MamaMahnken Christian stay at home homeschooling mama to three girls and a boy (aged 6 and under), with another little guy on the way! View all articles | Contact author

Reading to my kids is one of my favorite parts of the day. But when you are tired of Where the Wild Things Are, and would like something meatier than Blueberries For Sal, it can be hard to know which chapter books your children will enjoy, and which are appropriate. I refuse to waste my time reading twaddle, and so my kids have never heard of Junie B. Jones or Captain Underpants or any of the other "early chapter books". Do not underestimate your kids! They don't have to understand everything, but they will still enjoy a lot. These are some of my 3-6 year olds favorite stories:

Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne – ok, maybe not novels,     

but too wonderful to pass up. Accept no substitutes!

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi - SO much better than the movie!

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Gannet – and the sequels: Elmer and the Dragon, and

The Dragons of Blueland

The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting – my husband took over reading this one         

after it was discovered that he did MUCH better animal voices than I did J

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater – we are currently reading this for the second       

time. One of my favorites, though may be a bit slow for the very young.

The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum – find a copy with lots of Denslow illustrations!

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betsy MacDonald

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary and

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Heidi by Johanna Spryi – there is no need for an abridged version/retelling!

Hope that gives you a good place to start! I have many more that I am just waiting to test out on my family before I share with you! Please share your favorites with me, too!