why should you read chapter books with young kids?
Reading is important. Reading is so important that you have probably already read many articles, posts, and books on how important reading is. Big M and Little M have been read to since they were old enough to sit in my lap. We’ve drooled (quite literally) over board books, “ohhh”ed and “ahh”ed over picture books and happily jumped into the exciting world of chapter books.
It was a couple of Christmases ago, (Big M was 5 and little M was 3) that my sister handed out the greatest gift our family could have received. Two books from the Magic Tree House series written by Mary Pope Osborne. We sat down and started reading. We tore through book after book as M and M begged for more. They followed Jack and Annie (the fascinating brother-sister duo) throughout history. They expanded their imaginations recreating the scenes as they ran side by side through our backyard. On more than one occasion Big M has sat for over an hour listening as a Magic Tree House book is read from cover to cover. (No small feat for my EXTREMELY active little boy.)
These books were such a hit, I decided to up the ante. We picked up The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and spent an entire month engaged in the story. The kids and I found ourselves talking about the adventure throughout the day, relating the story to our own daily lives and pining away for the next time we could continue reading. We were hooked. When the book ended I found myself in search of another, eager to begin a new exciting story.
That brings me here… to the reason for this post. As we began the next book I started really thinking about what M and M were gaining from these experiences and how I could expand on them even more…
Chapter books with young kids
1. Chapter books will build on a love for reading.
2. Kids will gain an even greater appreciation for the written word. (There are no pictures to pull you through.)
3. Chapter books force you to practice patience. It would be impossible to read a 300 page book in one sitting. With chapter books you are often forced to press pause on something so exciting. (How many times have you told yourself “just one more page” while reading a nail biting novel?)
4. Visualization is a given. The story unfolds in pictures created in your kids’ imagination instead of an illustrator’s vision.
5. Language, language, language. Chapter books use descriptive words to replace pictures. Imagine the new words your little one will be hearing over and over.
6. Family Connection. Most of the movies and shows that kids are interested in can be pretty boring for adults and vise versa. But reading a carefully selected novel together can be exciting for everyone involved. (Once they can read on their own it may not be quite as easy to join in the journey, so make sure to really enjoy it.)
What age did you start reading chapter books with your kids?
Make sure to visit Quick Reader Chapter Books and Chapter Book Review to find out what we’ve read!
***Make sure to read the comments. There is some really great information left by readers!***
Love this and totally agree. I started reading chapter books with my son just before he turned three. We took s long break because the baby was….. a handful. But now we have started reading chapter books again. We are going through the Little House on the Prairie series and it is wonderful to sit with my 4 year old and his 18 month old little brother in my lap. Little bro wants to be just like big bro so they both sit and listen to a couple chapters at at ime. It’s absolutely wonderful!
Ahhhh…. one of the memories I know I will treasure!
I loved the article on reading chapter books to kids and I am very interested in reading them to my 3 yr old twins…can you recommend a few titles that you think might be appropriate for them? Thanks!
On Thursday I will be posting a list of books we recommend. Come on back. 🙂
We love reading chapter books! My oldest just turned 5 and my middle child just turned 2. We started reading chapter books when my oldest was about 3 1/2. We’ve read everything from The Magic Tree House to Charlotte’s Web to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Great quality time!
It is the best quality time. Thanks for stopping by!
We LOVE the Magic Tree House books! My 4 kids take turns picking them out, and we all enjoy them together (ages 4-7). One fun thing we just started- we have a huge world wall map and we mark the (geographical) settings of the books, so we can learn a little geography while we do our armchair travel:). I’ll put up a picture soon on my site of the map!
What a fantastic idea!!! I love adding extra’s to the book reading experience I think it really helps kids comprehend what they are reading.
I love reading chapter books with my boys (now 4.5. & 6). We started when the youngest was 3. Our first chapter book was “Charlotte’s Web”. All the reasons you list of why it’s important to read chapter books to children are so true. Great post. Thanks for sharing!
We have not tried Charlotte’s Web yet. I think it needs to go on our must read list! Thank you for stopping by. 😉
My 4-year-old (very active) boy is also enchanted with Jack and Annie and he already scours garage sales for Magic Tree House books we haven’t yet read. Our very first chapter book, when he was 3, was the good old standard Beverly Cleary. Since I only have a boy, we started with the “Henry” books. I think we’ve read “Henry and Ribsy” three times now. Don’t miss out on those! They are a joy to read (and it’s a joy to watch my son laugh as I read them.)
I did miss those! They are going on my list! Thank you.
I have been considering beginning a chapter book with my 3 and 4 year old daughters, but have struggled to find the “perfect” book. Do you have any suggestions for great books to start with?
YES!!! Come back here on Thursday. (I’ll give you an entire list.) 🙂
Thanks! Great article! Would live to see recommendations for chapter books for young ones!
Come back here on Thursday. (I’ll give you an entire list.) 🙂
I just started to read beginner chapter books (short chapters with some pictures on the sides) to my three year old son and we’re both hooked! We started with Wind in the Willows and just recently finished The Wizard of Oz. Do you know of any lists for chapter books for small children?
YES!!! Come back here on Thursday. I’ll give you an entire list. PS. We I can’t wait to try the ones you’ve read!
Looking forward to it!
I love this. I’m not yet a mommy, but it is a definite desire in my heart to be one. In the meantime I’m working on becoming a nurse and also help take care of a little boy and girl as their part time nanny. On my first day of the “job” I pulled out the first book in the Chronicle’s of Narnia, The Magician’s Nephew. It is just about four months later and we are on the exciting journey of the 4th book, Prince Caspian. They are soaking it up so much. Being a British series written for fourth graders and up, I get a ton of questions throughout our reading time from my dear precocious 6 and 4 year old. It’s wonderful. Everything you said about chapter books for young kids is so true. I can’t wait to do the same with my future children.
Mandy,
We haven’t read The Magician’s Nephew yet. Would you recommend we go back to that one before moving on to the 3rd book? So glad to hear you have a job that allows to work with kids. That experience will be so valuable when you have little ones of your own. Good luck!
Jill
You don’t have to! While The Magician’s Nephew is the first story chronologically (and describes where the magical wardrobe came from), it was not originally written or published as the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia — it was actually the 6th of 7. My husband and I get upset whenever we see it re-numbered as book #1, as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is so much more engaging. The re-ordering of the Narnia books is discussed on wikipedia.
I love your post, BTW. We are huge Jack and Annie fans too!
Thanks. 🙂