READING LIST: First Chapter Books [SERIES and STAND-ALONE titles]

First chapter books, or beginning chapter books, are the bridge between easy readers (beginning readers) and larger chapter books that are in the juvenile fiction section.

First chapter books have few chapters in them (usually around 10) with lots of pictures as well as large text. It helps boost readership, getting kids that are starting to read on their own used to the format of chapter books. Many of them come in extensive series to hook the kids and get them reading all the books in the entire series.

Below are two separate lists. The first list is of series of first chapter books and the second is a list of stand-alone titles of first chapter books. Some may be more challenging than others. You can look up many of the series to find suggested grade levels on Amazon or, if your public library has access to this research tool, on Novelist.

Below is a list, in author order, of first chapter book SERIES titles:
Abbott, Tony - Secrets of Droon
Adler, David - Cam Jansen Mysteries
Applegate, Katherine - Roscoe Riley Rules
Ball, Nate - Alien in My Pocket
Barkley, Callie - Critter Club
Barrows, Annie - Ivy + Bean
Birney, Betty - Humphrey's Tiny Tales
Birney, Betty - Humphrey
Blade, Adam - Beast Quest
Brown, Jeff - Flat Stanley
Chabert, Jack - Eerie Elementary
Clanton, Ben - Narwhal and Jelly
Cooper, Ilene - Absolutely Lucy
Crowne, Alyssa - Perfectly Princess 
Dadey, Debbie - Mermaid Tales
Danzinger, Paula - Amber Brown
DiCamillo, Kate - Bink & Gollie
DiCamillo, Kate - Tales from Deckawoo Drive
Duey, Kathleen - Unicorn's Secret
Earhart, Kristin - Big Apple Barn
Elliott, Rebecca - Owl Diaries
Gannett, Ruth Stiles - My Father's Dragon
Greene, Stephanie - Princess Posey, First Grader
Gutman, Dan - My Weird School Daze
Haas, Jessie - Bramble and Maggie
Hale, Shannon - Princess in Black
Harper, Charise Mericle - Just Grace
Hiranandani, Veera - Phoebe G. Green
Howe, Deborah & James - Bunnicula and Friends
Kelly, David - Ballpark Mysteries
Kirby, Stan - Captain Awesome
Klein, Abby - Ready, Freddy!
Kline, Suzy - Horrible Harry
Krulik, Nancy - George Brown, Class Clown
Krulik, Nancy - Magic Bone
Le Guin, Ursula - Catwings
Lloyd, Jennifer - Murilla Gorilla
Lowry, Lois - Gooney Bird
McCall Smith, Alexander - Harriet Bean Mysteries
McDonald, Megan - Judy Moody and Friends
McKay, Hilary - Lulu
Meadows, Daisy - Rainbow Magic
Moore, Eva - Magic School Bus Science Chapter Books
Nichols, Catherine - Animal Planet Adventures
Osborne, Mary Pope - Magic Tree House
Scieszka, Jon - Time Warp Trio
Sobol, Donald - Encyclopedia Brown
Speck, Katie - Maybelle
Stilton, Geronimo - Creepella Von Cacklefur
Voake, Steve - Daisy Dawson
West, Tracey - Dragon Masters
Williams, Suzanne - Princess Power
Winkler, Henry - Here's Hank



Below is a list, in author order, of first chapter book STAND-ALONE titles:
Bechtold, Lisze - Buster & Phoebe: The Great Bone Game
Brock, Betty - No Flying in the House
Byars, Betsy Cromer - The SOS File
Christopher, Matt - The Lucky Baseball
Creech, Sharon - Love That Dog
Funke, Cornelia Caroline - Emma and the Blue Genie
Funke, Cornelia Caroline - The Pirate Pig
Funke, Cornelia Caroline - Ruffleclaw
King-Smith, Dick - The Water Horse



There are many more, but not as many stand-alone titles as there are series titles because these books are geared toward children who are beginning to read on their own. The point of the series, other than reading for fun, is to catch their attention. If the child enjoys it, they will read the entire series and get even more practice reading. It is a cycle that parents, publishers, and educators do not want to end. Therefore, first chapter book series are a HUGE part of our collection at the library!