Beginning Read Aloud Chapter Books - Perfect for Ages 4 to 6!

I have always loved reading aloud with my kids, especially since reading The Read Aloud Handbook (I think every parent should read it!). I loved sharing picture book after picture books with my kids, starting with my oldest. When she turned four, I felt like she was ready to start reading chapter books with me, and I was very excited to start moving away from only picture books! But I wasn't sure where to start. Four kids later (our fourth is turning 4 in September and just getting into chapter books), I have a great list of go-to's for reading aloud to them!

Today I am sharing my favorite books to read with 4 to 6 year olds!

Mercy Watson by Chris Van Dusen

Mercy Watson is a fun series about a couple who adopt a pig named Mercy--and all the shananigans that take place in the neighborhood because of it. It's a great transition from picture books to chapter books because it has less words on each page and pictures throughout, but is a longer book broken up into chapters.

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

The Princess in Black series might have "princess" in the title, but is great for both boys and girls! In fact, it's my son's favorite series currently. It has a variety of cast, including boys, and a fun superhero aspect that all my kids have loved. It's all about a poper who has a secret life as the Princess in Black--a super hero who fights monsters and as the series go on, more and more super heroes show up!

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet

My Father's Dragon is a clever and fun book to read about a boy who has to use some tricks to save a dragon kept captive by dangerous animals. The subsequent books aren't my personal favorite, but my kids all love them. This book has less pictures, but still has some, and the reading level and story are perfect for younger kids.

Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliot

I haven't read every Owl Diaries book with my kids, but they've enjoyed quite a few of them. They follow an owl going through different experiences that kids can relate to. The owl is cute and the chapters are nice and short.

The Chicken Squad by Doreen Cronin

The Chicken Squad is a ridiculous and fun series that my kids adore! The illustrations are really fun and the plot and characters are silly, but also engaging for adults. This is one of my favorite starters for young kid read alouds!

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst

Lulu and the Brontosaurus is the first book of four, and the first is my favorite. My kids love all four of them, though. It follows a little girl who has to learn how to be polite and that she can't always get what she wants. One thing I love about the series is that she learns these lessons without losing her spunky personality.

The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

The Magic Tree House series has a lot of nostalgia for me as a child and has a lot of learning packed into it as well. This is actually the series that jumpstarted my oldest's independent reading--she got them for Christmas and just started reading them on her own. I love them as read alouds as well (and we love the audiobooks)! The short chapters and fast paced plot do a great job of keeping younger kids' interest.

I know some people prefer the sibling relationships in Imagination Station and we've read and enjoyed that series as well.

Simon Seahorse by Cora Reef

Simon Seahorse is a sweet series very targeted at young kids. It follows a seahorse who loves to make up stories and have adventures with his friends. It has plenty of pictures throughout the short chapters and his problems are very relatable to kids.

Zoey and Sassafras by Asia Citro

Zoey and Sassafras combines two of my kids' favorite things--science and magical creatures! The magic aspect had my kids hooked from the beginning and they loved each new book as we read the books together.

Princess Pink and the Land of Fake Believe

by Noah Z. Jones

This is another book that has "princess" in the title that boys would love! This whole series plays on traditional fairy tales in very clever ways. My kids might not have caught all the twists, but I know they understood at least some of them, and they loved the weirdness of the books.

Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton

My kids LOVE all the Narwhal and Jelly books and they make a great introduction for younger kids to the graphic novel style. These two friends are so fun to read about and have sweet adventures together under the sea (plus, kids seem to love narwhals!).

That's my current list of our favorite chapter books to read aloud to our children as they transition from picture books to longer reads! What are some of your favorites? I'm always on the lookout for new reads to share with my kids!