, the Dear America series, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket & the Captain Underpants series. They were in about 2nd grade when they read my copy of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

I'd probably start her on the Junie B. Jones series & some of the Dear America books. The Dear America has a very large range in the series.
dorio_pa
22 years ago
My daughter is 7 1/2 and is in the second grade this year. She loves The Magic Tree House Series, Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody and The Bailey School Kids ones.

Doreen
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Vickey__MN
22 years ago
The Babysitters Club little Sister...many books there. I think it's about a first or second grade reading level.

Vickey-MN
janetwilson
22 years ago
I personally LOVE Junie B. Jones -- when the kids were little I read them to them but had a hard time not laughing through the entire book - they are so cute! Buy them for your granddaughter but read them yourself too -- you'll love it!

I also recommend the Little House on the Prairie series, the Boxcar Kids (which my kids loved), all of the Beverly Cleary books - Ramona the Pest was my favorite. There's also a great new book called the Dollhouse Family.

I am so passionate about children's books, but my DD has dyslexia and struggles w/reading - so it's not her favorite thing. That's hard for me since I was such a bookworm as a child. DS loves to read but he prefers Science Fiction, Harry Potter (which I like too!) and those horrible goosebumps books.
Roberta_z5
Original Author
22 years ago
This is very helpful. Are the "Captain Underpants" series appropriate for reading to a 4 year old boy with a wild imagination?
SandiD
22 years ago
Yes! A 4 yo will enjoy the Captain Underpants series.

Here is a link that might be useful: Captain Underpants
SandiD
22 years ago
Cool list from Scholastic with recommended serices for K-2nd grade.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scholastic Booklist - Series K-2
dlynn2
22 years ago
The Dollhouse Family, while not a series, is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it for you and your granddaughter. My son won a prize at school for being a good citizen and got to go to the principals office to pick out a book. For some reason, he picked out a book for me instead of himself. The book he picked was The Dollhouse Family, so I read it and loved it. Both of my boys also enjoyed it and I gave a copy of it to my MIL for Christmas to read together with her grandaughters.

As for series books, my kids love all of the above, expecially Junie B. Jones and Magic Treehouse. They also like the Marvin Redpost series. My DH loves the Captain Underpants series!
sewcrazynurse
22 years ago
There are Mary Kate and Ashley books that are on different reading levels. My Daughter has tons of them.
robinkateb
22 years ago
How about the Al of a Kind Family books, then there is the Betsy/Tacy books. Also the Four Story Mistake and the other booka in that series. Noel Streidfield shoes books are also excellent, Theater Shoes, Dance Shoes, Skating Shoes etc

Robin
don_na_na
22 years ago
Try taking your grandchild to a bookstore and letting her look at all of the books herself. She will love being able to have a choice in the matter. Tell her that you are willing to buy her 1 or 2 books depending on the price. That way she has to narrow down her choice. The series of books are generally shelved together. Therefore they are easy to find. When she gets done with the books you get, you can go back and do it again. It will be a good outing for you to share with her. If you find a specific series she likes, there is site that is a part of Ebay called: half.com. It has a book section in it and all you have to do is type in the author or book title and you may find something you want. The prices are generally lower than in the stores (although some people do seem very proud of their used books.)
I hope I have been helpful
AR_Dramaqueen, daughter of Don_na_na
kwajkid
17 years ago
My advanced first grader has really enjoyed the Rainbow Fairies series and there are TONS of them available. They are age appropriate. She likes seeing all the different names: Scarlet the Red Fairy, Joy, the Christmas fairy.
mariealways
17 years ago
Great recommendations on here. I'll throw in the Amber Brown series into the mix. Akin to Junie B.
stephanie_in_ga
17 years ago
Oooo! My favorite subject! BOOKS! ;o)

The "Ramona" series by Beverly Cleary, follows Ramona as she grows up, family relationships are a big part of the plot/theme of these books... everyone learning to get along and repsect each other through funny but normal situations. She's a great girl with all the normal ups and down of being a kid. They are my DD's favorites, she is 9 now. Cleary has many other children's books, definitely an author to collect.

Several Judy Blume books are for kids that age:
The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo
Frecklejuice
and the "Fudge" series, Superfudge, Fudge-O-Mania, Double Fudge. (Fudge is a kid.)

The Spiderwick Cronicles is a fantasy series, think Harry Potter for younger readers. The books are MUCH shorter than a HP book! Much more managable, with some sketched illustrations to keep it interesting.

Andrew Clements, another author writing for that age group.

And if you want to take her beyond chapter books, try the poetry of Shel Silverstein. Excellent, and she'll read them for years to come. If I sit down to read Shel Silverstein with my 6 y/o, my 9 and 12 y/o's are soon by my side, too. They all enjoy the humor and eccentricity of his poetry and drawings. While the vocabulary is managable for a young reader, they have to think a little harder to "get it" with some of his writing which makes them great fun to read together and talk about. Although other poems are just plain silly fun.

Lemony Snicket ("Seris of Unfortunate Events"), Ronald Dahl ("James and the Giant Peach") and E.B. White ("Charlotte's Web") write for just a tad older, but a high-reading 7 y/o could read them. Finding a good series she will follow is a great idea. Also consider introducing her to different authors. If she likes a book, she should look for others by the same author, even if they are not in a series.

I am helping to set up our school's bookfair tomorrow, and I am so excited! I'm hopeless when this is what I get excited about. But there you go, I love to see all the new titles and I LOVE LOVE LOVE to help the kids find the "right" book when they come to shop.

Most authors have websites now where you can get a really good idea of what their writing is all about, and find some fun activities for kids to go along with the reading. So google the author and check it, it will be fun. If your GD finds an author she really likes, don't forget to try the author's website for fun kid activities.

If she loves to read, introduce her to good children's literature and start a lifetime of appreciating literature. There is some fantastic literature for kids, with themes and characters and conflicts that they will relate to and that will make them think.
bnicebkind
17 years ago
Make a list of everyone's suggestions, because they are all popular with that age group. I will add The American Girl Books developed by a school teacher, (they go with the very popular American Girl dolls) available by catalog or on-line.

Oh, and a chapter book that kids love is Mrs Pigglewiggle!!!
stargazzer
17 years ago
also the public library can help with age related books.
sovra
17 years ago
Books are a good subject...

...but the child in the original post is probably 12 or 13 by now.
stephanie_in_ga
17 years ago
Oh, I see. Didn't look at the date the first time. Oh well. Does it matter? I could recommend some for that age, too.
pjb999
17 years ago
If in doubt, ask your child's teacher. If they are anything like my wife who is a born teacher (and the best I've ever seen) and very passionate about books. They will have great recommendations specific to your child, and you will make their day knowing that you are an active parent.
shivaniomkar_yahoo_com
14 years ago
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions.
yvonnemommy
14 years ago
My daughter loves beestar the best. DD does online reading on it. I like the simple presentation: text has nice simple fonts the pictures and graphs are to the point not distracting. The honor roll, ranking, award programs are effective. DD always can't wait to do the exercises.
Lisa

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