I can't believe I'm out of ideas already!

DD enjoys listening to chapter books but I'm having trouble finding age appropriate ones. We've already read the Little House books, Charlotte's Web, Peter Pan, & Ramona the Pest. We won't be reading more Ramona for a while b/c DD likes to emulate her. And since we'll be homeschooling I'm not comfortable with the romanticism of school. We started Stuart Little, but that didn't hold DD's interest.

I need more ideas!

There's a book we read to our older preschoolers at the school I teach, called My Father's Dragon. There is also a book I like called The read aloud hand book. It has lots of suggestions for all kinds of books that are great to read aloud, with ages recommendations and short descriptions. Oh, what about the original Winnie the Pooh series. We are reading that to our dd to get her more used to stories with little to no pictures, and it is set up as a chapter book.

I will looking forward to see what other people have tosay.

Aimee

The indian in the cupboard (although it does mention some school)

Anne of green gables (I LOVE this series)

The wind in the willows

The wizard of oz (the original books, I really liked reading these when I was in 5th grade)

I know I know more, but I'm tired right now. I'm impressed that your 3.5 yr old likes to listen to chapter books. My 3 yr old loves storytime, but is still really into having a lot of pictures along with the stories, so I haven't tried any chapter books with him.

The Littles series, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Mouse and the Motorcycle series by Bevery Cleary, The Cricket in Times Square.

I was going to suggest Frog and Toad and Minarik's Little Bear books, but then I saw what you've been reading her. That's one sophisticated 3.5 yo!

The Chronicles of Narnia

How about the Raggedy Ann and Andy books?

I started the Boxcar Children series with my 3 yo and she enjoyed it. We only got through the first two so far. I think she would really enjoy the Little House books, too. We will have to try those next. Oh, and we just got the Milly Molly Mandy Storybook and she loves the stories in it. It has been around since 1928! I keep meaning to ask my Grandmother if she ever read it. Basic, but sweet and wholesome. It really emphasizes family.

Magic Treehouse series

The Chronicles of Narnia
You really think so?! I read a few of these to my 3rd and 4th grade students last year and felt they were too much for those kids! I'd hold off on those at least another 5 years.

I was going to suggest Charlotte's Web, but I see you've covered that one. How about The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane? The vocabulary is pretty sophisticated and will need some explanation here and there, but it's a beautiful story that you'd enjoy too. I'm reading it to my students right now.

We read Harry Potter when dd was between 3.5 and 4; she had already seen the movies and was excited to read the books.

I think it depends on the child. My older dd read some of the Narnia books and Harry Potter books at 6 and they didn't frighten her, but fantasy isn't something that she finds as frightening as something that could really happen.

Both of my girls really liked the book, Mandy, by Julie Edwards when they were a bit older than your dd. It was one of my favorites when I was a child too. It's about a 10 y/o girl who lives in an orphanage and who climbs over the back wall and finds a cottage that she decides to make her own. It is very sweet and she makes up this whole fantasy surrounding the cottage (and she does get adopted at the end).

There's a book we read to our older preschoolers at the school I teach, called My Father's Dragon. There is also a book I like called The read aloud hand book. It has lots of suggestions for all kinds of books that are great to read aloud, with ages recommendations and short descriptions. Oh, what about the original Winnie the Pooh series. We are reading that to our dd to get her more used to stories with little to no pictures, and it is set up as a chapter book.

I will looking forward to see what other people have tosay.

Aimee

I will try My Father's Dragon...we have a falling apart copy somewhere on DD's bookshelf!

I've requested The read aloud hand book from the library. Thanks for the recommendation!

Wow, thanks for all the ideas! Keep 'em coming!

I requested Mandy and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane from the library.

I've thought about The Chronicles of Narnia but I think we should wait a bit longer.

The Mouse & The Motorcycle...I bet she'd like that one!

mags, I love the Anne of Green Gables books too! I have a whole shelf of L. M. Montgomery.

Fantastic Mr.Fox

The Great Piratical Rumbustification and the Librarian and the Robbers (on the shorter side but fun)

Alice in Wonderland

I wanted to second the 'My Father's Dragon' series. My daughter loved them at that age. Also, even though they are much shorter and not as involved as the other books you mentioned we like the Frog and Toad stories. She has them memorized and likes to act them out.

What about Charlottes Web? Magic Treehouse books? That's a hard age to think of chapter books for.

M

Whoops you already said Charlottes Web!

I had that same question back in January and got some great responses. One mother, in particular, has a daughter who loved reading and gave a really extensive list. Here's the link to my previous post:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=598490

B is for Betsy series (though it definitely is about school, though I love that this series written in the 1950's has an integrated school and no one thinks twice about it) Moreover can read "Snowbound with Betsy though and one of the books takes place during the summer, so you avoid the subject). But unlike even Mandy, which frankly has some VERY scary moments...ditto Narnia. The Besty series is super gentle so about the wonders of the every day. And I personally find its emotions much more true to life than Ramona (but maybe that's just my kids).

I liked books on tape for my daughter (and she LOVES them) because they really fostered HER to follow along and I'm convinced they helped her learn to read since she was looking the words while someone was saying them aloud as well. They were for when I needed a break though! Some libraries have a variety that you can borrow.

As for chapter books, we read Narnia when she was 4.5 and she was fine with it even though she didn't quite "get it." There are lots more younger fantasy books that she enjoys- there is one series in particular called The Weather Fairies and another she just started called My Secret Unicorn. They are pretty descriptive and a bit on the bland side for real magic, so it's not as "deep" as the Narnia stuff and no violence.

How about the other books by Beverly Cleary? There is Henry and Ribsy and Socks... to name two that we recently re-read. They are older though and I think one mentions spanking and Socks definitely mentions formula.

The thing is... if she isn't looking over your shoulder as you read, you can EDIT - I've done this heavily when we read books I haven't previewed and I'm reading at bedtime. If it says "gave the baby a bottle" you can say "nursed" etc.

She also likes the Choose Your Own Adventure books (sometimes violent) and the Cam Jansen series. Again, if you read older books, they aren't going to be politically correct for the times and you might have to use the opportunity to explain that some or edit.

I think it's awesome that you're introducing chapter books already- I did that early on too- my dd just had such an interest in longer stories. She began reading at 5 yrs old and is now 6.5 and reading everything in sight- even the chapter books we pick out that are on a 4th grade level! Yay!

If I think of any more, I'll let you know. If she were awake right now, I'm sure she'd be listing them all for me! :lol

'Manda

my kids loved charlotte's web and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Now we are reading Swallows and Amazons, which is very, very British, but full of adventure and we're getting into it now... my guys are 6, and 3... the baby is into everything (she's 4 months... :shy )