A simple and universal definition is not so easy to come by and the confusion seems to enter with the higher-level chapter books. Where is the cut-off? At what point is a book considered a novel? And does it even matter?

Early Reader Books, Chapter Books and Intermediate/Middle-Grade Novels are all designed with a particular reading level in mind and they have distinct differences. Early Readers are designed with beginners in mind. They have pictures, and the words, font and spacing are chosen carefully to fit a new reader’s ability and stamina for reading. Intermediate/Middle-Grade novels are designed for more advanced readers; they are full-length novels but they are still designed with children in mind. The content and formatting are more mature.

What is a Chapter Book?

Chapter books fit in between those two categories and are generally geared towards 7-10-year-olds. They are usually a moderate length, roughly 2,000-10,000 words and the writing is more complex.

Chapter books are an important category of books and are often considered “make or break books” because they are the gateway to more advanced reading. Chapter books are not full-length novels but they are divided into chapters. The chapters are short, they may contain the occasional illustration, but they contain large blocks of text. A well-formatted chapter book considers the font choice, spacing, and the amount of white space on a page as the entire point of chapter books is to NOT be intimidating to a young reader.

Although chapter books are an important tool in bridging the gap between early reader books and novels, not all children need them. Some children bypass chapter books or move through the chapter book stage very quickly and that’s ok. The hurdle here is keeping them challenged without introducing themes beyond their years.

It is equally common to have children for whom chapter books become a staple for an extended period of time. These fledgling readers also need carefully selected books but for different reasons. We’ve come up with a few things to consider as you carefully curate your chapter book library.

Chapter Book Tips

1. Your Chapter Book Library doesn’t have to be filled with drivel. There is quality literature to found in chapter books.

2. If you are looking for chapter books to spark interest in reading start with something your children are already interested in.

3. Consider the length of the book and the length of the chapters as not all chapter books are created equal. Start small, especially for those wobbly readers. We don’t want to scare them off. Give them a quick win!

3. Take a look at the font size and spacing. The tiny type and compressed spacing can be overwhelming for children as they transition to independent reading.

4. Consider a “you read to me and I read to you” approach. This could be page by page or chapter by chapter.

5. Don’t stop reading aloud to your children. It is invaluable even for advanced readers. If you want to learn more about connecting with your family through reading aloud then you’ll want to get your hand on this book. The Read-Aloud Family

It’s important to understand what you are looking for when you are building a stack of chapter books for your young readers. Take care to match your reader with the right book as you don’t want to reading to become drudgery.

More of Our Favorite Chapter Books:

Adventures with Waffles
The Whipping Boy
The Hundred Dresses
Sarah, Plain and Tall

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 24 and in 2021 the family added a son-in-law to the bunch. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

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May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and we’ve gathered a stack of books to help you and your family learn about the heritage of our Asian community. Use the links to find complete descriptions of each book.

Anno’s China

The Five Chinese Brothers

Ruby’s Wish

Water Buffalo Days

Chu Ju’s House

The Story About Ping

Tikki Tikki Tembo

The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks

The Story of Little Babaji

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Inside Out and Back Again

Rikki Tikki Tavi

El Chino

Ming Lo Moves the Mountain

The Lotus Seed

Something Beautiful for God

Crow Boy

Once A Mouse

Grandfather’s Journey

Taste of Asia

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

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The Mitchells Series

The Penderwicks Series

The Fairchild Family Series

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Send the boys in your life on an adventure with these books.  Visit a graveyard with Tom Sawyer, battle wolves in The Green Ember, or run away to Catskill Mountains in My Side of the Mountain.  If you have a reluctant reader then head off on the adventure with him and try a read-aloud.  Get caught up in the emotions of Lassie Come-Home, travel back in time to Egypt in The Cat of Bubastes, or maybe you want to spend some time in the fantasy land of Middle Earth in The Hobbit.  What’s left?  King Arthur, Little Britches, The Bronze Bow, Homer Price.  You could order a few copies of the same book and try a book club.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

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Books have much to offer our girls. These titles are packed with adventure, life lessons to explore, emotions to face, and new things to learn.

Embark on a conversation about how we should treat others and the regret that follows when we don’t do the right thing, as you read The Hundred Dresses. Introduce your daughter to another culture in Where The Mountain Meets the Moon. And have fun with Caddie Woodlawn as you travel back to the 1860s.  Is your girl all about horses?  Then you need to get your hands on Misty of Chincoteague.  I have a girl that was so intrigued by the fact that she kept forgetting Heather was a rabbit in The Green Ember. Meet the Melendy children in The Saturdays as they come up with a clever way of getting the most out of their Saturdays. Or how about planning a girl’s movie night?  Don’t forget to read the book first. You have a few to choose from: The Secret Garden, Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, and Charlotte’s Web.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

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There is something here for all dads. A few of these books will take you back to glean the timeless wisdom from writers who lived before you. Beowulf the Warrior is the retelling, in modern language, of a fictional classic, it would be a great one to start as a read aloud. The Emperor’s Handbook is a translation of Marcus Aurelius’ meditations. Major themes include character, leadership, and duty. You could explore the meaning of life in the 17th-century classic, Paradise Lost, or sink your teeth into G.K. Chesterton’s, Orthodoxy.

Are you looking for something more specific to homeschooling? Try The Liberal Arts Tradition or The Well-Educated Mind.

The Name of the Rose is part historical fiction, part mystery, and part theology; a fictional piece that challenges.

If you are looking for something to fulfill the pragmatic side then try State of the Arts, Total Truth, or Good Man.

Undecided? The links will take you to a full description of each title.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

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