Looking for the best read-aloud chapter books to read to your kids? Here are 25 interesting and engaging books your kids will love! Best for ages 5-8.
Hi friends!
I’m so excited to share this book post today. If you haven’t already checked out this list of 100+ Chapter Book Series for Kids Kindergarten/1st Grade, be sure to do that! I worked on that post with my friend Paige and it’s been a big hit. If you’re not already following Paige over on Instagram, do so immediately! She is a practical, realistic and down-to-earth mama of 4 who is constantly sharing helpful life hacks, recipes ideas and more!
Today we’ve teamed up to share some read-alouds that your kids will actually enjoy! Books that feel like a fun adventure every time you crack open the cover. This list features more than two dozen chapter books we’ve read, adored, and that appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. We’re confident that these books will simultaneously help young kids grow in their love for reading while creating special memories of experiencing these stories together.
Even if your child is a capable reader, research shows that continuing to read books aloud can improve their vocabulary and information processing as well as boost feelings of empathy and connectedness. For new or emerging readers, listening to books can also help foster fluency and comprehension. Above all, these read-alouds are sweet, entertaining, and fun.
And if you don’t have the opportunity to sit down and read with your kids every single day, it’s okay–we get it! The good news is that listening to audiobooks offers many of the same benefits for kids as being read to by an adult.
Here are 25 books that will capture your child’s attention, ignite their imagination, and have them begging for just one more chapter when it’s time to turn off the light.
We’ve also noted which are available from different audiobook platforms. We recommend checking to see if the books are available on free apps like Libby and Hoopla and have also noted which books are available to purchase on several apps. Click the referral links below to explore:
Heartwood Hotel: A True Home
Heartwood Hotel is a charming series about a woodland hotel where a lovable cast of creatures seeking refuge and along the way embark on adventures, overcome challenges, and discover the true meaning of friendship and home.
*Available from: Audible, Scrib’d and Yoto*
Stink
Second grader James “Stink” Moody is an energetic, curious, and imaginative second grader. He’ll take you on hilarious adventures from winning a life-time supply of jawbreakers, to riding a bus full of guinea pigs, to spending the night in an aquarium, and always has a valuable lesson to learn.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Scribd
Fudge-A-Mania
While we wouldn’t recommend the entire 5-book series (due to swear words and other problematic issues), Fudge-A-Mania stands out as a super-fun read aloud. The story follows the Hatcher family on their summer trip to Maine. The story has many laugh-out-loud moments while also touching on poignant topics such as sibling rivalry, friendship, and family dynamics.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Appleblossom the Possum
Appleblossom is a young possum learning how to make her way in the world when she’s spying on a human family and–whoops!– tumbles down their chimney. A young girl inside discovers the marsupial and decides to make her her pet all while hiding her from her family (and dog!) as Appleblossom’s siblings embark on a mission to rescue their sister.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The famous tale of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory withstands the test of time and is worth reading with your kids. After finishing the book, make a date for a family viewing of the movie (we recommend the original version) while enjoying some favorite chocolate treats and you’ll create a simple and memorable experience everyone will treasure.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Yoto
The Wild Robot
Roz is a robot who finds herself abandoned on a remote island. She learns to survive by observing and mimicking the animals around her. Just as she’s making a comfortable home for herself and forging friendships (even adopting an orphan gosling), robots come looking to reclaim her. The series is a fascinating–and heartwarming–look at the intersection of technology and nature. Fair warning: there’s some violence toward the end.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Pippi Longstocking
Pippi’s hijinks are just as hilarious as you may remember. Young Pippi lives alongside her pet monkey and horse in her ramshackle house. She befriends prim and proper siblings, Tommy and Annika, and invites them into her wild and outrageous–but always endearing–world.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
The Magic Treehouse
Good news: if your kids fall in love with this series, there are approximately 674 books (okay, we’re kidding, but there are A LOT!) Siblings Jack and Annie discover a treehouse in the woods near their home that can transport them to different locations and time periods. Children will learn about history, geography, mythology, science, and more in each unique installment.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Yoto
The World According to Humphrey
Class pet Humphrey spends each weekend with a different classmate’s family. Told from the perspective of the hamster himself, we learn about his observations of each family and the different adventures he encounters in their homes (thanks, in part, to a malfunctioning lock on the critter’s cage).
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
The Adventures of Nanny Piggins
What happens when a dad desperate to find childcare for his three kids hires a former flying circus pig as their nanny? Countless unimaginable, laugh-out-loud misadventures. And yet, Nanny Piggins always manages to return the children home fed, loved, cared for, and safe.
