Looking for early chapter books with pictures to read to my 4.5 year old that - preferably - don’t give me perpetual dry mouth when reading and/or - lull me to sleep before my kid…

Question

Adelaide · Answer

Catwings: Enthralling for both of you… nothing better than kittens with wings for a small; a heart wrencher about letting your children fly for a mom. Bonus: launches a lifetime love of brilliant Le Guin!

Unicorns · Answer

Pippi longstocking!: She’s silly, brave and an absolute treasure!

Maggie Mallette · Answer

Mercy watson: A pig who loves her hot buttered toast, a dysfunctional neighborhood menagerie (of humans), and the hi-jinx that ensue therein. Love!

Morgan Smorgan · Answer

dory fantasmagory: Nothing is better. My daughter is 8 now and this is still my favorite chapter book series we’ve read together.

Amy · Answer

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue (Paula Harrison): We love this series! The girl (Kitty) goes on adventures with cats to help fellow citizens. It’s very sweet, without a lot of superhero stuff.

Daniela · Answer

Dory Fantasmagory: Outside the Box (Abby Hanlon): We just started this series because I saw it here on Rec League 😛

An instant hit! Our kid had lots of questions at the beginning but then he started settling in and getting ready to snuggle up. The perfect ratio of pictures-to-words and it’s just so fun and cute.

Juliana · Answer

zoey and sassafras!: great for that age. a girl who tries to help magical creatures (essentially as their vet) by doing experiments. well written. short. great pictures.

Kaitlin · Answer

The Princess in Black (Shannon Hale & Dean Hale): My four-year-old loves this series, and we’ve gotten lots of friends hooked on it too. I pitch it as Buffy the Vampire Slayer for preschoolers. There are colorful pictures on every page and the monsters are silly, not scary.