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First Chapter Books

First Chapter Books are for the child who has moved beyond easy readers but is not yet ready for full-length chapter books. These books:

  • use a simple vocabulary and sentence structure
  • are usually illustrated but there is not a picture on each page
  • have short chapters that usually stand on their own, giving the reader clear breaks

Mysteries

  • Cam Jansen a series by David A. Adler
  • The Case of the Elevator Duck by Polly Berrien Berends
  • Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs a series by Sharon M. Draper
  • Sam & Friends Mystery a series by Mary Labatt (J GRAPHIX FIC SAM)
  • The Principal's on the Roof by Elizabeth Levy
  • Jigsaw Jones a series by James Preller
  • A to Z Mysteries a series by Ron Roy
  • Capital Mysteries a series by Ron Roy
  • Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald J. Sobol
  • Third-Grade Detectives a series by George Edward Stanley

Historical Fiction

  • The American Girls Collection a series by various authors
  • The Apple and the Arrow by Mary Buff
  • The Schoolchildren's Blizzard by Marty Rhodes Figley
  • Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
  • Anna All Year Round and Anna on the Farm by Mary Downing Hahn
  • Sarah, Plain and Tall and sequels by Patricia MacLachlan
  • Scraps of Time a series by Pat McKissack
  • Rescue on the Outer Banks by Candice F. Ransom
  • Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express by Margaret K. Wetterer

School Stories

  • My Name is María Isabel by Alma Flor Ada
  • Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
  • Jake Drake a series by Andrew Clements
  • The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids a series by Debbie Dadey
  • Amber Brown a series by Paula Danziger
  • Jackson Friends books by Michelle Edwards
  • The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
  • My Weird School a series by Dan Gutman
  • Russell and Elisa books by Johanna Hurwitz
  • Horrible Harry and Song Lee books by Suzy Kline
  • Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry
  • Good Grief, Third Grade and others by Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna       
  • 7 x 9 = Trouble! by Claudia Mills
  • Marvin Redpost a series by Louis Sachar
  • Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up by Melissa Thomson

Animal Stories

  • Animal Ark a series by Ben M. Baglio
  • Tornado by Betsy Byars
  • Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
  • Puppy Power! by Judy Cox
  • One Small Dog by Johanna Hurwitz  
  • Jenius: The Amazing Guinea Pig by Dick King‑Smith
  • Akimbo books by Alexander McCall Smith
  • Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express by Megan McDonald
  • Tippy Lemmey by Pat McKissack
  • Down Girl and Sit by Lucy Nolan
  • Nim's Island by Wendy Orr

Real Life

  • Ivy + Bean a series by Annie Barrows
  • The Stories Julian Tells and others by Ann Cameron
  • Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
  • The Legend of Spud Murphy by Eoin Colfer
  • Donavan's Word Jar by Monalisa DeGross
  • Nikki & Deja by Karen English
  • Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes
  • Gym Shorts a series by Betty Hicks
  • Pinky and Rex books by James Howe
  • Ruby Lu, Brave and True and Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything by Lenore Look
  • Judy Moody and Stink books by Megan McDonald
  • Miami books by Pat McKissack
  • Junie B. Jones a series by Barbara Park
  • Clementine books by Sara Pennypacker
  • Go Fish by Mary Stolz

Non Fiction

  • Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki (J 393 ALI)
  • Let’s Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans (J 552 GAN)
  • Nic Bishop Spiders by Nic Bishop (J 595.44 BIS)
  • Outside and Inside Big Cats (J 599.75 MAR) and other Outside and Inside books by Sandra Markle
  • Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca  (J 629.454 FLO)
  • Top 10 Dogs for Kids by Ann Graham Gaines (J 636.7 GAI) and other Top Pets for Kids books
  • The Cooking Book by Jane Bull (J 641.5123 BUL)
  • I Love to Draw! by Jennifer Lipsey (J 741.2 LIP)
  • Silly Knock-Knocks by Joseph Rosenbloom (J 793.735 ROS)
  • Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs by Douglas Florian (J 811.54 FLORIAN)
  • All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912, the Day the Titanic Sank by Don Brown (J 910.91 BRO)
  • 26 Fairmount Avenue books by Tomie De Paola (J BIO DE PAOLA)
  • Barack Obama: United States President by Roberta Edwards (J BIO OBAMA)

Science Fiction & Fantasy

  • Secrets of Droon a series by Tony Abbott
  • Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist a series by Jim Benton
  • Flat Stanley and Stanley, Flat Again! by Jeff Brown
  • The Dog That Stole Football Plays by Matt Christopher
  • The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
  • Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo
  • Disney Fairies a series by various authors
  • Aliens for Breakfast by Jonathan Etra 
  • My Father’s Dragon books by Ruth Stiles Gannett
  • Babymouse a series by Jennifer Holm (J GRAPHIX FIC BAB)
  • Three Terrible Trins by Dick King‑Smith
  • Rats on the Roof and Other Stories by James Marshall
  • Magic Tree House a series by Mary Pope Osborne
  • Maybelle in the Soup and Maybelle Goes to Tea by Katie Speck

These titles are a sampling of the Library' s collection. Please ask a librarian for help in locating these or other first chapter books.

    

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Prince George's County Memorial Library System
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