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The 50 Best Read Aloud Chapter Books for Kindergarten
Is it normal to read chapter books in kindergarten? While picture books are just fine for kindergarten, I highly recommend using some chapter books in kindergarten during read aloud time as well.
Why, you might be asking?
Here the thing-
Chapter books are wonderful for young listeners too because they really help kids with their reading comprehension and listening skills.
They are forced to picture the events from the story in their imagination instead of having pictures to clearly guide them. This highly improves a child’s comprehension skills. (Speaking of comprehension-read until the end to grab a FREE story retell comprehension cube!)
Let’s dive in to the 50 best read aloud chapter books for kindergarten.
How Do I Choose a Good Read Aloud Book for Young Children?
Choosing a good book for a read aloud is super important because you want to make sure it engages students and captures their attention. Books that have a drawing every few pages are nice but not absolutely necessary. This can definitely help keep kids engaged during this time. I look for books that have powerful or funny characters, are silly and will make students laugh or teach a lesson or moral.
Find Appropriate Chapter Books for 5 and 6 Year Olds
At age 5 and 6, children still tend to have a fairly short attention span. If you get them to focus on a task for 30-45 minutes, that’s pretty great! My biggest recommendation at this age would be to read chapter books with fairly short chapters. I loved reading 1-2 chapters of a book during a short 10-15 minute block throughout our school day.
Kindergarten can be exhausting! This is a great time for student’s busy brains to decompress as they are taken away on a magical adventure through the power of words.
YOU MIGHT LIKE: 14 Cheap Ways to Get Books for Your Classroom
Best Read-Aloud Chapter Books for Kindergarten
Early chapter books are a great idea to use for read aloud time even in kindergarten. Let’s look at this HUGE list of 50 great chapter books to read to your kindergarten class!
{Affiliate Disclosure: The books below are all Amazon affiliate links which means that I make a small commission if you purchase the product that I recommended. You do not pay any more for the product through an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting this blog for kindergarten teachers!}
1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by: Roald Dahl
Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. Charlie is in for the ride of his life!
2. The Magic Tree House Series-Tonight on the TItanic by: Mary Pope Osborne
The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie away to the decks of that ill-fated ship, the Titanic. There, they must help two children find their way to a lifeboat, all while they are in danger of becoming victims of that tragic night themselves.
3. Charlotte’s Web by: E.B White
The pig named Wilbur and the wise spider named Charlotte warm the hearts of readers everywhere.
4. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by: Beverly Cleary
When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith’s red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles.
5. Stuart Little by: E. B White
Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat. Though he’s shy and thoughtful, he’s also a true lover of adventure.
6. Anne of Green Gables by: L.M. Montgomery
In Anne of Green Gables, the book introduces us to the Cuthberts of Prince Edward Island. When Marilla and Matthew intend to adopt a boy to help them on their farm, they receive an unexpected surprise—a fiery-haired, imaginative girl named Anne.
7. Peter Pan by: Tania Zamorsky
Fly “second to the right and straight on till morning” with Peter. Wendy, John, and Michael Darling as they meet Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys and the menacing Captain Hook.
8. Wayside School is Falling Down by: Louis Sachar
Miss Mush is dishing out her famous Mushroom Surprise in the Wayside School cafeteria. Ron says it tastes like hot dogs and grape jelly. Clean your plate and you’ll turn green in time for class picture day. Wear your craziest outfit and you’ll fit right in between Maurecia in her striped bikini and Calvin, who’s wearing his birthday tattoo. Say cheese!
9. Mercy Watson to the Rescue by: Kate DiCamillo
The Mercy Watson Series is a beloved series to read in kindergarten. This is just one story out of a bunch!
To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she’s a porcine wonder. And to the portly and good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons’ bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash…
10. Boxcar Children by: Gertrude Chandler Warner
Four young orphans discover an abandoned boxcar and move in, embarking on a life of self-reliance and hard work — but they also enter a world of freedom and adventure. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are afraid of the grandfather they’ve never met, and to escape his custody they set out on their own, working odd jobs to make money for necessities.
11. Junie B. Jones Series by: Barbara Park
Meet the World’s Funniest First Grader—Junie B. Jones! Your students will fall in love with her immediately!
12. Jack Jones-Train to Nowhere by: Zander Bingham
When middle-grader Jack Jones, his sister Emma, and best buddy Albert find themselves aboard a runaway train, the three adventurers must work together to stop it—before it’s too late!
13. The Little House Series by: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Meet the Ingalls family—Laura, Ma, Pa, Mary, and baby Carrie, who all live in a cozy log cabin in the big woods of Wisconsin in the 1870s. Though many of their neighbors are wolves and panthers and bears, the woods feel like home, thanks to Ma’s homemade cheese and butter and the joyful sounds of Pa’s fiddle.
14. Pippi Longstocking by: Astrid Lindgren
Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!
15. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by: Richard Atwater
A classic of American humor, the adventures of a house painter and his brood of high-stepping penguins.
16. Fancy Nancy-Secret Admirer by: Jane O’Connor
Love is in the air! Nancy and Bree decide to play matchmaker, but nothing works out as planned. Will love conquer all in the end?
17. Flat Stanley by: Jeff Brown
Stanley Lambchop is an ordinary boy. At least he was, until the night his bulletin board fell off the wall and flattened him. At only half an inch thick, Stanley can slide under doors, mail himself across the country in an envelope, and fly like a kite!
18. Our Friend Hedgehog by: Lauren Castillo
After a big storm blows his stuffed dog Muddy away, Hedgehog must search far and wide for his beloved friend. Along the way, he discovers new friends who help him on his journey.
19. The Magician’s Elephant by: Kate DiCamillo
When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!)
20. Matilda by: Roald Dahl
Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress.
When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!
21. The Indian in the Cupboard by: Lynne Reid Banks
It’s Omri’s birthday, but all he gets from his best friend, Patrick, is a little plastic Indian toy. Trying to hide his disappointment, Omri puts the Indian in a metal cupboard and locks the door with a mysterious skeleton key that once belonged to his great-grandmother.
Little does Omri know that by turning the key, he will transform his ordinary plastic Indian into a real live man from an altogether different time and place! Omri and the tiny warrior called Little Bear could hardly be more different, yet soon the two forge a very special friendship.
22. Freckle Juice by: Judy Blume
More than anything in the world, Andrew Marcus wants freckles. His classmate Nicky has freckles—they cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. But when Andrew asks Nicky where he got them, Nicky just says he was born with them. Some help he is!
That’s when Sharon offers Andrew her secret freckle juice recipe—for fifty cents, she promises, Andrew can look just like Nicky. His freckleless days are over! He rushes home to whip up the concoction. Grape juice, vinegar, mustard…
23. The Trumpet of the Swan by: E.B. White
Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can’t trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can’t even make a sound. And since he can’t trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.
Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena’s affection—he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?
24. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by: Kate DiCamillo
Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . .
25. Nancy Clancy by: Jane O’Connor
In this first in a series of delightful chapter books, Fancy Nancy takes on the role of detective. When one of Nancy’s classmate’s most treasured possessions disappear from school, it’s up to detective Nancy to solve the mystery and save the day.
26. Fantastic Mr. Fox by: Roald Dahl
Someone’s been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief—it’s Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch him; but now fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded.
What they don’t know is that they’re not dealing with just any fox—Mr. Fox would rather die than surrender. Only the most fantastic plan can save him now.
27. The Wizard of Oz by: L. Frank Baum
The classic story of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Lion that every kid should know!
28. My Naughty Little Sister by: Dorothy Edwards
The narrator states that her naughty little sister is stubborn and greedy and full of mischief. She tries to cut off the cat’s tail and eats all the trifle at Harry’s party! How much bother can one little sister be?!
29. Megabat by: Anne Humphrey
A sweet and hilarious chapter book about a boy and a bat, two unlikely friends who bond over loneliness, jellyrolls and Darth Vader.
30. Dragon Masters by: Tracey West
This series has easy-to-read text, high-interest content and fast-paced plots and illustrations on every page. In book #6, the Dragon Masters have to save the prime Dragon Stone — or they will lose their connections to their dragons forever! The Dragon Masters travel to the Land of Pyramids in search of the secret Pyramid of the Seven Dragons. There are several puzzles they’ll need to solve in order to reach the hidden stone. Will the Dragon Masters find the prime Dragon Stone in time?
31. The Secret Garden by: Frances Hodgson Burnett
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors.
The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary’s only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.
32. Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess by: Shannon Hale
The Princess in Black and her friends are enjoying a day of sun and sea on Princess Sneezewort’s royal boat when a real, live mermaid princess emerges from the waves! Eeeeeee!
33. Zoey and Sassafras by: Asia Citro
Zoey and Sassafras, the trusty cat, can only solve problems by using science in this book! Each story features a new magical animal with a problem that must be solved using science.
34. Amelia Bedelia by: Peggy Parish
Amelia Bedelia books are so silly and loved by kids everywhere!
35. Ivy and Bean by: Annie Barrows
Meet Ivy & Bean. Bean has lots of friends, loves stomping in puddles and hates being bored. Ivy has just moved in next door. Ivy seems nice, wears dresses and sparkly headbands—which makes Bean think she’s too boring to be friends with.
But after Ivy comes to Bean’s rescue, they become the best of friends and begin a series of silly, sneaky, imaginative, sometimes naughty, and always hilarious adventures.
36. Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness by: Ben Clanton
The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out!
37. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by: Betsy MacDonald
The perfect combination of Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a hilarious story with lots of problem-solving skills. It’s perfect for adding discussion with your students throughout the book.
