"Mom, I want to read chapter books!!!"

Has your 6 or 7 year old ever asked you if they could read chapter books but they always bring home books like Harry Potter and Gregor the Overlander?  Those books are HUGE and most of the time the kids get so overwhelmed that they give up!  Do not fear!!  There are some really good "transitional" books for those kids who are ready to move from picture books to chapter books. 

A continually faithful series is Cam Jansen.  The chapters are short enough kids don't get get bogged down. And everyone loves a good mystery!!

Junie B. Jones books are sort of a controversy with some parents and teachers.  Junie B. is a sassy little girl (early books she is in Kindergarten and then 1st grade) who has horrible grammar.  A lot of parents don't like how sassy/smart mouth she can be, and a lot of teachers don't like her incorrect grammar.  I first heard of Junie B. Jones when I was student teaching.  My cooperating teacher read the series to her students.  When she would read out loud, the kids would correct Junie B.'s grammar; that's how the teacher handled it.  If you can get past the sassy talk and incorrect grammar, these books are SO FUNNY.  I don't read them out loud to my students much any more (because they read them aloud in most of the 1st grade classrooms) but when I do, I am laughing out loud with the kids.  If you are unsure if your child should read these books, I suggest checking out one from the library and reading it first.

 Clementine is a little girl a lot like Ramona.  These books aren't as long as the Ramona books, so they would be a good place to start.  Girls usually really like this series!

The Geronimo Stilton books are some of the most uniquely written books I've ever read.  They are so creative and funny.  The format of the text is unlike anything else I've seen out there!  Geronimo Stilton is a mouse who solves mysteries.  Girls and boys both like them.

 Thea Stilton is Geronimo Stilton's sister.  This series is fairly new.  They are just as funny as the original!

Hank the Cowdog books have been around for a while.  Hank lives on a ranch and fights crime!!  A lot of boys really like these books.

Judy Moody is another series where the little girl is similar to Ramona.  These books are usually a hit with my 2nd graders.

 Stink is Judy Moody's younger brother.  Again...a hit! 

The Magic School Tree House books are always a good choice.  Each book is based in a historical location...sometimes a real event, sometimes not.  What is fairly new is the "Fact Tracker" that they have started writing that goes with each book. It is a nonfiction version that tells about facts found in the fiction version of the books.

Let me start out by saying that I had to really convince myself to add this series to the list.  These books are full of crude potty humor (obviously), but boys LOVE them.  If you are having a hard time getting your son to read, you might try these books...if you can look past the stupidity!! 

The movie made these books more and more popular.  If you haven't read them, it's worth a try.  They are silly and funny.  I've found that both boys and girls like them.  

**All images are from  www.amazon.com