Hello,
Here is a list of chapter books compiled by our own Jennifer Songster, department and children's librarian of the Dana Branch Library:
Chapter Books to Read Aloud
(especially, but not exclusively, to children under the age of 8)
Avi. The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an even smaller ant) ~ Avon the snail and Edward, a take-charge ant, set off together on a journey to an undetermined destination in search of unspecified adventures.
Barrows, Annie. Ivy & Bean (series) ~ When Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.
Briggs, Anita. Hobart ~ Four budding artists, a tap dancer, a poet, a singer, and an acrobat, who just happen to be pigs, live out their dreams and avoid becoming bacon.
Burnett, Frances H. The Secret Garden ~ Ten-year-old Mary comes to live in a lonely house on the Yorkshire moors and discovers an invalid cousin and the mysteries of a locked garden.
Carris, Joan. Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit ~ The family animals at the Bed and Biscuit begin to feel slighted when Dr. Bender returns from a fire with something that occupies the time usually reserved for them.
Christian, Mary Blount. Sebastian, Super Sleuth (series) ~ Dog detective, Sebastian, is on the job with stolen Egyptian artifacts and other mysteries in this series.
Cleary, Beverly. Henry and Ribsy ~ Henry wants to go fishing with his dad more than anything so Henry and his dad make a deal. If Henry can keep his dog, Ribsy, out of trouble for a month, then Mr. Huggins will take them both fishing.
Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle ~ A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.
Coombs, Patricia. Dorrie (series) ~ Dorrie, a little witch, has all sorts of adventures in this series.
Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach ~ A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach.
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson (series) ~ Mercy Watson is a pig who has many adventures in and around here own backyard.
DiCamillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane ~ Edward Tulane is a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, he loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him. He travels across the country finding new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories.
DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux: Being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread ~ The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the that princess he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.
Dixon, Franklin, The Hardy Boys (series) ~ Frank and Joe Hardy, amateur, teen detectives, are always at the center of wholesome action, mystery, and suspense as they bring criminals to justice.
Erickson, Russell E. A Toad for Tuesday (series) ~ Warton the toad dons on a pair of homemade skis and ventures out in the dead of winter to visit Aunt Toolia.
Fleming, Ian. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: the magical car ~ The Potts family embarks on a rollicking adventure in their magical car in this hilarious story written by the infamous author of the James Bond series, Ian Fleming.
Gannett, Ruth. My Father’s Dragon (series) ~ Elmer Elevator stows away to rescue a baby dragon in a far-away land.
Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows ~ The adventures of four friends, Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger, who live in the English country-side.
Hurwitz, Joanna. Tales Julian Tells (series) ~ Episodes in seven-year-old Julian’s life, including getting in trouble with his younger brother Huey, trying to grow taller, and finding a new friend.
Jenkins, Emily. Toys Go Out ~ Three best friends, who happen to be toys, have a series of adventures.
Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew (series) ~ The intrepid girl detective solves crimes and captures criminals.
King-Smith, Dick. Babe ~ A piglet, destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret for success.
King-Smith, Dick. Funny Frank ~ Gertie the Hen is appalled when her son Frank wants to swim with the ducks, but Jemima and her mother, the farmer’s wife, make him a special outfit so that his dream can come true.
King-Smith, Dick. The Nine Lives of Aristotle ~ A little white kitten goes to live with a witch in an old cottage where he finds so many opportunities for risky adventures that he soon has only one life left.
LeGuin, Ursula. Catwings (series) ~ Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands.
LeGuin, Ursula. Tom Mouse ~ Tom Mouse befriends an old woman on the train he’s boarded looking for travel and adventure.
Lindgren, Astrid. Pippy Longstocking (series) ~ The escapades of a girl who lives with a horse and a monkey at the edge of a Swedish village.
Lowry, Lois. Gooney Bird Greene (series) ~ A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her second grade class by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name.
MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (series) ~ From her upside down house, the eccentric Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle cures such common children’s diseases as won’t-put-away-toys-itis and answerbackism and fighter-quarellitis.
Martin, Ann M. The Doll People ~ A family of porcelain dolls that have lived in the same house for 100 years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn’t follow The Doll Code of Honor.
McClosky, Robert. Homer Price ~ Six episodes in Homer’s life, including one in which he and his pet skunk capture four bandits, and another about a donut machine on the rampage.
Milne, A.A. Winnie-the-Pooh ~ The adventures of Christopher Robin and his friends in which Pooh Bear uses a balloon to get honey, Piglet meets a Heffalump and Eyeore has a birthday.
Norton, Mary. The Borrowers (series) ~ A family of miniature people journey down a drain, live briefly in a tea kettle, and are swept away by a flood before finding a new home.
Reiche, Dietlof. I, Freddy: book one in the golden hamster saga ~ Fredy a remarkable intelligent golden hamster, learns how to read and write on a computer and escapes captivity to become an independent and civilized creature.
Saint-Exupery, Antoine de. The Little Prince ~ A fantasy about a young prince and a pilot who meet in the Sahara desert.
Spyri, Johanna. Heidi ~ A Swiss orphan girl is broken-hearted when she has to leave her beloved grandfather and their happy home in the mountains to go to school and care for an invalid girl.
Travers, P.L. Mary Poppins ~ The wind brings the Banks children a new nanny who can slide up banisters and introduces them to some delightful people and experiences.
White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web ~ The story of Wilbur, the smallest pig in the litter, who is raised by the farmer’s daughter and finds a friends in Charlotte, the spider.
White, E.B. Stuart Little ~ The adventures of the debonair mouse, Stuart Little, as he sets out in the world to seek his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed for a few days in his family’s garden.
White, E.B. The Trumpet of the Swan ~ Knowing how to read and write is not enough for Louis, a voiceless Trumpter Swan; his determination to learn to play a stolen trumpet takes him far away from his wilderness home.
To go directly to our catalog and place a hold, try this link: http://catalog.lbpl.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=main#focus and type in the title, or author. Thank you.
The plot descriptions for these books were taken primarily from NoveList, an electronic database available through the Library’s website at http://www.lbpl.org/. In addition to plot descriptions of books for all ages, children through adult, NoveList provides extensive searching capabilities (very helpful for when you remember the plot, but not the title or the author!), author read-a-likes, book discussion guides, lists of award winners, author biographies, articles about fiction genres, and much more. Check it out next time you aren’t sure what to read!
Long Beach Public Library and Information Center ~ Youth Services Division