38. The Littles by: John Peterson
This book is an oldie but a goodie, and students still love it today! The Littles are a family of very small people who live inside a wall! When the family who owns the house goes on vacation, a real adventure begins when cats and mice take over. The two littlest Littles must try to save the day so they can get back to their normal lives.
39. The Princess and the Dragon by: A.M. Luzzader
When Princesses Olivia and Juniper agree to help Queen Jennifer with some important royal business, they are assigned to deliver a package to Stony Mountain, the home of the dragon of Wildflower Kingdom! Can the princesses carry out this scary job? Will they turn back? Or will they discover that dragons aren’t so scary after all?
40. Nate the Great by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate the Great has a new case! His friend Annie has lost a picture. She wants Nate to help her find it. Nate the Great must get all the facts, ask the right questions, and narrow the list of suspects so he can solve the mystery.
41. The Nocturnals-The Mysterious Abductions by: Tracey Hecht
This is a fun-filled little adventure series about three unlikely animals who solve unpredictable mysteries with friendship, teamwork and humor.
42. The Princess and the Castle-A Fairy Tale Chapter Book Series by: A.M. Luzzader
This series is by the same author as “The Princess and the Dragon” series. Princess Olivia has always been fascinated by magic wands, so she’s very excited when her mother, Queen Jennifer, lets her use the Magic Wand of Summerland to tidy up the castle. But trouble starts when the queen leaves, and Olivia and Juniper fight over the wand. Will the sisters come to their senses before the queen returns?
43. The Never Girls Collection by: Kiki Thorpe
In a blink of an eye, four best friends all get their biggest wish—they’re whisked off to Never Land, home to Tinker Bell and her fairy friends.
44. Beezus and Ramona by: Beverly Cleary
Having a little sister like four-year-old Ramona isn’t always easy for Beezus Quimby. With a wild imagination, disregard for order and an appetite for chaos, Ramona makes it hard for Beezus to be the responsible older sister she knows she ought to be…especially when Ramona threatens to ruin Beezus’s birthday party.
45. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by: Beverly Cleary
Ramona likes that she’s old enough to be counted on, but must everything depend on her? Mrs. Quimby has gone back to work so that Mr. Quimby can return to school, and Ramona is expected to be good for Mrs. Kemp while her parents are away, to be brave enough to ride the school bus by herself, and to put up with being teased by Danny the Yard Ape.
46. Henry and Beezus by: Beverly Cleary
Henry Huggins would do anything to get the bike of his dreams. But every idea he has keeps falling flat. Selling bubble gum on the playground gets him in trouble with his teacher. There’s the paper route, but Henry’s dog Ribsy nearly ruins that with his nose for mischief. Even pesky little Ramona Quimby manages to get in the way of Henry’s chance at a bike. But it’s with the help of his best friend Beezus that there may be a way.
47. Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by: Louis Sachar
Your favorite teachers and students are here from “The Wayside Series.” Everyone is scrambling to prepare for the all-important Ultimate Test, but meanwhile, there is a mysterious Cloud of Doom looming above them…
48. Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by: Kate DiCamillo
Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s porcine wonder, Mercy, loves nothing more than a ride in the car. It takes a fair amount of nudging and bribing and a “You are such a good sport, darling” to get the portly pig out of the driver’s seat, but once the convertible is on the road, Mercy loves the feel of the wind tickling her ears and the sun on her snout. One day the Watsons’ motoring ritual takes an unexpected turn, however, when their elderly neighbor Baby Lincoln pops up in the backseat!
49. Patrick Picklebottom: The Case of the Brazillian Vase by: Mr. Jay
Patrick Picklebottom has a knack for critical thinking. So it’s not too surprising that he and his best friend, Claire, keep coming across everyday mysteries. In school, at the local ice cream shop, during a history fair – even in his own house – Patrick constantly comes across new cases to crack.
50. The Lucky Baseball Bat by: Matt Christopher
When Marvin moves to a new neighborhood, he wants nothing more than to make a good impression on his new teammates. After all, Marvin loves baseball more than anything, and all he wants is to prove he’s worth his spot on the team. And with his lucky baseball bat in hand, what could go wrong?
Best Read Aloud Picture Books for Kindergarten
Picture books will always have a special place in my heart as well in kindergarten! I have tons of posts with read aloud ideas that you can check out below:
First Day of Kindergarten Read Alouds
The Best Pumpkin Read Alouds for Kindergarten
Leaf Read Alouds for Kindergarten
14 Valentine’s Day Read Alouds
Earth Day Read Alouds for Kindergarten
100th Day Read Alouds for Kindergarten
Favorite Chapter Books for Early Readers
Hopefully you enjoyed this list of 50 best read aloud chapter books for 5 year olds. A great book can take readers of any age on a journey full of magic and fun adventures, with or without pictures! Classic chapter books can be the perfect read-aloud series from fifth grade all the way down to kindergarten. Give them a chance in your class and you and your students might just fall in love!
