Anything by Kate DiCamillo. My kids liked Sideways Stories from Wayside School. I kept all my old Beverly Cleary books and my kids just did not like them at all. Huge disappointment for me!

The Penderwicks is a wonderful series about 4 sisters. The youngest is 4 in the first book.
My kids love Roald Dahl books as well as a newer British author called David Walliams who writes in a similar vein. Beverly Cleary books are also wonderful, but be warned that some of them are quite dated and you’ll need to update the references or explain them to her. Plus, one of my kids around age 4/5 started behaving like bratty Ramona as we were reading Ramona the Pest, so watch out for that!

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Amelia Bedelia

Mouse and the motorcycle

Frog and toad
Little house series
Magic treehouse

Pippi Longstalking and Padding Bear also might work

Have you tried Zoey and Sassafras?

for a year and a half from now - Harry Potter Illustrated.

For now - the picture books for Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist..... has a chapter book variation that might be a good option.

There is a whole series of "The Story of ...." that I think is chapter books which might work for what you are looking for.

I think there are enough illustrations in the Fairy Realm books by Emily Rodda. (great language)

Enjoy!

I'm in the same boat!! My twins are just about to turn 4 and we just read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and are currently reading James and the Giant Peach. I'm also a teacher and LOVE doing Charlotte's Web and My Father's Dragon (although the first one is much better than the rest). They also love the Beatrix Potter books (not chapters, but about 60ish short pages which make nice stand alone stories). They also love Frog and Toad although that might be much shorter/simpler than you're thinking. The One and Only Ivan is great (I've read to my school kids, probably too long for my kids). The Chocolate Touch, Clementine, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and other Roald Dahl books are big winners too. I've heard good things about The Wild Robot too.

Ramona Quimby books seem like an obvious next step. You can also read books that she will just enjoy without feeling like all of them have to push vocabulary - I know many a 5 year old who loves reading Dory Fantasmagory with adults because it is just enjoyable. Your goal should be fostering a love of reading.

Polly Diamond

Anna Hibiscus
Mía Mayhem

Anonymous wrote:Beatrix potter, mercy Watson series

Thanks. Mercy Watson is one of the series that didn't click, and which Beatrix Potter books are chapter books? All the ones I know of are pretty quick.

Beatrix potter, mercy Watson series

My 4.5 yr old girl adores read-aloud chapter books that we read over a few nights - the top hits have been things like Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, James and the Giant Peach, My Father the Dragon series, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tale of Despereaux (although it was terrifying!), Bless this Mouse, and several books by William Steig. I'm looking for more suggestions in this vein. The problem is that many popular series for this age recommended by DCUM (Dory Fantasmagory, Mercy Watson, Unicorn Diaries, Princess in Black, etc.) have extremely simple vocabulary and seem more like early readers...I also selfishly don't enjoy them. As she starts reading simple books on her own, I feel like the purpose of our read-aloud time should be to introduce vocab & concepts more complex than early readers can offer.

One catch is that the number of illustrations is important, she likes having one on almost every page. At first I was worried that this meant she wasn't actually listening to the words, but based on our conversations I don't think that is the case. Do people have suggestions for really well-illustrated, beautifully written chapter books for this age?