My favourite short-chapter books for children starting in reception and for years 1 and 2
- dennymoreau
- Jul 19, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 14, 2023
If your child starts in reception in September, then now is an excellent time to get them used to short-chapter books. Here are my favourite chapter books for you to read to your child to prepare them for their reading journey (all suitable for ages 5+):
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Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
'"On a hill above the valley there was a wood.
In the wood there was a huge tree. Under the tree there was a hole.
In the hole lived Mr Fox and Mrs Fox and their four Small Foxes. . . "
Mr Fox is a very clever fox - every evening he creeps down into the valley and helps himself to food from the nearby farms. Chickens from Farmer Boggis, ducks and geese from Farmer Bunce, and turkeys from Farmer Bean. But now the farmers have had enough, and together they hatch a plan to get rid of Mr Fox for good! But what they don't know is Mr Fox has some help, and a fantastic escape plan of his own...'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3XYcefa
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson
'Plop, the Baby Barn Owl, is like every Barn Owl there ever was, except for one thing – he is afraid of the dark. "Dark is nasty" he says and so he won't go hunting with his parents. Mrs Barn Owl sends him down from his nest-hole to ask about the dark and he meets a little boy waiting for the fireworks to begin, an old lady, a scout out camping, a girl who tells him about Father Christmas, a man with a telescope and a black cat who takes him exploring. He realizes that through these encounters that dark is super after all.'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/44OUGo6
The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
'Andy and Terry live in the WORLD'S BEST treehouse! It's got a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory, a tank of man-eating sharks and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you're hungry! Just watch out for the sea monkeys, and the monkeys pretending to be sea monkeys, and the giant mutant mermaid sea monster . . . Oh, and, whatever you do, don't get trapped in a burp-gas-filled bubble . . . !'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3pU8m2i
Look at the resource I have created to go with this book - an unofficial guided reading ebook to help you ask your child the right questions while reading (only £6). This is a great way to check your child's comprehension, which is crucial when enjoying reading.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
'Stanley Lambchop was just an ordinary boy – until a noticeboard fell on him. Now he’s flat as a pancake!
Being flat is fantastic – he can be rolled up, sent in the post and even fly like a kite. But it’s not all fun and games . . . there are thieves in town. Can Flat Stanley be a hero?'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3rHm1tO
Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon
'This book contains HIDEOUS behaviour, terrible dancing, disgusting glop and a trip to France!'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/46TBsiU
The Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith
'Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but it's on the wrong side of the road from the Park where there's a beautiful lily pond and plenty of juicy slugs, worms and snails!
The busy road is dangerous but Max is determined to make his way across. If humans can do it, why can't hedgehogs? His first attempt ends in a nasty bump on the head and, when Max tries to speak, he realises his words are all mixed up. He is no longer a hedgehog but a hodgeheg!
Still determined to fulfil his mission, Max discovers the best way to cross the road - with the help of the lollipop lady and some careful detective work . . .'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3K4Ql8f
Rainbow Magic - Ruby the Red Fairy by Daisy Meadows
'When Rachel and Kirsty meet on the ferry to Rainspell Island they have no idea the incredible magical adventures in store for them! Join the two best friends as they meet Ruby the Red Fairy, the first fairy to introduce them to the world of Rainbow Magic.'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3Omqrza
The Famous Five - The Mysterious Noise by Enid Blyton
'The Five are camping on Kirrin Island and hear a mysterious noise coming from the castle. And when they don't find anything in the dark, Dick tries to convince the others that it's the ghost of Kirrin Island. But ghosts aren't real... right?'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3Q5B1fy
The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith
'Why can't I learn to be a Sheep-Pig?'
'When Babe, the little orphaned piglet, is won at a fair by Farmer Hogget, he is adopted by Fly, the kind-hearted sheep-dog. Babe is determined to learn everything he can from Fly. He knows he can't be a sheep-dog. But maybe, just maybe, he might be a sheep-pig.'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/46SN3Pc
The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
'Okay, Okay. So hang me. I killed the bird. For pity's sake, I'm a cat.
Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. But Tuffy can't understand what all the fuss is about.
Who on earth will be the next victim to arrive through the cat-flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her beloved pet to change his wild, wild ways before he ends up in even deeper trouble?
The hilarious antics of Tuffy and his family as told by the killer cat himself.'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3Om0pfK
We Are Not Frogs! by Michael Morpurgo
'The frogs always beat the toads at long jump but the toads don't mind - anything for a quiet life. But then the children and Mutt the dog come in search of some good jumpers, and the toads see an opportunity to get their own back. Soon the poor frogs have been gathered up and put in an ice-cream tub, and they're hopping mad!'
Click on the link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3ryrZ0n
(all links to the books shown in this blog are affiliate links)
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