Favorite Books (Age 4-7)

Around the age of 4 to 7, we often start to supplement our picture book reading time with easy and fun chapter books.  Here you will find a collection of over 30 books that will delight and entertain, many of these are also the first in a series.

Billy and Blaze

~ C. W. Anderson

Billy, a little boy who “loved horses more than anything else in the world.” receives his very own pony for his birthday! From that day on, Billy was seldom seen without his new friend, Blaze.  Riding through fields and woods, Billy and Blaze learned to trust and understand one another—and to jump over fences and fallen trees with ease.  This is the first book in the classic Billy and Blaze series. 

Mr. Popper's Penguins

~ Richard & Florence Atwater

The Poppers unexpectedly come into possession of a penguin, then get a penguin from the zoo who mates with the first penguin to have 10 baby penguins. Before long, something must be done before they eat the Poppers out of house and home!

The Complete Brambly Hedge

~ Jill Barklem

In this collection all the Brambly Hedge stories are drawn together in a wonderful gift volume. The mice of Brambly Hedge made their first appearance in 1980,  ever since, readers have loved exploring the miniature world of the hedgerow and meeting the families that live there. The mice have many adventures, but they always have time for fun and relaxation too. Whatever the season, and whether they are by the sea, in the High Hills, or simply at home by the fire, there is always someone ready to lend a helping hand.

A Bear Called Paddington

~ Michael Bond

Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.

From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house.

The Tales of Olga da Polga

~ Michael Bond

Olga da Polga, a guinea-pig with extraordinary gifts.  Here you will find 13 chapters / stories about this lovable pet as well as practical advice on how to keep guinea-pigs healthy and happy.

The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook

~ Joyce Brisley

The stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy and her family and friends have charmed generations of children since they first appeared in 1925. The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook, written and illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley, is a collection of twenty-one classic tales about this resourceful and thoughtful little girl reflect with accuracy the dilemmas and challenges of a child's world. Young children today will love to hear how Milly-Molly-Mandy decides to spend her first penny, looks after a hedgehog, and spends her first night away from home.

School's Out

~ Wanda Brunsteller

School's Out! And so is Rachel, with trouble following close on her barefooted heels! Nine-year-old Rachel Yoder is a delightfully high-spirited Amish girl who finds plenty of trouble amid the rolling hills of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. When she's not getting locked in a root cellar, bringing frogs to church, or taking wild buggy rides, she's setting fireflies free and trying out new skateboards in all the wrong places.

Ghost Town Treasure

~ Clyde Robert Bulla

Ty's town is slowly becoming a ghost town, a deserted place where no one lives. Ty doesn't want to move. He doesn't want to leave behind his beloved gray pony, or his big wooden desk. Just before his family packs up for good, though, his friends Nora and Paul come to visit. Their grandfather used to prospect for gold in the town, and they've brought his ancient diary with its tantalizing clues to hidden treasure. If Ty and his friends can find the treasure in time, it may help to save the town.

Surprise for a Cowboy

~ Clyde Robert Bulla

Living in the city with his parents, young Danny longs for the rustic, adventurous life of a cowboy. His wish is granted when his Uncle Mack comes to visit and surprises Danny by offering to let him stay at his ranch for the entire summer. Danny is overjoyed at the possibilities of a whole summer out on the range, and quickly agrees to come to the Bar-K Ranch. 

The Adventures of Buster Bear

~ Thornton W. Burgess

When Buster Bear comes to live in the Green Forest, the amiable bully stirs up quite a commotion, for bears haven't lived in the forest for years. And sure enough, before long Buster has a series of run-ins with Little Joe Otter, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Farmer Brown's Boy, and even a stubborn metal pail!

Look for other tales in the series "Burgess Animal Stories"

Happy Little Family

~ Rebecca Caudill

It is a good thing that mothers understand what no one else seems to when you are the youngest child in the family, and are finally four years old. Bonnie is more than ready to join her older sisters and brother in the many adventures she sees come their way, whether it be sliding along the ice, searching for arrowheads, or going on that journey of all journeys-across the swinging bridge to school. Winter or summer, something is always happening in the Fairchild house, tucked amidst the pine trees of the Kentucky hills one hundred years ago or more.

Beezus and Ramona

~ Beverly Cleary

Nine-year-old Beezus Quimby has her hands full with her little sister, Ramona. Sure, other people have little sisters that bother them sometimes, but is there anyone in the world like Ramona? Whether she's taking one bite out of every apple in a box or secretly inviting 15 other 4-year-olds to the house for a party, Ramona is always making trouble--and getting all the attention.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

~ Beverly Cleary

Living in a knothole in a hotel room, young Ralph has seen plenty of families come and go, some more generous with their crumbs than others. But when young Keith and his parents check in to the hotel, Ralph gets his first chance to check out. He has always fantasized about venturing beyond the second floor, maybe even outside. Curiosity overcomes caution, and Ralph must have a go at Keith's toy motorcycle.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

~ Roald Dahl

Charlie Bucket's wonderful adventure begins when he finds one of Mr. Willy Wonka's precious Golden Tickets and wins a whole day inside the mysterious chocolate factory. Little does he know the surprises that are in store for him!