*Available from: Audible
The Wizard of Oz
More than 120 years since it was first published, Dorothy, Toto and the entire cast of captivating characters continue to capture children’s (and adult’s) attention. There’s truly no place like Oz, so snuggle in and enjoy reliving this magical journey with your kids.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Scribd
Upside Down Magic
Nory Horace is preparing for her entrance exam for a school for kids with magical powers that her brother and sister attend and where her father happens to be the headmaster. There’s just one problem: Nory’s magic skills are a bit, well, different. The series follows Nory and other classmates with wonky powers who discover that perhaps being different beats trying to fit in.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Scribd
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Sideways Stories reimagines what school might be like if everything were a little less normal and way more fun. Each chapter is an individual mini-story focused on a specific character and is guaranteed to have everyone in hysterics over the absurd mischief that ensues within the walls of the 30-story school.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Hotel Flamingo
Anna is the new owner of the once-grand, but now run-down Hotel Flamingo. This isn’t an ordinary hotel, of course–the staff and guests are all animals! Anna undertakes the enormous task of returning the hotel to its former glory and making it a place where every animal feels welcome and at home.
*Available from: Audible & Yoto
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
This book is a classic for a reason. What kid could resist an adventurous mouse who discovers a young boy’s toy motorcycle and is determined to ride it throughout his Mountain View Inn home, dodging countless obstacles along the way?
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
A Boy Called Bat
Three cheers for this stunning series starring Bixby Alexander Tam (nickname: Bat), a young boy on the autism spectrum who adopts and cares for an abandoned skunk kit. (Luckily, Mom is a veterinarian). The book also adeptly addresses divorce in a thoughtful and compassionate way.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm, Scribd
Toys Go Out
What child hasn’t imagined what might happen if their toys (and other objects) came alive when they weren’t looking? Well, this creative story does just that. The story follows Lumphy, a stuffed buffalo, Plastic, a red bouncy ball, Tuk Tuk, a towel and others who overcome challenges and learn valuable lessons that closely mirror what many kids experience in real life.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm
The Boxcar Children
The four Alden children are orphaned and go to live with their kind and loving grandfather. Each story in this 150-plus book series revolves around a different engaging mystery that the Alden children must solve together.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Scribd
The Very Far North
If the idea of a sweet and curious young polar bear discovering his place and befriending every arctic animal that he encounters along the way doesn’t melt your heart like an iceberg, we don’t know what will. At times the language may feel extra sophisticated, but it’s worth sticking with the story and falling in love with the warm and meaningful connections forged in the frigid far north.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Beezus and Ramona
Any kid with a younger sibling will be able to identify with 9-year-old Beezus who’s constantly exasperated by her 4-year-old little sister, Ramona. Meanwhile, Ramona’s antics–like inviting her entire preschool class to a party at her house without telling her family first–will amuse kids of all ages.
*Available from: Audible & Yoto
Planet Omar
Oh, sweet and lovable Omar! He always tries to do the right thing, but his vivid imagination often gets him into trouble. This wonderful book has the potential to spark invaluable conversations on topics including cultural differences, bullying, friendship, and more.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Yoto.
Skunk and Badger
Serious, routine-loving Badger enjoys the peace and quiet of living alone in his brownstone until Skunk, who’s messy, noisy, and always causing a raucous, becomes his unlikely roommate (and, ultimately, his friend). This adorable book cleverly weaves humor and heart throughout its pages.
*Available from: Audible & Libro.fm
Big Foot and Little Foot
Hugo is a young Sasquatch who dreams of adventure in the Big Wide World instead of remaining hidden in caves. (After all, the most important rule of Sasquatches is that they must never be seen by Humans.) Meanwhile, Hugo is a boy whose biggest wish is to meet–you guessed it—a Sasquatch. So what happens when this duo have an unexpected encounter? They join forces to chase after their curiosity and discover other mythical beasts like Ogopogos and Snoot-Nosed Gints. The adventure awaits!
Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins is an average kid living on Klickitat Street. He has a tendency to get into simple and silly situations such as a bedroom filled with jars of guppies. There’s nothing magical or extraordinary in these stories, but perhaps it’s Henry’s relatability (as well as his adorable adopted dog Ribsy) that hooks kids’ interest and keeps them asking for more.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm, Scribd & Yoto
The BFG
Roald Dahl is renowned for writing fantastical children’s fiction, but–at least in our opinions–not all are a fit for younger ages (Matilda and The Witches may too be scary for some, for instance). But the BFG, in which a girl named Sophie befriends a dream-making Big Friendly Giant, is a wonderful and memorable place to start.
*Available from: Audible, Libro.fm & Yoto
Reminder that if you’re not already listening to audiobooks, you can check out these referral links to get started:
We hope this post gave you some new ideas!
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–