First grade is an exciting year of reading growth for many students, and building stamina and fluency for reading longer books is often a big part of that. Finding chapter books for first graders across different reading levels that hit the sweet spot between engaging and manageable can be tricky. We’ve got you covered with this list that offers a range of options, from classics to recent titles, that work for both independent reading and reading aloud.
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Beginning Chapter Books for 1st Graders
Help kids continue to practice decoding without overwhelming them. These titles all have marked “chapters” but also include supportive illustrations, larger text, and simpler content. Bonus: All of them are series chapter books for first graders who want to keep on reading!
1. Unicorn and Yeti series by Heather Ayris Burnell, illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla
Fiction
Amazon
This vibrant and engaging series of chapter books for first grade is truly delightful. With colorful illustrations and simple, repetitive text, each short chapter tells the silly and fun tales of two best friends, Unicorn and Yeti, who despite their differences can agree on their fondness for sparkly things. Share these very beginning chapter books for first graders with newly independent readers to boost their confidence.
2. Bat, Cat & Rat series by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Mark Teague
Fiction
Amazon
These titles use limited, repetitive vocabulary and sweetly detailed illustrations to tell compelling stories about a group of animal friends. Hand them to kids who still need just one or two sentences per page but want to try out longer books. The content is authentic enough for comprehension discussions too.
3. Poppleton series by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague
Fiction
Amazon
Poppleton and his friends share adventures and the ups and downs of daily life together. With a book for each season, these are fun to share and discuss as class reads throughout the year. Or suggest them to readers who want to read longer books but will still benefit from the support of repetitive vocabulary and illustrations on every page.
Reminiscent of Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie, kids love the funny antics and banter of pals Snail and Worm. Joyful, bright illustrations and easier vocabulary make these ideal for handing to first graders just transitioning to longer books. Plus, call their attention to the playful punctuation and line breaks to help them practice reading with expression.
These charming tales of a dynamic and imaginative ocean-dwelling duo explore lots of themes related to friendship. The fun-fact bonus sections weave in knowledge-building about about ocean-related topics too. Hand these funny chapter books for first graders to those who will feel reassured by fewer words on a page. We also like using them to teach kids how to navigate the panels of a graphic novel from top to bottom and left to right.
Frog and Toad’s loyal companionship is a classic children’s literature model for friendship. These lighthearted stories make for lovely small-group and class discussions about characters; you might even compare these animals to those in Arnold Lobel’s other books. Since each chapter is its own short story, these beginning chapter books for first grade also work well for practicing identifying story elements and retelling.
7. Charlie & Mouse series by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Emily Hughes
Fiction
Amazon
These easygoing, funny stories depict everyday events in the lives of two brothers, like walking to a playground in the neighborhood or eating a banana for a bedtime snack. Emotive illustrations and short, concise sentences make this series both accessible and satisfying. We like using them when discussing characters’ emotions—they offer lots of possibilities for making connections.
Facing common dilemmas like dealing with younger twin siblings and struggling to name her new doll, Penny is a relatable protagonist from a favorite children’s book creator. Share these with your younger first grade readers on the cusp of tackling longer chapter books who enjoy sweetly illustrated stories.
9. Mr. Putter & Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
Fiction
Amazon
Across short chapters, Mr. Putter and his endearing pet cat, Tabby, have many adventures together, often made better by a visit with their quirky neighbor. These beginning chapter books for first graders are perfect for young readers who appreciate quiet tales of beloved pets.
10. Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illustrated by Marc Simont
Mystery
Amazon
These clever chapter books for first graders feature the curious detective Nate and his dog, Sludge. Purposeful line breaks divide up the simple text and keep the action moving. These are our long-standing go-to mystery chapter books for first graders. With plenty of series titles to choose from, your students will never run out of cases to solve.
11. Houndsley and Catina series by James Howe, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Fiction
Amazon
Even with their differences, Houndsley and Catina are best friends who are always there to cheer each other up. Share this series with kids who like warm, friendship-focused tales.
These friendship stories are so adorable that reading them feels like taking a peek at the adventures of two stuffed animals. Share these with students who appreciate quietly funny books.
Decodable books are an essential part of first grade reading instruction. Chapter books designed to be highly decodable can be a great support for kids while they get used to using their phonics skills to read longer books.
