This list will be updated as we continue to read, but here is a very detailed and thorough list of all the chapter books my husband and I have read to our girls. We begin reading chapter books to our kids around age four, usually for 20-30 minutes at a time or during meals.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins – Richard and Florence Atwater
A house painter’s life turns upside down when he unexpectedly receives a group of penguins.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – Barbara Robinson
A hilarious and heartwarming tale of the Herdman kids, the town’s troublemakers, shaking up the annual Christmas pageant.

Heidi – Johanna Spyri
A cheerful orphan girl is sent to live with her gruff grandfather in the Swiss Alps, where she finds joy and friendship.

Little House in the Big Woods (Little House series, Book 1) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
The first book in the Little House series, following young Laura’s pioneer life in a Wisconsin log cabin.

Little House on the Prairie (Little House series, Book 2) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura and her family leave the Big Woods and settle in Kansas, facing hardships and adventures on the frontier.

Farmer Boy (Little House series, Book 3) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
A glimpse into the childhood of Laura’s future husband, Almanzo, as he grows up on a prosperous farm in New York.

The Long Winter (Little House series, Book 6) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura’s family battles through a brutal winter in their Dakota homestead, relying on resilience and resourcefulness.

The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children series, Book 1) – Gertrude Chandler Warner
Four orphaned siblings create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar, proving their independence and ingenuity.

Heartwood Hotel: A True Home (Heartwood Hotel series, Book 1) – Kallie George
A sweet, woodland adventure following Mona the mouse as she finds a home at the charming Heartwood Hotel.

The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: A New Friend (Sophie Mouse series, Book 1) – Poppy Green
Sophie Mouse learns the value of kindness and acceptance when a new animal moves into her woodland school.

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (Mindy Kim series, Book 1) – Lyla Lee
A young Korean-American girl navigates life in a new town while starting a snack business to fit in.

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (Encyclopedia Brown series, Book 1) – Donald J. Sobol
Boy detective Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown solves small-town mysteries with his keen intellect.

Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House series, Book 1) – Mary Pope Osborne
Siblings Jack and Annie discover a magical treehouse that whisks them back to the age of dinosaurs.

Meet Addy (American Girl: Addy series, Book 1) – Connie Porter
Addy, a courageous girl escaping slavery, embarks on a journey to freedom and reunites with her family. This is the first book I use to gently introduce the concept of historic American slavery.

A Surprise for Molly (American Girl: Molly series) – Valerie Tripp
A sweet American Girl story featuring Molly, a spirited girl growing up during World War II.

Frankie’s Amazing Bakery: The Great Raspberry Mix-Up (Frankie’s Amazing Bakery series, Book 1) – Poppy Rose
A delightful story about a kind-hearted baker named Frankie who creates magical confections and solves mysteries.

Ramona the Pest (Ramona series, Book 2) – Beverly Cleary
Ramona Quimby’s excitement for kindergarten leads to funny, sometimes mischievous, adventures.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (Vanderbeekers series, Book 1) – Karina Yan Glaser
A charming, modern classic about five siblings trying to save their beloved Harlem brownstone. This is a Christmas book.

The Family Under the Bridge – Natalie Savage Carlson
An old Parisian tramp’s life changes when he takes in a struggling family just before Christmas.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia series, Book 1) – C.S. Lewis
Four siblings discover a magical world called Narnia and must help defeat the White Witch’s reign.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter series, Book 1) – J.K. Rowling
A young boy discovers he’s a wizard and begins his journey at Hogwarts, uncovering magical mysteries.

Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle series, Book 1) – Diana Wynne Jones
A young hatmaker, cursed by a witch, finds herself entangled with a mysterious wizard and his moving castle.

The Trouble According to Humphrey (Humphrey series, Book 3) – Betty G. Birney
Humphrey the hamster narrates his adventures as the beloved class pet of Room 26.

The World According to Humphrey (Humphrey series, Book 1) – Betty G. Birney
Humphrey shares his charming perspective on life as he helps his human classmates in surprising ways.

Life According to Og the Frog (According to Og the Frog series, Book 1) – Betty G. Birney
A companion story to Humphrey, told from the perspective of the new class pet, Og the Frog.

The Toothpaste Millionaire – Jean Merrill
A clever and fun entrepreneurial tale about a boy who starts a toothpaste business and makes a fortune.

Poppy (Tales from Dimwood Forest series) – Avi
A brave little mouse challenges an oppressive owl to secure a future for her family.

The Very Very Far North (The Very Very Far North series, Book 1) – Dan Bar-el
A gentle, philosophical story about a kindhearted polar bear and his Arctic animal friends.

My Father’s Dragon (My Father’s Dragon series, Book 1) – Ruth Stiles Gannett
A young boy sets off on a whimsical adventure to rescue a baby dragon.

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
A touching tale of friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a wise spider named Charlotte.

The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot series, Book 1) – Peter Brown
A robot named Roz washes up on a remote island and learns to survive with the help of animal friends.

The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot series, Book 2) – Peter Brown
Roz’s journey continues as she must navigate the human world and find her way back home.

The Wild Robot Protects (The Wild Robot series, Book 3) – Peter Brown
The final book in the trilogy, where Roz faces new challenges in protecting her island and family.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series, Book 1) – Betty MacDonald
A quirky woman with magical solutions helps cure children of their bad habits in humorous ways.

The Cherry Pie Princess – Vivian French
A fairy tale with a modern twist, featuring a strong-willed princess who stands up for what’s right.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Ralph S. Mouse series, Book 1) – Beverly Cleary
A mouse named Ralph discovers a toy motorcycle and embarks on thrilling adventures.

Runaway Ralph (Ralph S. Mouse series, Book 2) – Beverly Cleary
Ralph the mouse leaves home to seek adventure but finds new challenges along the way.

Hotel Flamingo (Hotel Flamingo series, Book 1) – Alex Milway
A heartwarming story about a girl who restores a rundown hotel for animals with a cast of lovable characters.

Stuart Little – E.B. White
A small but brave mouse embarks on adventures in search of his lost friend.

A Rover’s Story – Jasmine Warga

A Mars rover’s adventures. This will make you cry!