40+ Books With Short Chapters
I try to pay attention to book questions that come in multiple times and one of the ones I’ve seen frequently in recent years is a request for books with short chapters.
For lots of readers, especially young or struggling readers, short chapters can really create some good momentum (frankly, even as an adult and life-long reader, I love the quick win of a short chapter!).
If you have a child looking for books with short chapters, I hope this list will be helpful!
This list is roughly arranged in age order – so shorter, easier books are at the beginning of the list with longer, more advanced books in the latter half of the list!
40+ Books With Short Chapters
Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
This is the perfect introductory series, with full-color illustrations and about 80 pages each (for reference, a standard picture book is 40 pages long). Plus, they’re just so darn funny.
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Most of the time, she’s Princess Magnolia, prim and proper. But when her Monster Alarm rings, she transforms into the Princess in Black and no monster will get the better of her!
Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott
Who wouldn’t want to be an owl and live in a treehouse and keep a diary of all the fun you have at school and with your friends? If 12 books in the series is any indication, EVERYONE wants to be an owl! I especially love that it’s made to look like it’s written on lined-paper.
Unicorn Diaries by Rebecca Elliott
This is for true fans of the Owl Diaries series, they’ll love these new early chapter books by the same author. These are the stories of the unicorns that attend Sparklegrove School, a school for unicorns that each have a magical power.
Dragon Masters by Tracey West
This fantasy adventure is perfect for any child who loves dragons, kings, wizards, and magic! My girls have listened to this series a million times over the past few years – it’s definitely on the younger side (the books are more like 100 pages), so they’re perfect for a child to read solo if they’ve been listening to Wings of Fire or for a child who wants to be like an older sibling!
The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn, illustrated by Robert McPhillips
If your child loves a fantasy series, this is a winner, with Lucas, the prince, who becomes friends with Clara, the daughter of the queen’s seamstress. Together, they explore the kingdom and, naturally, have all sorts of adventures.
Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler
Cam Jansen is an amazing detective, and together with her friend Eric, she solves every mystery that comes her way. Did I mention she has a photographic memory?
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
I’ve never had a child particularly interested in the Magic Tree House books until Tally who has really taken a shine to them and listens to them nearly every night as she goes to bed.
Heartwood Hotel by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
I’m always on the lookout for chapter books with lots of illustrations for the 4-6 crowd. This one is about a little mouse who stumbles into a hotel in a storm and takes a job as a maid. (Full review here)
Adventures of Sophie Mouse by Poppy Green, illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell
When she was almost 7, we gave Star a 10 book box collection of these books and she was THRILLED. They follow the adventures of brave little Sophie Mouse and her woodland friends.
Good Dog series by Cam Higgins, illustrated by Ariel Landy
Bo Davis is a loveable dog at the Davis Family Farm and he loves getting into things. But when Bo loses his very important dog tag, his search for it takes him to every corner of the farm. This is the first book in the series and has outstanding reviews!
Heidi Heckelbeck by Wanda Coven, illustrated by Priscilla Burris
I knew when I picked up the first book in the series for Ella that Heidi turns out to be a witch, but she didn’t know that and when she reached the end of the first volume and made that incredible discovery for herself, she went berserk with excitement, leaping around the kitchen as she told me about how Heidi was actually a witch and had magical powers.
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Judy Moody is full of personality and individuality and has a lot of the same appeal as Junie B. Jones, but I find these books much less eyebrow raising. There is also a spin-off series of 12 books featuring her brother, Stink, too – and the chapter lengths are short just like Judy Moody.
The Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott, illustrated by Tim Jessell
This magical series has 35 books in it, so if your children are fans, they’ll be stocked for a really long time.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
I LOVED reading this one with my girls – they got a huge kick out of the Herdman siblings, dubbed “the worst kids in the history of the world” who show up at church because of the free snacks and somehow take over the whole Christmas pageant. This one is a nice short read, so if you’re looking for something that you can get through in a couple of days or a week, this is a good pick. This holiday season they just released the movie and I took my whole family to see it on Christmas Eve!
Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol
I read and re-read these books as a child and loved trying to figure out the mysteries before flipping to the back to check out the answer. Also, I just really want an encyclopedic memory. Each mystery is only a few pages long which is perfect!
Wayside School Series by Louis Sachar
All four of my kids have listened to these stories many many times on audio about Wayside School where everything is a little (okay, lot) weird. The chapters are more episodic so that’s nice if you’re starting and stopping a lot.
Mac B. Kid Spy Books by Mac Barnett
You may know Mac Barnett as an author but before that? He was a spy for the Queen of England in this series that the publisher calls James Bond meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It’s filled with a nice dose of historical facts. Smart and funny, this is a winner series.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The girls and I listened to this fun audiobook a few years ago and I’ve heard from SO MANY families that have loved this one too. And now with the movie out, it’s a great one to read the book and watch the movie!
Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
Ella LOVES this series about a crew of traditionally “bad” animals (shark, wolf, snake, etc) that decide they’re tired of being bad and want to be good instead. Funny and LOTS of black and white illustrations.
Notebook of Doom Series by Troy Cummings
When Alexander moves to a new town and finds an old notebook with the word “DOOM” on the front, he is in utter shock when that notebook contains top secret information. Top secret information about….MONSTERS!
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
I read this one years ago when I was a school librarian and it was SO popular with my students. Two siblings, Evan and Jessie, are both smart, but in different ways – one is people smart, while one is more math smart. When they each bring their talents to a competition to sell the most lemonade, it’s going to be an all-out battle.
