chapter books – Mom Read It

Fantasy, Fiction, Intermediate, Realistic Fiction

Catch up with some chapter books!

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Chapter books are more fun than ever. Here are a few I’ve been reading:

Bodega Cats: Just Kitten Around, by Hilda Eunice Burgos/Illustrated by Siara Faison, (Jan. 2025, Henry Holt & Company), $16.99, ISBN: 9781250903761

As a lifelong Metro NY resident, I am a big fan of the bodega cat and love that there is a chapter book series dedicated to these noble cats and their profession. Just Kitten Around is the second Bodega Cat series, but readers can jump right in. Yesenia is a kid whose parents run a bodega and expect their kids to excel in school, which gives Yesenia a lot of anxiety. Her therapist recommends a cat, which Yesenia is excited about – but her parents aren’t. When adorable kitten Candy joins the family, she’s a LOT. She’s a kitten, after all! At first, Yesenia is willing to overlook Candy’s misbehavior, but when Candy inadvertently exposes Yesenia’s bad test grade – with a forged parental signature – even Yesenia is exasperated, and Candy runs away. Burgos gives readers differing points of view by having chapters alternate between Yesenia’s and Candy’s experiences. Faison’s black and white illustrations offer crochet instruction – one of Yesenia’s hobbies – and keep thereader’s interest. Tackling relatable kid concerns like stress and anxiety, Just Kitten Around is a solid addition to the Bodega Cats series and to chapter book/middle grade collections. No need to read the series in order; each book features different characters in the same universe.

Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies, by Megan McDonald/Illustrated by Lenny Wen, (Feb. 2025, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536201420

The celebrated Judy Moody author has a new series! Eliza gets home from school and escapes to her secret hideaway, free from Mom nudging her to complete her chores or her sister, who wants to play horsie. She’s magically transported to the Land of the Flower Fairies, where every flower has a fairy attached to it; her dragonfly pin becomes a real-life dragonfly companion, Haiku. Eliza and Haiku explore the magical world but end up in the “Evil Ones” territory: Wolfsbane and Belladonna send a Demon Wind to steal the flowers’ scents and colors, and it’s up to Eliza to save the day. Colorful gouache and colored pencil illustration weave an enticing fantasy world for readers, and McDonald gets immediately into the action, sending readers right into the Land of the Flower Fairies and introducing the antagonists early on. Readers will delight in this magical new series. Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies has a starred review from Booklist.

Rica Baptista: A Week of Shenanigans, by Janet Costa Bates/Illustrated by Gladys Jose, (Apr. 2024, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536227666

Ages 6-9

Rica – short for Frederica – is so excited! Her Grampy’s coming to visit for their Adventure Week: it’s the one week a year he’s off from work, and they always have exciting things planned to do together and with her best friend, Laini. This year, though, Grampy arrives on crutches and a bandaged ankle. He’s sprained his ankle, and Adventure Week is now Stay-venture Week! Rica, Grampy, and Laini come up with some fun ideas for Stay-venture Week, but Rica is worried that Grampy’s not having enough fun. What’s a kid to do? This second book in the Rica Baptista series is a light-hearted story with a glimpse into Cape Verdean culture and a warm intergenerational relationship at the heart of the tale. Grampy is a playful, fun-loving grandparent who’s happy to eat his fill of candy and tell “almost true almost all of the time” tall tales. Rica’s parents are very present and involved. Black and white illustrations run throughout and include excerpts from Rica’s prayer journal, where she hopes for her grandfather to feel better and to do well at the talent show. Rica and her family are brown-skinned; best friend Laini is light-skinned and of Irish descent. The next book in the Rica Baptista series is out in November – pick up the first two now and get them on your chapter book shelves.

Unicornia: Learning to Fly, by Ana Punset/Illustrated by Diana Vicedo, (Dec. 2024, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536241006

Ages 6-9

Originally published in Spanish in 2022, this chapter book series has been very popular for my Spanish-language collection; I was happy to read it in English and see what the hype is about. Claudia is a young girl whose family has just moved to Unicornia, “the most magical hidden city in the entire universe”. It’s a haven for unicorns, created when the magical beings were in danger of going extinct; select humans seem to be able to make the move. Claudia is delighted to start school at the Unicornia Academy of Magic, but she has a bit of a rough start: her potions class is confusing (and messy), and riding a unicorn? No way! Luckily, Claudia meets Sara and Pippa, two friendly lifelong residents of Unicornia, who are only too happy to get her caught up. Now, all they have to do is help Claudia develop the confidence to ride a unicorn… by encouraging her to spend time with Chai, her class unicorn, the three friends may have this school year in the bag. A fun, cheerful story about friendship, confidence, and taking on new challenges and narrated by Claudia, Learning to Fly is a good introduction to a fantasy world. Two-color pink and white illustrations add to the cotton-candy cartoon feel of the story. A helpful map guides readers around Unicornia. A charming addition to chapter book collections.

Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate

The Goblin Princess: Dust that house, and untrain your dragon!

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Originally published in the UK, The Goblin Princess is a sweet chapter book series perfect for kids who are ready to branch out from easy readers. Let’s meet The Goblin Princess and her family.

The Goblin Princess: Smoky the Dragon Baby, by Jenny O’Connor/Illustrated by Kate Willis-Crowley, (Oct. 2018, Faber & Faber), $8.95, ISBN: 9780571316588

Ages 7-10

Matty is a goblin princess, but she’s also the odd goblin out in her family. She’s always being told to untidy her room, and eat up her slug porridge; her family – like most goblins – is also terrified of pretty things, like kittens and butterflies, and reading fairy tales are sure to give them nightmares, but Matty just doesn’t fit in. When the family dragon, Sparks, lays an egg and a sweet little blue dragon emerges, Matty falls in love. But little Smoky is polite and sweet, and the untraining her father, the Goblin King, calls for doesn’t quite take. Luckily for Matty, little Smoky finds some talent in burning the toast (a goblin delicacy)! When Matty and her family go on a goblin family picnic at the Dragon Lagoon, Matty and Smoky have a little side adventure of their own, meeting nasty hobgoblins and kind Forest Fairies (who aren’t at all terrifying) – and maybe Matty can convince her family that she and Smoky are just naughty enough after all!

The Goblin Princess: The Grand Goblin Ball, by Jenny O’Connor/Illustrated by Kate Willis-Crowley, (Oct. 2018, Faber & Faber), $8.95, ISBN: 9780571316601

Ages 7-10

The next book in the Goblin Princess series picks up fresh off the heels of Smoky the Dragon Baby. The royal Goblin Family is preparing for the Grand Goblin Ball, but there’s trouble afoot: the hobgoblins are planning to crash the party and CLEAN! And PAINT! And worst of all, they’re planning to capture Smoky! Luckily, some of the Forest Fairies overheard the plot and warned Matty in time. Matty and Smoky join forces with their new friend, Dave – a Frog of Mystery and Magic – to beat the hobgoblins and save the party! Recipes for Scary Potato Faces, Ghoulish Goblin Drinks, and Peppermint Cream Bugs let readers plan a Goblin Ball of their very own!

The Goblin Princess books are sweet, entertaining, and upbeat. Kids are going to get a kick out of the backwards world that the goblins live in: messing up your room? Eating sloppily and having food fights? Untraining your dragon and being an irresponsible pet owner? It sounds awesome, right? Which makes poor Matty and Smoky outsiders in their worlds, and sets the stage for some hilarious happenings. Kate Willis-Crowley’s watercolor artwork adds an incredible cute factor to the storytelling, with adorable characters like Smoky the Dragon and Matty the Goblin, and great visuals for events like the Goblin buffet, complete with Key Slime Pie and Mice Cakes.

Pictures all come from Kate Willis-Crowley’s blog.

I enjoyed the first two Goblin Princess stories, and look forward to the third one, The Snow Fairy (it looks like it was just published in the UK… can we get a copy stateside soon?) Readers who love enjoy fantasy will enjoy the close friendship between Smoky and Matty, and get a kick out of Smoky’s baby talk. The bad guys aren’t terribly bad. The hobgoblins, for instance, really just want Smoky around to warm up their food; nothing truly nefarious (unless you count cleaning and painting the Goblin castle: that’s just horrible). Give this to your Unicorn Princesses/Hamster Princess/Princess in Black fans.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate

Ginger Green, Playdate Queen, meets The Crazy Friend!

Posted on February 1, 2018November 18, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Crazy Friend (Ginger Green), by Kim Kane/Illustrated by Jon Davis, (Apr. 2018, Capstone), $5.95, ISBN: 9781515819479

Meet Claude in the Country!

Posted on May 31, 2016May 31, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Claude in the Country, by Alex T. Smith (Apr. 2016, Peachtree Publishers), $12.95, ISBN: 9781561459186

Recommended for ages 7-10

Claude is a beret-wearing housedog, living with his human family, Mr. and Mrs. Shinyshoes, and his best friend, a red striped sock named Mr. Bobblysock. One day, they decide to go on a walk in the country and find themselves at Woollybottom Farm. Spending the day helping Mrs. Cowpat, the farmer, turns into quite an education for Claude as he washes pigs (giving them quite the pampering), checks out competitive vegetable competitions, and his chased by a bull! Will Claude and Mr. Bobblysock go country, or will they go back home when the day is done?

