My middle son is just finishing kindergarten and the fire for reading has been lit!
He’s an eager reader and growing in his abilities at a rapid pace, but there are still many, many books that are out of reach for him, which can be especially hard given that he has an older brother who is reading so many fascinating books.
It’s a tricky time for finding books that are engaging, but readable. We sat down together and made a list of books that he wants to read this summer.
Most fall in the I, J, K reading levels for those of you who are familiar with Fountas and Pinnell (Many elementary schools use this leveling system right now and knowing your chid’s reading level (A-Z) can be helpful in finding appropriate books for them in the summer. Even if you aren’t familiar, your child might be.
The books I refer to here are all part of a series. Reading series are so appealing to early readers because they can really gain understanding about characters without having to be introduced to new ones each and every time they read.
It gives them a feeling of connection before even opening a new books a new bookes, which can be just enough of a motivation to get them reading more.
A few favorites from our list, include…
Mr. Putter and Tabby Series
You guys, my son cannot get enough of these books! He loves slightly cranky old Mr. Putter and his sweet, lively neighbor. They find all sorts of adventures to go on and mix in some dialog as well, which is a new reading skill for many kids ages 5-7.
In addition, these are technically chapter books, which make early readers feel so great!
Poppleton Series
Zapato Power Series
This one is a bit higher level than the other books mentioned here (about K/L), but I’m hoping my son will be ready for them by late summer. They are enticing reads about a boy who gets super powers and uses them for good. The characters are fun and the plot is easy to follow and get into. These are a great transition from very simple chapter books into slightly harder ones.
Lego Legends of Chima Graphic Novels
My Weird School Series
Dragon Tales Series
Curious George Early Readers
Maybe my kids are unusual, but they still love Curious George so we were happy to find that there are some early readers about the lovable character now. They are more sophisticated than his usual board books, but not so overwhelming as some of the longer stories I used to read my boys aloud.
Many libraries have sections devoted to early readers so ask your librarian for help finding those. It’s so important to keep these new readers going in the summer so they can continue to make gains and become confident readers!
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