Best Series to Read to a 5 Year Old
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Find the best books to read to a 5 year old.
Finding books to read to an emerging reader can be a bit overwhelming at times. While they’re still a toddler, it’s pretty easy to pick up different picture books that are really just introducing them to words and reading. They’re simply beginning to put words and pictures together at the younger age.
At some point, you’ll want to move into books that have less pictures and more words. Moving right into a book like Harry Potter will likely be a bit too much for them - while the books are certainly a lot of fun, there are no pictures at all and it’s really tough to follow all of the storylines for a new reader. You want something in between this jump that will help them move into books that are pure chapter books. Below is a list of the best series for reading to a 5 year old.
The Magic Tree House
This is by far the most popular series for this age group. If your child reads at a 2nd to 3rd grade level then they can also read these books on their own. Basically every teacher out there will recommend this series as a great set of books for kids in this age range because of the simplicity, the pictures, and the great learning opportunities that are presented.
The books follow Jack and Annie, a brother and sister, as they go on different adventures using a magic tree house which takes them to different times in history. They must find different clues and complete different actions as part of their adventures. They meet presidents, kings, and queens among their adventures, and learn all about different parts of history throughout the world. The books are simple enough for a 5 year old to follow while having a lot of great learning opportunities in them.
The Boxcar Children
This is one of those classic series that you likely read when you were younger. The Boxcar children series has been around for many years and was one of the favorite for many parents. It’s another series that has short chapters, a few pictures, and is an easy enough reading level for your child to follow along.
The series in general follows four children who have been orphaned that make a home in a boxcar. The kids go on different adventures, and experience all kinds of unusual things for kids of their age because of their background. They get into some sticky situations that they must get out of. The series is on a 2nd to 3rd grade reading level, so great for you to read to your child.
Junie B. Jones
This is one of those series that you either hate or love as a parent. The main character, Junie, is a bit of a snob at times and she does some things that you may not want your kids doing or thinking. Make sure you read a little bit more about this series before you hop right into it. As with the other series on this list, this series has some basic pictures in chapter book form.
Junie B. Jones is a girl who is just starting Kindergarten. She’s got a very strong personality and attitude, so it may put some parents off. Overall, the series follows Junie as she gets into sticky situations that she must work her way out of. There are plenty of books in the series for kids to enjoy plenty of wild adventures.
Kingdom of Wrenly
While the Magic Tree House series may be a bit of a fantasy novel, this is the only true fantasy series on this list. Unlike Magic Tree House where the kids simply visit other locations and always return to the present time, this series is set completely in a different world and time.
These books are a bit shorter that others on the list, and they read quite easily for kids. However, they have some great world building in them for helping kids to start learning about how fantasy worlds work. The series follows a prince and his friend as they have different adventures in the Kingdom of Wrenly.
Flat Stanley
The original Flat Stanley book came out many years back, and was a classic book that many children enjoyed. However, there was only one book available for quite some time before a new author turned the character into a series of books. Being on this list means it’s great for 2nd to 3rd grade reading level, thus just right to read to those a bit younger than that.
The series follows a young boy who is smashed flat by a board in his room. While this may seem inconvenient, it allows him to do some pretty unique things that others cannot. Each book sets Stanley into a new adventure as he must solve a mystery and help to save the day. The books are straightforward, but pretty fun overall.
Conclusion
There are a lot of great options out there for reading to your child. Grab a few of the books above to figure out what your child enjoys, and help them become an avid reader.
