First chapter books for 7 year olds and other 2nd grader book recommendations

Our 7.5 year old Ryan listened to all of the Magic Tree House books by audio (from the library on CD or downloaded through the library from Overdrive) when he was 5 and 6. But since he started reading himself when he turned 7, he has enjoyed reading Dick King-Smith books such as Babe: The Gallant Pig which was made into the movie Babe, Cam Jansen Mysteries, Secrets of Droon series (audio books available), and Beast Quest series.

Ryan also liked the audiobooks: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.

We continue to recommend Jim Trelease’s recommendations for books to read to kids in The Read-Aloud Handbook—the only book you need to buy–for everything else, there’s the library. I read to Ryan Poppy by Avi which I recommend.

I am now reading Christian singer Andrew Peterson‘s series: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North! Or Be Eaten, Monster in the Hollows. We are in the middle of the second book. The first book has a slow first 100 pages of background information but then it is fun. Our 5 year old Jacob couldn’t handle the vocabulary but Ryan loves it. (We are reading to Jacob The Boxcar Children: series books 1-2 instead). We enjoy Peterson’s music for us as adults (try Counting Stars) and have seen him in concert and he has three great Slugs and Bugs kids CD’s so we have some “relationship” and trust with him. All of the Peterson stuff is at our Blacknall Presbyterian church library. 

Also looking forward to reading a chapter Advent book with the kids starting today: Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide–one of three by Ytreeide that can be read during Advent. (Bartholomew’s Passage and Tabitha’s Travels) are books 2 and 3)–recommended by Jodi Fernando.

Also looking forward to Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress recommended by Curtis Freeman.