20 Family Read Aloud Chapter Books

Interactive stories where the reader makes choices that determine the outcome of the narrative. These books offer multiple paths and endings, allowing readers to shape the story's direction and experience different adventures.

Shila said:  R. A. Montgomery's Choose Your Own Adventure books are not only amazing mystery books, they check the box for family fun time too. These are great chapter books to read aloud to your kids; they encourage discussion and interactive gameplay!

The American Girl series consists of six book sets about young girls living during historical time periods. The Kit Kittredge series, set during the Great Depression, follows the resourceful and optimistic Kit as she navigates challenging times and learns to contribute to her family's well-being.

Lisa R said:  I loved reading the American Girl series' as a child and am enjoying reading them with my daughter now, although some story lines have aged better than others! We particularly enjoyed the Kit Kittredge series set during the Great Depression and starring an aspiring young newspaper reporter. The Kit series consists of the original six historical novels (plus one about her friend Ruthie) as well as longer mystery novels that have a Nancy Drew vibe.

Ivy Ruckman creates a short yet suspenseful chapter book told from the perspective of a young boy recounting the hour-by-hour moments leading up to a tornado touchdown in his town.

Shila said:  The beginning chapters are the most captivating, followed by life lessons in independence, community, and friendship. The book is loaded with tons of descriptive language to help imagine yourself set in scene.

Cursed by a witch to be an old woman, Sophia finds herself entangled with a powerful wizard and his magical, moving castle. She navigates a world of magic, deals with the wizard's eccentric personality, and tries to break her curse while protecting those she comes to care for.

Michael Farina said:  I can describe the plot (a young hatmaker, accidentally cursed to transform into an old lady, seeks out the Wizard Howl and makes a deal with his fire demon to break the curse), but that won’t come close to capturing the mystery and innocent magic of this book. This reminds me of The Wizard of Oz, but without the looming threat of death.

E.B. White's Stewart Little tells an adventurous tale of a kind (and tiny) mouse who is born into a human family and who, despite his size, embarks on grand adventures.