Best illustrated read-aloud chapter books for 4.5 y/o

[Anonymous]

This is exactly my 5yo daughter. She really enjoys reading chapter books over a whole week that are special to read just the two of us after reading 5-10 picture books with her 2yo sister every night. We love all books but my oldest is really craving more sophisticated language and concepts. She loved Charlottes Web, Stuart Little, Fabled Stables, Cornbread and Poppy, Princess in Black, Monster and Boy, The Wild Robot. She likes Dory Fantasmagory, but I don't love it. I appreciate the humor but I don't like when books have negative siblings relationships because we are prone to copying phrases and ideas from books and are working really hard on building a more positive relationship at our house. I would love any recs that are exciting without being scary. And bonus points for full color illustrations, the ones she likes without color have to be the perfect fit.

[Anonymous]

Catwings

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend the Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. While not a chapter book, it has significantly more text than an average picture book, and it’s a beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations.

On the other end of the spectrum, Just-So Stories by Kipling is a collection of short stories with lyrical (but very dense) prose. I think the original came with a few simple black and white illustrations, but you can now find versions with many full-color illustrations.

The Princess Tales series by Gail Carson Levine
McBroom books by Sid Fleischman
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pippi-Longstocking
Winnie the Pooh
Flat Stanley
Magic Treehouse

Not a chapter book, but my kids loved Shel Silverstein’s quirky poetry in Where the Sidewalk Ends.

[Anonymous]

Try the borrowers

[Anonymous]

Amelia bedilia
Cam Jansen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try the borrowers

In a similar vein, you could also try The Littles by John Peterson.

[Anonymous]

You might look at the Marcia Williams books— she does really nice elaborately illustrated (graphic novel) retellings of different stories — everything from Robin Hood to myths to Homer to Shakespeare or Chaucer.

I bet you could find something that fits your daughter’s interest level.

[Anonymous]

She's 4.5, you should be reading for her enjoyment, not your enjoyment. Mercy Watson was a HUGE hit for my kids at this age, as were the Princess in Black books that you think are so beneath you. Both of my children (now 10 and 12) are avid, above grade-level readers, so please just relax a little, momma.

[Anonymous]

You are doing a HUGE disservice to your child by skipping over illustrated story books. Story books are typically written at a higher level than early chapter books (I think I read somewhere that they are on average written at the 4th or 5th grade level), and the pictures are obviously interesting and meant for young children, and they add to the story. I would rethink your strategy and go back to age appropriate story books. There are thousands of them!

[Anonymous]

Oh boy are you going to hate 1st and 2nd grade when your child gets introduced to graphic novels, LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are doing a HUGE disservice to your child by skipping over illustrated story books. Story books are typically written at a higher level than early chapter books (I think I read somewhere that they are on average written at the 4th or 5th grade level), and the pictures are obviously interesting and meant for young children, and they add to the story. I would rethink your strategy and go back to age appropriate story books. There are thousands of them!

I think you must have missed that the person who resurrected this three year-old thread for recommendations isn’t skipping over illustrated story books. They’re reading 5-10 illustrated story books each night with her youngest child, and then, they spend ADDITIONAL time reading chapter books as a special activity for the older child.

[Anonymous]

Sophie Mouse would be perfect
Heartwood Hotel
Possibly the American Girl books from the 90s

[Anonymous]

I'd like to recommend longer picture books. For example "The Kings Equal" is published as both a picture book and a novella. There's a few other Katherine Patterson books that are similar - maybe "Blueberries for the Queen" also?

Other ideas:

-Weslandia
-The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
-pretty much any Patricia Polico
-Roxaboxen
-Miss Rumphius
-Time of Wonder
-fairy tale retellings illustrated by Paul O. Zelensky
-basically anything illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

The best thing about picking really gorgeous illustrated picture books with really good stories is you're simultaneously introducing your child to awesome art (especially with illustrators like Zelensky, who also illustrated some chapter books like Toys Go Out), the value of story, and introducing whatever truths the story is teaching through the story. Plus all the value of reading aloud together for connection. So much winning!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You might look at the Marcia Williams books— she does really nice elaborately illustrated (graphic novel) retellings of different stories — everything from Robin Hood to myths to Homer to Shakespeare or Chaucer.

I bet you could find something that fits your daughter’s interest level.

Ooh yes, Marcia Williams is a great idea!

Also want to second Anna Hibiscus. My kids love those in print as well as on audiobook.

[Anonymous]

My child loved Brambly Hedge at that age. He took it with him to summer camp and loved looking at all the illustrations when it was rest time.

https://a.co/d/dyiNuqm

Other suggestions
Dick King Smith books
Claude books (about a dog named Claude and his best friend Sir Bobblysock)
Roald Dahl books - there are several that are illustrated like James and the giant peach, the enormous crocodile
Michael morpurgo has some illustrated chapter books - he’s the war horse author
Jolly rogers books by Johnny duddle

I wouldn’t rush your child past picture books - I kept picture books for a long time and there is a lot of rich story telling there. Also sometimes kids just want a simple read just the same way that adults want to read people magazine and not the economist.