Top 10 Chapter Books for Kids Graduating from Picture Books

Your child knows every picture book on the shelf by heart, but a thick novel still looks like a wall of words. Chapter books with pictures are the bridge. They give a new reader real chapters and a full plot, with drawings along the way to help.

This list gives you 10 first chapter book series, each checked for author, illustrator and first year. They are in the order most kids can read them: the series with the most pictures first.

What makes a chapter book with pictures

A chapter book tells its story mainly in words, not pictures. That is the line Wikipedia's chapter book entry draws between it and a picture book. It still has plenty of illustrations, short chapters, and suits readers of about 7 to 10.

Short chapters matter as much as the pictures. They give a child a place to stop and feel done, before their attention runs out.

Early chapter books vs leveled readers

Scholastic built a whole line for this step. Its Branches early chapter books are made to help kids "transition from leveled readers to chapter books." They come in two formats: 80 pages in full color, or 96 pages in black and white.

If your child still reads leveled readers, start with the first part of the list below. Our guide to early reader books explains what each publisher's levels mean. If they read those with ease, skip ahead.

Keep reading aloud, too

A first chapter book is a big step, and a child does not have to take it alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics tells parents on HealthyChildren.org not to stop reading aloud once a child can read alone.

A good pattern is two books at once. Your child reads an easy chapter book alone, and you read a longer one together at bedtime.

Many families read the first chapter of a new series together, then hand it over. Our guide to read-aloud books for kids has more ideas for that bedtime book.

The 10 series at a glance

How we checked each series

Authors, illustrators and years come from each series' Wikipedia page, for example Magic Tree House, Frog and Toad and Mercy Watson. Owl Diaries and Dragon Masters come from Scholastic's Branches page and Open Library.

The Step column is our own grouping. Step 1 leans hardest on pictures, step 2 adds more words per page, and step 3 is the classic first series with longer chapters.

Beginner chapter books with the most pictures

Frog and Toad, Amelia Bedelia, Mercy Watson and Owl Diaries are the softest step out of picture books. They lean hardest on the art, and the chapters are short enough for one sitting.

1. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

Arnold Lobel wrote and drew all four books, starting with Frog and Toad Are Friends in 1970. Each book holds five short, often funny stories about two friends. Each story works as a chapter, so it is the gentlest first chapter book there is.

2. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Amelia Bedelia first appeared in 1963. She takes every instruction literally, with funny results, and kids love being smarter than the hero. Herman Parish later continued the series.

3. Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Mercy is a pig who lives with the Watsons, and her love of food leads to trouble. Chris Van Dusen draws her, and Candlewick published eight Mercy Watson books from 2005 to 2022. The large pictures make it a favorite first solo read.

4. Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott

Eva Wingdale, an owl, tells her stories in diary form. It is in the full-color, 80-page Branches format, so every spread looks like a picture book. The first title is Eva's Treetop Festival (2015).

Next-step chapter books with lots of pictures

The Princess in Black and Dragon Masters have more words per page but still lean on the art. They suit a child who reads the first four alone.

5. The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale

Princess Magnolia is the perfect princess, in frilly pink dresses and glass slippers, but she has a secret: she fights monsters in black. LeUyen Pham's art fills the pages. The first book came out from Candlewick in 2014.

6. Dragon Masters by Tracey West

A boy named Drake is chosen to train his own dragon. The series is in the 96-page, black-and-white Branches format, with art throughout, and starts with Rise of the Earth Dragon (2014).

For kids who also love comics, our list of graphic novels for kids is a good partner.

First chapter book series with fewer pictures

Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, Ivy + Bean and Judy Moody are the classic first series. They have fewer pictures and longer chapters, so they suit a child who already reads the first six alone.

7. Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie find a tree house full of books that sends them to other times and places. Sal Murdocca draws the US editions, and the first book, Dinosaurs Before Dark, came out in 1992. Our list of Magic Tree House books in order shows every title.

8. Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Junie B. tells her own stories about kindergarten, and later first grade, in a loud and funny voice. Denise Brunkus drew the pictures for the Random House series, whose 28 numbered books came out from 1992 to 2012. Our list of Junie B. Jones books in order gives every title.

9. Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows

Ivy is quiet and bookish, and Bean is wild. The two 7-year-olds "never meant to like each other," but become fast friends. Sophie Blackall's drawings run through every book, starting with Ivy + Bean in 2006.

10. Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Judy Moody is a girl with strong moods, and her name says it all. Peter H. Reynolds illustrates the series, which began in 2000 with Candlewick.

A younger brother, Stink, has his own spin-off series.

What comes after these

When the pictures stop mattering, kids are ready for longer classics. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner follows four orphaned siblings who make a home in an abandoned boxcar. Our books for 7 year olds list has more.

How to choose a first chapter book, step by step

1. Start with the pictures. If your child still needs a picture on each page, begin with series 1 to 4.
2. Follow their interests. Animals: Frog and Toad, Mercy Watson. Magic and dragons: Dragon Masters, The Princess in Black. School life: Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody.
3. Do the first-page test. Ask your child to read one page aloud. If they stumble on five or more words, read that book together for now.
4. Read the first chapter together. Then let your child read the next one alone, with you nearby.
5. Have book 2 ready. A series works because the hero is already a friend. Keep the next title close.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: jumping straight to the thickest book. A first chapter book should feel easy. Confidence comes before challenge.
• Mistake: dropping picture books at once. Your child can read chapter books alone and still enjoy picture books with you.
• Mistake: choosing by age only. Two children of the same age can be far apart in reading. Our books for 6 year olds list shows the range.

Your checklist for first chapter books

• Most pictures first. Frog and Toad, Amelia Bedelia, Mercy Watson, Owl Diaries.
• Then more words. The Princess in Black and Dragon Masters.
• Then the classic series. Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, Ivy + Bean, Judy Moody.
• One solo book, one read-aloud. Keep a harder book going at bedtime.
• Celebrate the first finished book. That feeling carries a child into the next one.

A first chapter book is even more exciting when your child is the hero. With KidTeller, you turn a photo of your child into the illustrated main character of a new story, from a theme like Adventure or Friendship, or from your own idea. The story is shaped for your child's age, and you can read it in the app or order a printed softcover copy.

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