Reading Challenge 2017: 10+ Illustrated Chapter Books for Children

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I love children’s books!

There are tons of fantastic picture books out there. Some of my favourites (and more importantly my daughters’ favourites) are The Love Monster*, The Best Ever Bookworm Book*, and Shh! We Have a Plan*. I love these just as much for the artwork as for the story.

But this year I want to read more chapter books to my daughters.

I’ve tried in the past but the ones with lots of words and no pictures don’t really hold my older girl’s interest for long (and not at all my youngest girl’s). So I’ll be reading the ones that are so heavily illustrated that they are almost like junior graphic novels. We’ve read the first two Princess in Black* books, and they both love them. They’re cute books, I really enjoy them too. The words and sentences can be a little challenging at times; but they’re colourful with illustrations on each page so it keeps their attention. And the princess doesn’t need saving by a prince.

Here are the 10 chapter books (with lots of illustrations) for junior readers that I will be reading with my girls this year:

1. 
   The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde*. This is #3 in the series so read the first two (The Princess in Black* and The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party*) if you haven’t yet.
2.  
   Olive & Beatrix: The Not-So Itty-Bitty Spiders*. I’m hoping Silly Bean likes this one. The story sounded cute and it’ll be a (nice) change to read about witches instead of princesses all the time.
3. 
   Owl Diaries: Eva’s Treetop Festival*. Looks cute and the illustrations are pretty. The diary format might be a little confusing to read at first.
4. 
   Lotus Lane #1: Kiki: My Stylish Life*. Another one with cute illustrations that is perfect for early readers also in a diary format. The only thing I’m not too fond of is much it seems to focus on fashion and makeup but my goal this year is to get them more interested in reading longer books.
5. 
   To balance out all the cutesy books I’ve already posted there is Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon* that I’m looking forward to reading. I don’t want the girls to feel like they only need to read about about princesses and fashion (even if the princess has ninja skills!)
6. 
   Danny’s Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment* Has good reviews so I’m looking forward to reading it. (Again trying to get away from princesses and make up a little bit).
7. 
   I’ve had this Ivy+Bean* book in my shopping cart on Amazon for months now and am looking forward to finally reading it this year. If I could buy every book I wanted I would probably be running a library.
8. 
   Clementine* sounds a bit like Ramona, and I absolutely loved Ramona books when I was little. From reviews the book sounds funny and engaging for younger readers so even though they are most likely less illustrated than any of the others on this list I hope that it catches my daughter’s interest!
9. 
   Another one of Scholastic’s early reader Branches series: Missy’s Super Duper Royal Deluxe #1: Picture Day*. Missy’s fashion sense sounds just like my girls’ so I think they’ll enjoy this.
10. 
    And one more of the Branches series… Princess Pink and the Land of Fake-Believe: Moldylocks and the Three Beards*. It’s supposed to be a funny series, so I’m looking forward to this one as well.

 Any illustrated chapter books you would recommend that I try reading to my girls? Let me know in the comments below!