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain

~ Alice Dalgliesh

People have always told Jonathan that there are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, no bears at all. So he isn’t afraid to set out alone over the mountain. But as Jonathan discovers one cold winter night, people aren’t always right…There are bears on Hemlock Mountain!

The Courage of Sarah Noble

~ Alice Dalgliesh

In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. "Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble," her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight!

The true story of Sarah's journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue

~ Kate DiCamillo

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons' bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash – "to alert the fire department," her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind — like a sudden craving for their neighbors' sugar cookies?

McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm

~ Sid Fleischman

When Josh McBroom learns that the eighty acres of Iowa farmland he's purchased are all stacked up on top of each other at the bottom of a muddy little pond, he thinks he's been bamboozled. But McBroom knows he's got the better of the bargain when the pond dries up to reveal an acre of soil so rich that seeds spring up into full-grown plants in no time and even nickels grow into quarters.

My Father's Dragon

~ Ruth Stiles Gannett

Elmer Elevator (narrator's father as a boy) runs away with an old alley cat to rescue a flying baby dragon being exploited on a faraway island. With the help of two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer disarms the fiercest of beasts on Wild Island.

The Reluctant Dragon

~ Kenneth Grahame

In this beloved classic story, a young boy befriends a poetry-loving dragon living in the Downs above his home. When the town-folk send for St. George to slay the dragon, the boy needs to come up with a clever plan to save his friend and convince the townsfolk to accept him.

James Herriot's Treasury for Children

~ James Herriot

James Herriot's Treasury for Children collects all of the beloved veterinarian's delightful tales for young readers. From the springtime frolic of Oscar, Cat-About-Town to the yuletide warmth of The Christmas Day Kitten, these stories-radiantly illustrated by Peter Barrett and Ruth Brown-are perennial favorites.

The Children of Noisy Village

~ Astrid Lindgren

Welcome to Noisy Village! Go crayfishing in the summer at Nocken, "dipping in the pot" at Christmastime with Lisa and Karl, and join Britta and Anna who know the best way to go about "nutting" for the New Year. In this gently humorous tale, master storyteller Astrid Lindgren takes us through a year in the lives and customs of six Swedish children living on a group of three farms in the countryside.

Pippi Longstocking

~ Astrid Lindgren

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!

Betsy-Tacy

~ Maud Hart Lovelace

There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy's age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do—a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy's fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy become such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person—Betsy-Tacy.  Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise—a new friend named Tib.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

~ Betty MacDonald

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She was even married to a pirate once. Most of all, she knows everything about children. She can cure them of any ailment. Patsy hates baths. Hubert never puts anything away. Allen eats v-e-r-y slowly. Mrs Piggle-Wiggle has a treatment for all of them.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

~ Patricia MacLachlan

Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa's advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

Homer Price

~ Robert McCloskey

Welcome to Centerburg! Where you can win a hundred dollars by eating all the doughnuts you want; where houses are built in a day; and where a boy named Homer Price can foil four slick bandits using nothing but his wits and pet skunk.

Winnie-the-Pooh

~ A.A. Milne

Since 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends—Piglet, Owl, Tigger, and the ever doleful Eeyore—have endured as the unforgettable creations of A.A. Milne, who wrote this book for his son, Christopher Robin, and Ernest H. Shepard, who lovingly gave Pooh and his companions shape. 

In Grandma's Attic

~ Arleta Richardson

Remember when you were a child—when all the world was new, and the smallest object a thing of wonder? Arleta Richardson remembers: the funny wearable wire contraption hidden in the dusty attic, the century-old schoolchild's slate that belonged to Grandma, an ancient trunk filled with quilt pieces—each with its own special story—and the button basket, a miracle of mysteries. And best of all was the remarkable grandmother who made magic of all she touched, bringing the past alive as only a born storyteller could.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Stir the Soup

~ Cynthia Rylant

Mr. Putter and Tabby love homemade soup. But when at last they have all the right ingredients to make some, they find that their treasured stove, Bessie, is on the blink. Luckily, their neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, is happy to share hers. But watch out--her good dog, Zeke, would much rather run than cook. . . .

Look for more in the series!

Nate the Great

~ Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Nate the Great has a new case! His friend Annie has lost a picture. She wants Nate to help her find it. Nate the Great must get all the facts, ask the right questions, and narrow the list of suspects so he can solve the mystery.

The Boxcar Children

~ Gertrude Chandler Warner

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden take care of one another. They have no parents, no other family—except for a grandfather they don’t care to see—and no home . . . until the night they find the boxcar. Old, rusty, lonely, and abandoned in the woods, it’s the perfect home for four brave children on their own.

Through hard work and courage, the Aldens begin to build a life full of fun and adventure. But when they’re faced with a problem they can’t solve themselves, they’re forced to look for adult help—and will find it in the most unlikely ally.

Charlotte's Web

~ E.B. White

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.