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventure by Kate DiCamillo
I listened to this just a couple of weeks before it won the Newbery. Because it was an audio version, I didn’t get all the illustrations, which was too bad. If you love Kate DiCamillo, definitely add this one to your list.
The Terrible Two Series by Mac Barnett & Jory John
Ella and I listened to it together several years ago (all of my kids went on and listened to the rest of them one million times) and it’s hilarious about two boys trying to out-prank each other. Now, all of my girls can recite pretty much the entire book from memory because they’ve listened to it so many times.
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
This is a Newbery winner about three different characters – a tiny mouse, a rat who loves the light, and a little girl who wants to be a princess. And niiiiice short chapters. (Full review here)
The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Field
Jack loves his beloved stuffed pig, DP, and when DP is lost, he’ll do whatever it takes to get him back, including going to the Land of the Lost, which can only happen for a human boy on Christmas Eve. Don’t let the cover fool you – this is definitely a middle grade book with some heavier themes than you might expect. But my girls all loved it.
Odder by Katherine Applegate
Odder is all about a little otter who comes face to face with a shark, and how that fateful day changes her life forever. If you enjoy Applegate’s novels in verse, make sure to also check out Home of the Brave.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
I first read Wonder about a decade ago and was blown away by how good it is. And, of course, I wasn’t the only one – it’s been a wildly popular book almost since the moment it was first released, both with parents and teachers and with young readers. My girls and I listened to it a few years ago and we all really loved it.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
I pretty much don’t care for animals (I know) and I STILL think this is one of the best kids books ever, Newbery winner or not. When a book is this sweet, funny, and well-written, who cares if it’s narrated by a gorilla? Not me. (Full review here)
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
I heard nothing but great things about this book and it really was terrific. It is told from the point of view of seven different fifth graders, as they begin a new school year with Mr. Terupt (a new teacher). Each of them come with their own baggage and respond to Mr. Terupt differently and he, in turn, deals with each of them differently. And then a big event at school changes everything for these students and their teacher. (Duhn, Duhn, Duhn. . . ).
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowl
Ella listened to this whole series and loved every second of it. My sister has three boys and they are obsessed with it too. There are 13 books in the series and these stories of Vikings and dragons are fast paced and delightful.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally, is a sixth-grader, and her biggest worry is that everyone will find out that she still doesn’t know how to read. When she finds out she has dyslexia, she learns how to tackle it and it takes her on a journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance.
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
The three gifted Igiby siblings pull together their smarts, heart, and courage to defeat the evil Fangs of Dang who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
This middle grade novel, about a family that comes to the US from China in the 90s, is such a fascinating look at the immigrant experience. Highly recommend this, plus the sequels! (Full review here)
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
After being orphaned Creel’s aunt tries to sacrifice her to the local dragon, instead, Creel befriends him and unknowingly inherits an object that will either save or destroy the kingdom. My girls LOVE Jessica Day George’s books!
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
I read this aloud to my children and we were all completely sucked in! Amari’s mourning the disappearance of her beloved older brother (the police say he’s almost certainly dead), but when she gets a pre-recorded message from him, she discovers that there is a supernatural world she’s known nothing about and that her brother was heavily involved before his disappearance. Joining this world isn’t going to be easy, but she’s willing to do whatever it takes to find out what happened to her brother. And she better mean it, because “whatever it takes” turns out to be a LOT.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
This is one of those middle grade novels that took the world by storm – it has been SO popular and for good reason. Mr. Lemoncello is a world-famous game maker AND he’s designed the new city library. And on opening night, there will be a lock-in for kids where they have to solve the puzzles to find the hidden escape route. (You can see why it spent 100 weeks on the NYT Bestseller List). (Full review here)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
This was a GREAT book about a little girl, Minli, who sets out on a quest to find the Old Man on the Moon so she can find a fortune for her poor family. It was especially fun for my girls who are in a Mandarin Chinese immersion program at school. It’s full of little side stories that weave wonderfully into the main plot and gorgeous illustrations. Highly recommend.
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl arrives at Micah High and enchants everyone with her strange and wonderful personality, particularly the narrator, Leo. But when she begins cheering for both the home team and the opposing team, the school turns on her. And Leo, desperately in love with her, pressures her to conform. I read this one during my masters in library science and absolutely loved it. (Full review here)
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Coyote and her dad have lived together on the road in an old school bus for the past five years, ever since her mom and two sisters died in a car crash. She hasn’t been back to her home state of Washington in all that time, but when she learns the park where she and her mom had buried a cherished memory box is about to be demolished, she devises a plan to get her dad to drive over 3,000 miles in four days to retrieve it.
Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Fifteen year old Will has been chosen as a ranger’s apprentice. The Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible so they can protect the kingdom. Their enemy Morgarath is gathering power and his dark forces are soon going to need to be challenged. Bart blew through this whole series recently too!
Holes by Louis Sachar
Holes is one of my favorite Newbery winners and since my girls love the Wayside School books, I couldn’t wait to introduce them to this one. It was just as good as I remembered and when we finished, we had a special outdoor movie night with our giant screen to watch the film version.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
If you have a reader who also enjoys a little bit of historical fiction, Alan Gratz has some amazing historical fiction middle grade books including this one. This one in particular follows three different children all looking for refuge – a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany, a Cuban girl in 1994, and a Syrian boy in 2015.
And if you’d like a printable copy of this list of books with short chapters that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!
Any other suggestions for books with short chapters? I’m all ears!
I am a grownup that really likes short chapters. I think I’m more likley to keep on reading when I see I can do just one more short chapter before stopping. Sometimes I do just one more a few times!