Grade 1/2 Level Chapter Books?

[ditzyscrap]

Any suggestions for chapter books suitable for a grade 1/2 reading level?

I ordered Mason some "Ready, Freddy" books from Scholastic this past month (waiting anxiously to receive them, lol), and am going to check out the Junie B Jones series (are those good for boys? I have a girl and a boy, but my girl is only 4...though she'll be sitting with us when we're reading the chapter books each night) and Robin Hill School.

Tonight I was looking through the flyer for the Scholastic Book Fair and there was a little ad in the bottom corner for a new series "39 Clues"...the first book just came out and the second one is coming in December. All together there are supposed to be 10 books in the series, over the course of a year. It sounds pretty interesting and interactive, too. You can read about it here. I'm kinda curious to check them out, actually...not sure what age group they're aimed at, though.

Anyhow, yeah...I'm on the hunt for chapter books that will hold the kids' interest and not be too complicated, that I can read a chapter or so a night with the kids. Any ideas?

[mrsmbm]

Magic Treehouse series, hands down! My four year old loves me to read them outloud to her!

[*Kelly*]

I teach first grade but taught 2nd for 7 years and both my girls and boys loved Junie. I know there are many people who have issues with the Junie series because of her 'improper' use of the English language, but to me it adds to her character.

There is an Arthur series, Magic Tree House Series, Captain Underpants series, Judy Moody.. I'll have to think of what else my high readers read besides what I read to my class. HTH

[lhaslem]

Junie B is sooo funny, and I think they'd be fine for either boy/girl. Don't forget to get yourself into character when reading...oh, she cracks me up!

Nate the Great are good ones too.

[BrattyMeg]

We're Junie B fans too!! We like the Magic Tree House books too...

[hhleung]

I have a child who's reading at that level now. Young Cam Jansen, Junie B Jones, Magic School Bus, Janette Oke's Animal Friends (this is Christian-themed, though)

[Jennifer]

Another teacher (ok, former) of 1st and 2nd grades and I love Junie B.! Magic Treehouse is great, too.

For read aloud, I LOVE Roald Dahl. He wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka), James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and tons more.

[AmyM]

We like Junie B. Kassi had the audio book in kindergarten and played that thing nonstop. Drove me nuts. LOL
We need some good chapter books too. I'm interested to hear everyone's recommendations.

[Emmy]

Nate the Great is perfect for that age.

[tanbanan]

Henry and Mudge, Marvin Redpost (2nd grade), and Horrible Harry Series.

Not a huge Junie B. fan, my kids were always correcting her grammar, so it bothered them too!

[Laura_A]

In 1st grade Riley LOVED the Cam Jansen books and Junie B Jones... I think we have 100s. lol She still love the Magic Treehouse books and I just started her on the Little House series... but I think that's a little higher than 1st & 2nd grade level.

If he doesn't scare too easily you could start him on the Goosebumps books. those are always fun little mysteries.

[newfiemountiewife]

Benjamin liked Magic Treehouse and Magic School Bus. He also liked/likes Captain Underpants and Geronimo Stilton.

[Darcy Baldwin]

We also liked Encyclopedia Brown

[MelissaL88]

My boys thought Junie B was hysterical when i would read them outloud. Magic Tree house is really good too! Captain Underpants is really funny. I know the boys have read Cam Jansen & Geronimo Stilton, but I can't remember what grade they were in when they read them.

I probably wouldn't recommend the Rick Riordan books for that age (39 Clues). He has another series called "The Lightning Thief" that my son's 4th grade teacher is reading aloud in class. My oldest LOVES that series and wants to start on the 39 Clues as well.

[pbumbaca]

My son liked a lot of the Junie B series and both my boys loved the Magic Treehouse books. Bree, we have a ton of the treehouse books, I'd be happy to send you a few if you'd like. Just grab me in the CT forum.

[jessica31876]

Oh my kids always love Magic Treehouse. I liked Judy Bloom...like Superfudge and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I also love Frecklejuice and How to Eat Fried Worms

[scrappinsweetie]

bree there aren't a lot of them but she is writing more, but check out the skippyjon jones books by judy schachner (she is author of the month for oct at scholastic) gabe loves these books. scholastic also has a huge set of scooby doo books that mason should be able to read by himself to you and natalie or you could read it to them. they are short chapter books written to encourage the kids to read chapter books. magic treehouses are good too

[Sue Setiadji]

My dd loves Charlie Small at the moment - not sure if its a little advanced but you can check out the website here (the boys in her class love it too. Geronimo Stillton was a fav with the boys in yr1/2 a while back.
Another that my DD was reading is the Mr Gum series by Andy Stanton - it too is fairly recent. The eldest was more into fairies - the Rainbow fairy series was her fav but the younger one preferred Airy Fairy.
The whole series by JA Mawter is another one she worked through - So Stinky, So Grotty etc. I always find Borders a fabulous resource for childrens books and the kids can go in with you and check them out over a milkshake while your having a cuppa - thats how we found most of our favs!

[Jennilyn]

We only have one Junie B book but my 6 year old liked it and my sister, who gave it to her, says her 7 year old loves the books.

Kristen brings home small chapter books from the school library sometimes. Books like Powerpuff Girls, Barbie, & there's a series of Tinkerbell books out that have the characters that are in the new movie coming out soon.

Sorry I don't have any good suggestions...I have 2 girls. LOL

[mrs_jb]

Yep, we are big Magic Treehouse fans! My son also loves the Adventures of Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

[mormishmom]

Originally Posted by tanbanan

Henry and Mudge, Marvin Redpost (2nd grade), and Horrible Harry Series.

Those are great and some 2nd graders can read them by themselves. The Frog and Toad is another series of "chapter" books that 2nd graders enjoy reading to themselves.

My class loved when I read the Spiderwick Chronicles to them. Some others I read aloud were:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (and the sequels)
I read some Junie B., but her grammar drove me a little nuts
Charlotte's Web
Sideways Stories from Wayside School (weird, but they loved it)
Stuart Little
Flat Stanley (but a lot of 1st grade teachers did this one too)
The Fudge Books
Freckle Juice
Judy Moody
Bunnicula (great for Halloween)

I hope you find something!