Parents and Students,
One of the things I love most about being the Teacher Librarian of my school is watching the excitement young students have as they transition from picture books to chapter books. Books in a series, particularly mysteries, are a great way to get young students to become readers who read for enjoyment. The list below are some of the most popular choices of my emerging readers in first and second grade.
1. Field Trip Mysteries, by Steve Brezenoff
Egg, Gum, Sam, and Cat are four sixth-grade detectives and best friends who always seem to find themselves in the middle of a new mystery. Students who start this series always come back for the next story.
To find out more about these sleuth-loving characters visit the book's website by clicking on the link below.
2. Mercy Watson, by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson is an adorable little pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Treated more like a child than a pig, Mercy's most favorite thing in the world is buttered toast. He will do just about anything to get it. Follow Mercy's adventures and mishaps in this delightful six-book series by Kate DiCamillo. The illustrations by Chris Van Dusen are colorful and delightful and add a lot of interest and detail to the stories.
You can learn more about Mercy, explore his neighborhood, and even play games with him by visiting Mercy's website.
3. Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne
The Magic Tree House has been around for many years now, but it's still a favorite of students. Brother and sister duo, Jack and Annie, stumble across a magical tree house filled with books one day. Their lives have never been the same! Taking readers along with them, Jack and Annie travel through different places and time periods, learning more about people and the world around them than they ever thought possible.
Learn more about this series by visiting the website below.
4. Cam Jansen, by David A. Adler
Cam Jansen is another mystery series that has been around for a long time. Students still gravitate towards these books, however, and seem to enjoy connecting with the character and plot. Cam has a photographic memory that comes in handy when solving crimes. Always bringing her best friend Eric along for the ride, the two always have quite an adventure figuring things out.
Learn more about Cam by visiting the website below.
5. Junie B. Jones, by Barbra Park
Junie B. Jones is still around! This mischievous, daring, opinionated little girl is still entertaining our young readers. Junie B. continues to be a funny read for all who like to get lost reading about her adventures and mishaps in life.
Check out the website to learn more about Junie B. and the other main characters!
Other great first chapter books include:
6. Nate the Great, by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
7. Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown
8. The Time Warp Trio, by Jon Scieszka
9. The Zack Files, by Dan Greenburg
10. Jigsaw Jones, by James Preller