13. Meg and Greg series by Elspeth Rae and Rowena Rae, illustrated by Elisa Gutiérrez
Decodable
Amazon
These stories are not fully controlled for phonics content, but they have many boldface examples of words with the target phonics patterns. Plus, each chapter has several added comic book–style pages with higher decodability. Introduce these to kids who want to read books that look and feel like true chapter books, but will still benefit from a more explicit focus on phonics.
Each of these titles about the adventures of siblings Tim and Kim Kent is almost entirely decodable. (Pus, they list any irregular or other high-priority unfamiliar words to pre-teach.) This author created these books to support kids with dyslexia, but we’ve seen many first graders get excited about being able to successfully decode these titles.
There are so many gorgeous and colorful illustrated chapter books for first graders to keep kids engaged as they navigate increased text demands and more complex ideas. These are some fan favorites.
15. Rabbit & Bear series by Julian Gough and Jim Field
Fiction
Amazon
Not your average animal story, these are uniquely funny chapter books for first graders about two animals who must work out their differences. Kids will laugh at the bathroom humor, which is relatively tame and works into the story tactfully. These are fun to read aloud and discuss or for a good dose of levity for reluctant readers.
Doug and Abby are enthusiastic members of the Bug Scouts, while Josh is just in it for the snacks. The scouts must go on many forest adventures to test their skills and earn their badges, with plenty of hilarious puns and jokes along the way. The chapters in these graphic novels provide a nice structure for kids who benefit from frequent check-ins around comprehension. They are also helpful for sharing with guidance and support to learn how to navigate graphic novel formatting.
Vivid illustrations surround the simple text and speech bubbles on each page, making these books perfect for helping readers advance their fluency skills. Share these heartfelt stories of animal friendship and teamwork with beginning readers ready to get hooked on series with lots of titles—there are more than 20!
Written in diary-entry format like Owl Diaries, these imaginative graphic novels advance readers’ skills while keeping them entertained with stories of unicorns and magic. Rebecca Elliott has a knack for creating relatable plots for younger students that include plenty of fun too. Share these with Owl Diaries fans who need more reading options!
19. Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren Castillo
Fiction
Amazon
After a big storm blows his stuffed dog Muddy away, Hedgehog must search far and wide for his beloved friend. Along the way, he discovers new friends who help him on his journey. This title is perfect to hand to a thoughtful reader ready for a longer, but still gentle, friendship tale. It’s also a joy to read aloud. Be sure to check out the sequel too!
20. Katie Woo series by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Tammie Lyon
Fiction
Amazon
This prolific series of chapter books for first graders includes dozens of titles and is a reliable hit. Realistic portrayals of Katie’s friendship dilemmas and entertaining adventures are written with basic vocabulary to support students’ fluency and comprehension development. This is a great choice to boost first grade students’ confidence with lots of reading practice.
This endearing three-book series is an absolute delight. When an unassuming monster accidentally swallows a boy, together the two of them must figure out a way to make things right again. Young readers will laugh at the absurd premise and eagerly anticipate the resolution. This is a fun series to read in a small book group so kids can share their predictions about how things may turn out.
It’s exciting when growing readers feel confident enough to jump into more traditional chapter books. These diverse chapter books for first graders each have 90+ black-and-white pages and more varied language. They will appeal to all genders and stretch kids’ reading stamina with more text and fewer illustrations.
22. Ava Lin series by Vicky Fang
Fiction
Amazon
BIghearted Ava Lin begins first grade at the start of this series. Kids will enjoy reading about her hopes and mishaps. These books make a great first “real” chapter book series. Double-spaced text and uncluttered illustrations with speech bubbles help first grade readers decode and comprehend these confidently.
23. Ratnip series by Cam Higgins, illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
Fiction
Amazon
Extra Cheese Scratchy Paws Sniffs-a-Lot (aka “Ratnip”) lives in a city pizza parlor with his siblings and a racoon named Cookie. Kids will giggle over the slightly gross food references and funny details about life from a rat’s perspective. Pass these to kids who will feel reassured by the larger, double-spaced font. Encourage them to make inferences using both the text and the cartoon-style illustrations.
