April 14, 2024
Picture books are wonderful for kindergarten, and we all know that students love being read to. But what do you do when you’d like to continue one story for a long time to start working on comprehension and retention? Or what if your students are looking for something a little “meatier”? You don’t want to miss out on reading to your students, so that’s why we’ve come up with a list of the BEST read-aloud chapter books for kindergarten!
Choosing chapter books that are age-appropriate and engaging for kindergarten can be hard. You want to keep them interested, but not have anything too old or go over their heads. We’ve chosen some of the best ones that will be good for your whole classroom. Keep reading to find out more!
This article goes well with these Simply Kinder resources:
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Chapter book series make great read-aloud books because they can continue learning about and loving characters for multiple books in a row! Here are some kindergarten favorites.
Magic Treehouse: This series is a classic for elementary children! Students love them when they start reading to themselves, but they’re also perfect as a read-aloud series! A brother and sister take magical journeys to different periods in time to explore things like dinosaurs, knights, mummies, and more! Your students will love learning all these different facts while also being sucked into the story! Here is a box set of the first 28 books in the series:
Junie B Jones: This series is about a funny kindergarten girl, so it’s perfect for your students! They are written from the perspective of a 5-year-old Junie, so some of the grammar is incorrect, just to keep in mind. However, these books are sure to keep your kinders entertained and laughing out loud! Grab the first 17 books here:
Flat Stanley: Flat Stanley goes on so many adventures that your students are sure to love! A bulletin board fell on him and made him flat so he is able to travel anywhere through the mail. He even becomes invisible to help stop bank robbers! These exciting books will have your students asking for more read-aloud time every day! Get a 4 story box set:
Mercy Watson: These fun stories about an adventurous pig who will do anything for a favorite treat- buttered toast are sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Mercy is a bit mischievous and the students love living through all the exciting situations that she always ends up having. Try out the first 6 books in this box set here:
Here are even more great book series ideas:
The Littles: This book is an oldie but a goodie, and students still love it today! The Littles are a family of very small people who live inside a wall! When the family who owns the house goes on vacation, a real adventure begins when cats and mice take over. The two littlest Littles must try to save the day so they can get back to their normal lives. Amazon has the book with a new current cover here:
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle: The perfect combination of Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a hilarious story with lots of problem-solving skills. It’s perfect for adding discussion with your students throughout the book. Here it is:
The Mouse and the Motorcycle: A classic tale by Beverly Cleary tells about a very busy mouse who will do anything to ride a motorcycle. With that adventure comes a lot of obstacles though, like dodging a tricky dog and trying to hide from his cousins. Your students will love seeing everything Ralph goes through to make his dream come true! Read it from Amazon here:
Zoey and Sassafrass: Zoey and Sassafras, the trusty cat, can only solve problems by using science in this book! They need to help an injured baby dragon, which is fun all by itself! Get the book today on Amazon:
We hope you love this list of chapter books for your students! Do you have any other suggestions for the best read-aloud chapter books for kindergarten? Any tried and true favorites in your class? Be sure to share on our Simply Kinder Teacher Group Facebook Page! Happy reading!
This post was written by Johanna, an experienced early elementary teacher who loves learning about new teaching ideas for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade!
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