I have gone through 4 preschoolers in my house and I have read them many chapter books over the years. I started with Blake when he was 4 and he was the BEST listener. He liked almost any book I read to him. (And he became a voracious reader once he started reading.) Jane sits well and listens, but she still likes the book to have a few pictures.
So here is a list of my Top Ten chapter books to try with your preschoolers. If they can sit through long picture books and pay attention, then it’s time to try out some chapter books.
Age 4-5:
- Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo
- The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl
- The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl
- Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst
- Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
- Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne (tons of books in this series – I would start with the first one)
- Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith
- My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
- Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
- The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume
Your preschooler may be able to sit through longer books than this and that’s great! These are just some shorter chapter books I’ve found that are good to start with and still have some pictures to help keep the kids engaged. What books have your preschoolers enjoyed?