24. The Adventures of Sophie Mouse series by Poppy Green, illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell
Fiction
Amazon
Kind and thoughtful Sophie Mouse is the star of this 22-book series, along with her friends Hattie Frog and Owen Snake. Endlessly charming, these chapter books for first graders are filled with heartwarming stories of friendship and family. Share these longer books with individuals, reading partners, or groups ready to discuss common first grade experiences like dealing with jealousy and understanding and overcoming differences.
25. Here’s Hank series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Fiction
Amazon
Hank is an endearing character with a great sense of humor who struggles in school. The text is published in a readable font designed for readers with dyslexia, making it extra-approachable. Share this series to help kids in your class build empathy or feel seen. The series opener also works well as a read-aloud for starting important discussions about learning differences.
26. Amelia Bedelia series by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril
Fiction
Amazon
An updated kid-version of the beloved character Amelia Bedelia stars in this series of chapter books for first graders. Like the originals, these stories are filled with plenty of humor and wordplay to enjoy. Share them with first graders who have a bit of chapter-book reading experience and are ready for more detailed plots and vocabulary.
27. Sofia Martinez series by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Kim Smith
Fiction
Amazon
Sofia is a spunky 7-year-old girl who tries to stand out among her sisters and family by asserting herself and coming up with creative ways to solve problems. Hand these to first graders who have some experience with realistic fiction already, and who will enjoy the books’ thoughtful integration of cultural elements and Spanish words.
With an unforgettable and hilarious main character, these chapter books for first graders display storytelling at its best. Readers will greatly enjoy following Dory’s silly antics as she tries to play with her older siblings and uses her imagination to be brave. Share these with your equally imaginative first grade friends.
Find dragons, wizardry, and magic galore in this imaginative and fast-moving series. In the first installment, Drake becomes a dragon master in training, as he and his dragon train together while discovering special powers that will help them fight evil. Share these books with readers whom you’d love to hook into a compelling (and long!) fantasy series.
30. Audrey L & Audrey W series by Carter Higgins, illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann
Fiction
Amazon
For Audrey L, second grade is not shaping up like she’d imagined, as she struggles to find a supportive friend. When another Audrey joins her class, she learns what it means to be kind, even when she feels like she doesn’t measure up to her new classmate. These realistic stories are a wonderful choice for first graders grappling with similar friendship and school dynamics.
31. Captain Awesome series by Stan Kirby, illustrated by George O’Connor
Fiction
Amazon
Eight-year-old Eugene McGillicuddy copes with his challenges, including moving to a new school, in a classic kid lit way: He transforms into a superhero! Hook reluctant readers—especially boys—with this funny and comic-themed series. It’s ideal for comprehension discussions about characters and events.
32. J.D. the Kid Barber series by J. Dillard, illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts
Fiction
Amazon
After getting a disastrous haircut from his mom, J.D. decides to take matters into his own hands. He gives himself a haircut, and before long he’s started his own successful barbering business. Although this series is slightly more advanced than others on our list, we highly recommend it for kids ready to read a more detailed portrayal of an 8-year-old boy’s family dynamics, school experiences, and struggles with bullying—all with a good dose of humor and fun.
Reading great chapter books aloud is a treasured part of the day in many classrooms. While you could also give these titles to advanced readers to read on their own, they’re some of our favorites for sharing as a group. They have so many chances to build first graders’ vocabulary and knowledge when presented with adult support.
33. My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Fantasy
Amazon
Written almost 80 years ago, this is one of those award-winning chapter books for first graders that is still guaranteed to captivate. After telling a stray cat about his dream to fly, a boy named Elmer travels to a wild island to help a dragon in trouble. On his way there, he confronts many unruly animals in his path. We suggest reading this aloud and pausing for discussions about what students visualize. There are two other titles to enjoy in this trilogy as well.
34. Zoey and Sassafras by Asia Citro, illustrated by Marion Lindsay
Fantasy
Amazon
Zoey uses scientific experiments to gather information she needs to care for sick magical animals who find their way to her barn. These titles build so much background knowledge about the scientific method for kids. We love reading at least the first title aloud to the whole class and then encouraging interested readers to continue with the series.
35. The Mouse and the Motorcycle series by Beverly Cleary
Fiction
Amazon
When Keith’s family stays in a motel during a road trip, he meets an unusual young mouse with a penchant for toys. So begins a memorable adventure. While some of the dated language and content require some explaining to today’s kids, we love reading this title aloud to introduce first graders to a classic author.