The Claude books by Alex T. Smith were originally published in the UK; the first, Claude in the City, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2012. I’m always happy to see a good intermediate series hit bookshelves, so I’m thrilled that this series is coming to US audiences. I received my ARC from the Peachtree Publishers booth at PLA, where the rep talked the book up so much, I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. Claude’s adorable, and seems to have a habit of meandering into situations where he happily dives into new experiences. Mr. Bobblysock is there as a companion, but tends to be pretty sleepy, so Claude takes the lead.

Animal fiction always does well for me, as does humor, so the combination of the two, with the adorably cartoony two-color art from Alex Smith, seals the deal. I just found out that Disney Junior UK has picked up Claude for an animated series, so let’s see how he fares on our shores, and maybe we’ll get some more Claude in our future. This is a fun beginner chapter book series for kids who are ready to start testing the waters beyond Easy Readers. Booktalk them and display them with your Mercy Watson and Leroy Ninker books; pit Claude against Bad Kitty to see whose adventures are more hilarious!

Check out more of Alex T. Smith’s art on his author webpage, including an adorable 90th birthday wish for the Queen of England.

Fiction, Intermediate, Steampunk

The Oodlethunks – prehistory’s newest family series!

Posted on January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Oona Finds an Egg (The Oodlethunks, #1), by Adele Griffin/Illustrated by Mike Wu, (Jan. 2016, Scholastic), $12.99, ISBN: 9780545732796

Recommended for ages 7-10

Oona is a Stone Age girl whose father stays home and bakes kind of weird health food, like newt fingers; her mom works at an advertising agency where they’re trying to sell consumers on the wheel; and her little brother, Bonk, is just annoying. She really, really wants a pet, so when she finds an egg while she’s out wandering, she’s so excited! Her parents let her keep it until it hatches – they’re worried that she may be eaten by what’s in the egg! – but Oona is convinced that Something Cute is in that egg just waiting for Oona to love it. She cares for the egg until one day, it disappears – and Bonk is acting awfully guilty.

Oona finds an egg is a new intermediate series for readers growing out of easier chapter books like Scholastic’s Branch series, and ready to tackle a little more. Oona is a good protagonist: she loves her family, she doesn’t always get along with her little brother, and she shows,The Oodlethunks are a pretty modern stone-age family (apologies to The Flintstones), with a working mom and stay at home dad; kids will recognize the family structure and relate, either having friends with working moms, or having working moms/stay at home dads of their own.

It’s a fun new series that kids will enjoy, with prehistoric animals that kids may not have heard of before – Ms. Griffin provides an explanation on a few of them at the end of the book – and fills the gap between more challenging fiction and easy readers. There are illustrations and text, and plenty of opportunities for a good book discussion.

Early Reader, Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate

Knit-Knotters: A New Fairy Tale from Scholastic’s Branches!

Posted on January 5, 2016January 4, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Stella is getting glasses – and she’s not sure how she feels about them. When she puts them on, though, she starts seeing things very differently – like the glasses were enchanted! That night, Stella discovers that her tangled and knotted hair isn’t her fault, but the fault of a knit-knotter sprite named Trixie, whose job it is to tangle up kids’ hair! If Stella lets her tangle her hair, she’ll have to get a haircut, and she doesn’t want that! Can she and Trixie figure out a deal that will work out for both of them?

Stella & The Night Sprites, Book One: Knit-Knotters, by Sam Hay/Illustrated by Turine Tran (Jan. 2015, Scholastic), $4.99, ISBN: 9780545819985

Recommended for ages 6-8

This is another series under Scholastic’s Branches line, made for newly independent readers. When kids are growing out of Easy Readers but aren’t quite ready to dive into chapter books, Branches is the way to go. I’ve read a few of these, and they’re great for young readers who are ready for a little bit more. The books are illustrated and have easy to read, short chapters with fun storylines. Stella and the Sprites is adorable, with a fun, fantasy storyline about mischievous sprites and fairies and a little girl who can think really fast on her feet. A discussion guide with questions is available at the end of the book, so parents, read along with your kids, then talk about the book!

Branches Books are great for literacy programs at the library, too. I’ve got a need at my library for a literacy program for younger grades, so my shopping cart will be full of these come budget time this month. They’re an easy enough read for kids, and we can discuss it right here at the library – maybe even make some knit-knotters of your own with toothpicks, beads, and glitter glue!