Can you please recommend some chapter books for my young girls?

[sunnylady303]

My girls are 3 and 5 and I have thought for a while that the 5 YO would really enjoy chapter books. We tried and tried with Little House on the Prairie but she was SO not into it. On a lark I tried reading them the Wizard of Oz and they LOVE it. It is so wonderful to see. We've also read these Disney Tinkerbell chapter books which I am not wild about. The 5YO wouldn't say it, but she likes the Wizard of Oz better than the Disney drivel. And, surprisingly to me, my 3YO is really into it as well. So where should I go from here? I think some pictures - like one a chapter are still important. We are almost finished with the Wizard and I need some ideas! Thanks!

[Daffodil]

Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner - A.A. Milne
The Jamie and Angus Stories and Jamie and Angus Together - Anne Fine
My Father's Dragon (and the two sequels) - Ruth Stiles Gannett
the Catwings series - Ursula LeGuin
Jenny and the Cat Club (and other books) - Esther Averill
Comet in Moominland (and other Moomin books) - Tove Jansson
Pippi Longstocking - Astrid Lindgren
The Children of Noisy Village - Astrid Lindgren
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Betty MacDonald
No Flying in the House - Betty Brock
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

Also look for books by Cynthia Rylant and Dick King-Smith.

[amcal]

My girls ADORE the Rainbow Magic books. They come in sets of 7 and each book builds on the next. They are grouped together - the Sporty Fairies, the Music Fairies, the Days of the Week Fairies, the Pet Fairies etc..... There are also "special edition" stand alone books. My DD reads these over and over and over again.

There is also a couple new series out along the same lines - Mermaid S.O.S and Butterfly Meadows.

My DD is also crazy about the Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew books. They are the youngest chapter books in the Nancy Drew series. From there, she moved on to the Nancy Drew Notebook series.

The Cam Jansen series is also terrific.

[enkmom]

The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary always went over big here.

[zinemama]

Originally Posted by enkmom

The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary always went over big here.

Same here. My boys loved them. Start with Ramona the Pest.

[Thalia the Muse]

Well, one possibility is to keep going with the Oz books -- there are tons of them, and they're lots of fun!

In addition to the great suggestions already posted, these were hits for us:

Misty of Chincoteague
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Edward Eager's books about magic
And my daughter didn't like Paddington, but I do so I'll throw that in as well. ;-)

[Savoir Faire]

Just to let you know...you should try over at the "Learning at home and beyond" forum....those ladies know their books....as most are home/unschoolers...

[sapphire_chan]

I just read Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm for the first time and it's lovely. Especially how she puts off her career to take care of her family, but points out that she's got plenty of time to do what she likes with her life.

[2cutiekitties]

Originally Posted by enkmom

The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary always went over big here.

yes, this a a must have!!

[2cutiekitties]

Originally Posted by amcal

My DD is also crazy about the Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew books. They are the youngest chapter books in the Nancy Drew series. From there, she moved on to the Nancy Drew Notebook series.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE ND! I am so glad to know a younger crowd can read them. :

[PatienceAndLove]

Magic Treehouse?

[Whistler]

Anne of Green Gables.

Definitely go looking in the Learning At Home forum. There have been some fantastic threads about favorite chapter books over there.

ETA: I loved adventure stories as a kid. Swiss Family Robinson. Treasure Island.

[BMG580]

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye. My absolute favorite book from my childhood and K-3 is really the perfect age range for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Princ...3292941&sr=8-1

[Carolinamidwife]

My dd is 5 and we have been reading The Doll People; she is enamored. There are also some sequels that she is already anticipating.

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by Charbeau

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye. My absolute favorite book from my childhood and K-3 is really the perfect age range for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Princ...3292941&sr=8-1

I was going to recommend this too. The new edition has hideous cover art, but preserves the author's original illustrations.

I also like Anastasia Krupnik, by Lois Lowry (the first in the series is much better than those that follow), and Ballet Shoes by Noel Streetfield. You could try The LIttle Princess and The Secret Garden, although they're longer - a month or so of bedtime reading, rather than a week or two.

[friendtoall]

My dauther is 6 and my son 3.5. Books that they both enjoy include:

Magic Treehouse books
My Father's Dragon books
Henry and Mudge books
Cobble Street Cousins books (Cynthia Rylant)
Because of Winn Dixie

I love threads like this to get more ideas of books for them. Thanks!

[SparklingGemini]

Mandy by Julie Andrews
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillio
Fog Magic Julia L. Sauer
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Norton
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (If this one works, many of her other books are fantastic as well!)