Each year, we ask the Your Kid’s Next Read community to share their young readers’ favourite reads of the previous 12 months.
Last year, we came up with one epic ‘Best Books of 2022’ list (see it here), but this year the group has grown in size by thousands again, so I’ve decided to share multiple lists of ‘favourite reads’ in different categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior fiction (6-9), middle grade (10-13) and young adult (14+).
This time, it’s early chapter books for kids aged 5-7 years old. Those little books that have a huge impact on beginner readers.
Some of these books were published in 2023, some were not. One of the joys of a community like Your Kid’s Next Read is the ability for members to curate and create book lists that stretch way back through reading experiences, meaning any request or query results in a deep and thoughtful TBR pile on just about any subject.
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2023, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
PS: You might need a cup of tea for this one…
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2023: Chapter Books
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community. For early readers aged 5-7.
MOST NOMINATED
Billie B. Brown (series) by Sally Rippin
School of Monsters (series) by Sally Rippin (art by Chris Kennett)
Elephant and Piggie (series) by Mo Willems
Dog Man (series) by Dav Pilkey
The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
(“My five year old is loving this series at the moment!” – Amy)
Hey Jack (series) by Sally Rippin
Babysitters Little Sister (series) by Ann Martin and Katy Farina
Smarty Pup (series) by Anh Do (ill. by Anton Emdin)
Hot Dog (series) by Anh Do (ill. by Dan McGuiness)
The Wish Sisters (series) by Allison Rushby (ill. by Karen Blair)
Ninja Kid (series) by Anh Do (ill. by Jeremy Ley)
Lulu Bell (series) by Belinda Murrell (ill. by Serena Geddes)
Zac Power (series) by H. I. Larry (ill. by Ash Oswald)
Aussie Kids (series) by various authors and illustrators
Isadora Moon (series) by Harriet Muncaster
Sadie (series) by Lana Spasevski (art by Joanie Stone)
Zoey and Sassafras (series) by Asia Citro (ill. by Marion Lindsay)
Dragon Masters (series) by Tracey West
(“...were the big hook to start reading chapter books for my then 7yo.” – Jen)
Puppy Place (series) by Ellen Miles
Castronauts (series) by Drew Brockington
Monsties (series) by Zanni Louise and Kyla May
Baloney and Friends (series) by Greg Pizzoli
Ella and Owen (series) by Jaden Kent (ill. by Iryna Bodnaruk)
The Notebook of Doom (series) by Troy Cummings
Narwhal and Jelly (series) by Ben Clanton
The Wild Life (series) by Laura Bunting and Philip Bunting
Meet Ella (series) by Rebecca McRitchie (ill. by Danielle McDonald)
Friendly Bee (series) by Sean Avery
Ollie and Bea (series) by Renee Treml
The Adventures of Sophie Mouse (series) by Poppy Green (ill. by Jennfer A. Bell)
Etta and the Octopus by Zana Fraillon (ill. by Andrew Joyner)
Owl Diaries (series) by Rebecca Elliott
Rabbit & Bear (series) by Julian Gough (ill. by Jim Field)
Billy and the Mini Monsters (series) by Zanna Davidson (ill. by Melanie Williamson)
Squishy McFluff (series) by Pip Jones
Unicorn Diaries (series) by Rebecca Elliott
The Isabelle Stories (series) by Jane Godwin (ill. by Robin Cowcher)
Polly and Buster (series) by Sally Rippin
Itty Bitty Kitty (series) by Maddy Mara (ill. by Noemie Gionet Landry)
Fish Kid (series) by Kylie Howarth
Juliet Nearly A Vet (series) by Rebecca Jonson (ill. by Kyla May)
What Zola Did (series) by Melina Marchetta*
Ella Diaries (series) by Meredith Costain (ill. by Danielle McDonald)
Princess in Black (series) by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale (ill. by LeUyen Pham)
School of Fish (series) by Louis Shea
The Naughtiest Unicorn (series) by Pip Bird (ill. by David O’Connell)
Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey
Cat Kid Comic Club (series) by Dav Pilkey
To The Ice by Thomas Tidholm (ill. Anna-Clara Tidholm)
“My 5 year old has loved TO THE ICE as shared read-aloud stories. They’re a mix between a picture book and early chapter book (more words than an early reader but colour illustrations).” – Andy
Mighty Robot (series) by Dav Pilkey (ill. by Dan Santat)
Willa and Woof (series) by Jacqueline Harvey
Ivy and Bean (series) by Annie Barrow (ill. by Sophie Blackall)
Dragon Girls (series) by Maddy Mara
Pearl And Friends (series) by Sally Odgers (ill. by Adele K. Thomas)
Monty’s Island (series) by Emily Rodda (ill. by Lucinda Gifford)
Fartboy (series) by Adam Wallace (ill. by James Hart)
The Pet Keeper Fairies (series) by Daisy Meadows (ill. by Georgie Ripper)
Cat & Cat Adventures (series) by Susie Yi
Squidge Dibley (series) by Mick Elliott
“My seven year old has recently been quite obsessed.” – Anna
Milly-Molly-Mandy (series) by Joyce Lankester Brisley
Mango and Bambang (series) by Polly Faber and Clare Vulliamy
How To Make A Pet Monster (series) by Lili Wilkinson (ill. by Dustin Spence)
Fairy Forest School (series) by Olivia Brook
The Secret Explorers (series) by DK
Real Pigeons (series) by Andrew McDonald (ill. by Ben Wood)
Little Ash (series) by Ash Barty, Jasmin McGaughey (ill. by Jade Goodwin)
Secret Coders (series) by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes
Diary of a Minecraft Zombie (series) by Zack Zombie
The Magic School Bus (series) by Joanna Cole (ill. by Bruce Degen)
Hello Twigs (series) by Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood
National Geographic Kids Weird But True (series)
Daisy Dreamer (series) by Holly Anna (ill. by Genevieve Santos)
Press Start (series) by Thomas Flintham
Luma and the Pet Dragon (series) by Leah Mohammed
“We read these together with Ms 7 reading some aloud.” – Aileen
Pig The Pug (series) by Aaron Blabey
Tashi (series) by Kim Gamble and Anna Fienberg
The Tales of Mr Walker by Jess Black (ill. by Sara Acton)
Pow Pow Pig (series) by Anh Do (ill. by Peter Cheong)
The Littlest Penguin and the Phillip Island Penguin Parade by Jedda Robaard
Ella and Olivia (series) by Yvette Poshoglian and Danielle McDonald
I Hero (series) by Steve Skidmore and Steve Barlow
A less-wordy type of choose-your-own-adventure books. Mr 7 says they are better than CYOA books because they only have one successful path through the story – he spends hours trying to make the correct series of choices to find it!” – Anna
Magic Tree House (series) by Mary Pope Osborne (ill. by Salvatore Murdocca)
You might also like
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2023: Junior Fiction
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2023: Picture Books
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Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries. My latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is out now. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
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