Children's Early Chapter Books

polly

Polly Diamond by Alice Kuipers

Polly is excited when she discovers that her new book is magic and everything she writes in it comes true, but sometimes this leads to trouble.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 330
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Kuipers

droon

Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott

After entering the tiny room underneath the stairs, three friends find themselves in a magic world of shiny red men and flying lizards, and they are soon forced to face great challenges in order to survive and make their way back home.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 380
Grade Level: 3-4
J FIC Abbott

junie b

Junie B Jones by Barbara Park

Junie B. Jones, a spunky girl, describes her days in Kindergarten.

Genre: Realistic, Funny
Lexile: 380
Grade Level: 2-3
J FIC Park

mercy

Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson is the pet pig of Mr. and Mrs. Watson who, among other adventures, loves finding buttered toast.

Genre: Funny
Lexile: 450
Grade Level: K-2
J FIC DiCamillo

nancy

Nancy Clancy by Jane O’Connor

“Fancy Nancy” has grown up and now she wants to be just like Nancy Drew and become sleuth – which is a fancy word for detective.

Genre: Mystery
Lexile: 450
Grade Level: 2-4
J FIC O’Connor

mac b

Mac B. Kid Spy by Mac Barnett

Mac lives in California, but one day he gets a call from the Queen of England asking him to work for her as a secret agent – a kid spy!

Genre: Funny, Suspense
Lexile: 460
Grade Level: 3-6
J FIC Barnett

horrible harry

Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline

Harry is the class clown of his 2nd grade classroom. He and his friend Doug always find a way to have fun.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 480
Grade Level: 2-4
J FIC Kline

never girls

Never Girls by Kiki Thorpe

Four friends find themselves magically whisked away to Pixie Hollow where they make friends with Tinker Bell and the other fairies.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 480
Grade Level: 2-4
J FIC Thorpe

notebook

The Notebook of Doom by Troy Cummings

Alexander moves to a new town and starts at a new school. Except the school is being torn down, so classes are being held in the hospital morgue. Alexander soon discovers that his new notebook is full of information about monsters!

Genre: Horror, Funny
Lexile: 490
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Cummings

princess in black

Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

Princess Magnolia is the picture of a perfect princess in her fluffy pink dress and sparkly tiara, but when monsters attack her kingdom, she is always ready don her mask, trade her delicate glass slippers for monster-kicking black boots, and become the Princess in Black.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 500
Grade Level: K-3
J FIC Hale

dragon slayers

Dragon Slayer’s Academy by Kate McMullan

Wiglaf of Pinwick is the smallest in the family. Tired of being picked on and made to do the most work, he leaves his beloved pig Daisy and signs up for Dragon Slayer’s Academy. 

Genre: Fantasy, Funny
Lexile: 500
Grade Level: 2-4
J FIC McMullan

purrmaids

Purrmaids by Suditpa Bardhan – Quallen

Join best friends and kitty mermaids Angel, Coral, and Shelly for their adventures at sea school.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 510
Grade Level: 2-3
J FIC Bardhan-Quallen

princess pink

Princess Pink and the Land of Fake Believe by Noah Jones

Princess Pink discovers her fridge is a magic portal into the land of Fake-Believe, where the familiar stories of classic fairy tales are turned on their heads.

Genre: Fantasy, Funny
Lexile: 510
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Jones

dinosaurs

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie discover a treehouse that can transport them to any place or time in the world!

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Lexile: 510
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Osborne

AtoZ

A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Best Friends Ruth Rose, Josh, and Dink work together to solve mysteries.

Genre: Mystery
Lexile: 510
Grade Level: 3-4
J FIC Roy

dragon masters

Dragon Masters by Tracey West

Four kids, Drake, Ana, Bo and Rori are chosen by a wizard to study and become Dragon Masters.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 510
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC West

isadora

Isadora Moon by Harriet Muncaster

Isadora is a vampire fairy who decides she wants to go to a human school!

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 520
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Muncaster

ricky

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot by Dave Pilkey

Ricky Ricotta, a small mouse, feels insignificant due to his size. He becomes a hero by pairing up with a mighty robot to battle villains from each planet in the solar system.

Genre: Adventure
Lexile: 520
Grade Level: K-4
J FIC Pilkey

judy moody

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Meet Judy Moody, is a third-grader who has a mood for every occasion.

Genre: Funny, Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 530
Grade Level: 2-4
J FIC McDonald

owl

Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliot

This is the diary of Eva Wingdale, a young owl who likes drawing and being busy.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 540
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Elliot

unicorn

Unicorn Diaries by Rebecca Elliot

Rainbow Tinseltail and Sunny Huckleberry are students at Sparklegrove Elementary for Unicorns where they learn about their magical powers.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 540
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Elliot

stink

Stink by Megan McDonald

The Second-Grade adventures of troublesome Stink Moody, younger brother to Judy Moody.

Genre: Funny, Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 540
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC McDonald

firehawk

The Last Firehawk by Katrina Charman

Tag the owl, Skyla the squirrel, and Blaze the firehawk must journey together to save the land of Perodia from Thorne the evil vulture.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 550
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Charman

pulverizer

Princess Pulverizer by Nancy Krulik

Princess Serena (or as she prefers, Princess Pulverizer) doesn’t want to be a princess--she wants to be knight. But her father, King Alexander of Empiria, thinks she still has a lot to learn when it comes to exhibiting valiant behavior.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 550
Grade Level: K-2
J FIC Krulik

chicken squad

Chicken Squad by Doreen Cronin

Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie. These chicks are not your typical barnyard puffs of fluff, and they are not about to spend their days pecking chicken feed and chasing bugs. No sir, they’re too busy solving mysteries and fighting crime.

Genre: Mystery
Lexile: 560
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Cronin

wrenly

The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn

Together Lucas, Prince of Wrenly, and his best friend Clara, daughter of the Queen’s seamstress, go on adventures all over the kingdom.

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 560
Grade Level: 1-2
J FIC Quinn

jigsaw

Jigsaw Jones by James Preller

Super Sleuths Jigsaw and Mila work together to solve mysteries in their town.

Genre: Mystery
Lexile: 570
Grade Level: 2-3
J FIC Preller

ivy

Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows

Seven-year-old Bean finds a surprising friend in her new neighbor Ivy, who is the same age as Bean.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Lexile: 580
Grade Level: 1-4
J FIC Barrows

Heidi

Heidi Heckelbeck by Wanda Coven

Heidi Heckelbeck has been home schooled all her life, but in second-grade she starts attending a public school. However, Heidi has a secret - she’s a witch!

Genre: Fantasy
Lexile: 580
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Coven

Cam

Cam Jansen by David Adler

10-year-old Cam has a photographic memory and her friend Eric helps her solve mysteries.

Genre: Mystery
Lexile: 590
Grade Level: 2-3
J FIC Adler

eerie elementary

Eerie Elementary by Jack Chabert

Hall monitor Sam Graves is surprised to learn that his school is not only alive – it’s evil!

Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Lexile: 600
Grade Level: 1-3
J FIC Chabert

vampires

The Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey

The students of Bailey Elementary are sure that their teachers are actually magical creatures!

Genre: Funny
Lexile: 600
Grade Level: 3-4
J FIC Dadey

magic school bus

The Magic School Bus by Multiple Authors

No field trip with Ms. Frizzle and her class is ever normal! Hop on their magical school bus as they learn about science.

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Lexile: 600
Grade Level: 2-3
J FIC Magic