Unlike picture books for younger readers, a chapter book tells the story more through the use of prose than through illustrations. Unlike books for older readers, chapter books typically contain a varied number of pictures, but also more words than a standard picture book. The name refers to the fact that stories are often divided into short chapters. This gives children the opportunity to stop and then continue reading if there is a break or their attention span is not long enough to finish the book in one sitting. Chapter books are usually works of fiction, but also extend into non-fiction. Page numbers vary, but are longer than the typical 32-page picture book.

From the Confused Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, EL Königsburg: Claudia lives a typical life in the suburbs, but despises him. She doesn’t feel that her parents really appreciate her for who she is or could be. She dreams of going somewhere impressive and elegant. She ultimately chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art and drags her younger brother Jamie along. Living in the museum, they are drawn into a mystery surrounding a statue that was possibly created by Michelangelo. In her quest to discover more about the sculpture, Claudia meets the incredible Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: the woman who first gave the statue to the museum. Through this experience, Claudia discovers more about the statue, but, more importantly, she learns more about herself.

The Phantom Toll, Norton Juster: One day, a listless boy named Milo is given a magical toll booth, through which he decides to drive his toy car. The toll booth then transports him to the Kingdom of Wisdom, where he has many fantastical adventures, including a quest to rescue two princesses, Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. The author includes lots of funny puns and idioms (for example, Milo literally jumps to the Island of Conclusions) that add a double layer of entertainment for the readers.

Sarah, plain and tall, Patricia MacLachlan: A quiet farmer, a widower with two children, Anna and Caleb, advertises for a wife. When Sarah arrives, she is homesick for Maine. The children fear that she won’t stay, and when she goes into town alone, young Caleb, whose mother died in childbirth, fears that she is gone forever. But he returns with colored pencils to illustrate the beauty of Maine and explain that while she misses home, she will miss them more. The tale gently explores themes of abandonment, loss, and love.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl: Charlie lives in the poorest part of town with his mother and both grandparents. His city is one of those where they always surprise you wondering why he hasn’t collapsed already. Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory rises above the town. It looks like it has absolutely no staff to run it, but it still churns out loads of the most tempting chocolate candies. One day there is an announcement that buried in several chocolate bars will be a golden ticket. This ticket will allow the lucky recipient to enter the Wonka Factory. Inside the factory, one finds the strangest cast of characters and wacky inventions, all witnessed by modern man. This is one of the favorites.

holes, Louis Sachar: Stanley Yelnat’s great-great-grandfather was cursed, so his grandson, Stanley, has the worst luck imaginable. After being wrongly accused of a crime, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a correctional facility. In this sick facility, under the watch of a brutal guardian, children are forced to dig holes in the ground under the scorching sun all day. Finally, the boys realize that the warden is looking for something specific. As the plot unfolds, three different subplots intertwine as Stanley tries to figure out what the warden is so desperately looking for and why he wants it so badly.

Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinolli: Jeffery Magee’s parents are killed on a trolley when a drunk driver collides with them. At just three years old, Jeffery is sent to live with his strict Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan, who seem to always be arguing about something, even the boy. When Jeffery is old enough, he runs away. Finally, he finds himself some two hundred miles away in a town that is divided according to race and color. It is here that he earns the nickname Maniac and you will soon find out why. His physical prowess becomes legendary and he has not built ugly racial boundaries.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney: Suddenly, Greg knows the dangers of high school, where short wimps share the halls with kids who are taller, nastier, and already shaving. His mom makes him start keeping a journal, and she does so despite her misgivings.

Greg is a conflicted soul: he wants to do the right thing, but the budding drive for status and girls seems to tempt him unduly. He wants to be a winner in the popularity race (where he thinks he’s 52nd or 53rd), but there’s always an obstacle that trips him up. Readers cheer for Greg because he is vulnerable and identify with his struggles, even though he doesn’t realize his enormous weaknesses.

The Boys in the Wagon, Gertrude Warner: This book was written decades ago, but its story has stood the test of time. It’s amazing how many now adults tell how this book made them avid readers. And they have passed the series on to their own children. The story is about four children who travel in an empty van without their parents’ supervision, a captivating story for children who are constantly ruled and directed by adults. Somehow, children find ways to survive through chance or ingenuity.

Frindle, Andrew Clements:Nick Allen once again annoys his teacher and she assigns him an extra report on how new words are added to the dictionary. Suddenly this triggers the best idea for Nick. He coins his own new word “frindle”. His new word upsets his teacher a lot. The war of words escalates, resulting in after-school detention, a visit to the principal’s home, national publicity, even profits for local businessmen, and eventually the addition of frindle in the dictionary. Amazing!

Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson: Jess Aarons dreams of being the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He practices all summer running in the fields of the field. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farm next door and she gets to run. After getting over being hit on by a girl, Jess begins to think that Leslie might be okay. The two create a secret kingdom in the forest called Terabithia, where the only way to enter the castle is by swinging over a ravine on an enchanted rope. Here they are the king and queen, battling imaginary giants and the undead, sharing dreams and plotting revenge on nasty children. Jess and Leslie find solace at the Terabithia sanctuary until tragedy strikes and the two are parted forever. An important book about loss.

Dahl’s Matilda and Gardiner’s Stone Fox are also highly recommended.