There is nothing more that I love than building a love of reading in my young students! But not everyone falls in love with reading like I did so it takes a bit more convincing for those little ones!
I’ve found that series books can hook young reluctant readers. When a child finds a book they like, they’re more likely to want to read the next book in the series! I mean, I’m guilty of that. When I find a book that has the same characters it feels like I’m reconnecting with an old friend!
Series books help students develop a love for books and also teach kids about different genres of books. If your young readers start with a book that is easy to read, they can gradually move on to more challenging books in the series.
For early readers, read the books aloud! Here are some series books for reluctant readers your K-2 students will love!
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The Berenstain Bears
This classic series has been around for over 50 years and is a favorite of many kids – including Luke here at my house! If your students don’t tend to pick up a book during free time, the Berenstain Bears might just change their minds!
Overall, these books have a moral at the end that your students will love. Finally, they are also a great way to teach kids about family values.
The Boxcar Children
The Boxcar Children is another series for K-2 students to enjoy. This classic series has been around for decades and is still going strong {I read it…did you?}
Introduce your students to science as the kids learn some interesting facts about geology and the environment. These are the perfect first mystery books for students.
The Magic Tree House
Ranging from prehistoric times to the future, The Magic Tree House series will keep your kids interested. Packed with interesting information about science and history, your students build their reading skills as they learn about the world.
The Magic Tree House books are written for children ages 7-10, but you can certainly read this aloud to young reluctant readers. I love that these books are a wonderful jumping off place for students to get interested in other topics such as the Titanic and the rainforest. I’ll often see students ask our librarian to pull books about these subjects!
Amelia Bedelia
Who doesn’t love Amelia Bedelia?! And it’s another series favorite among early readers. Amelia Bedelia is a hilarious character who always misunderstands what people say to her.
The books are short and simple, perfect for young readers who are just starting to read chapter books. They’re also great for teaching kids about idioms and other figures of speech.
Dragonbreath
If your students are interested in dragons, they will love this series. Dragonbreath follows the adventures of a young dragon who has to learn how to survive in the world.
Filled with adventure and humor, they are perfect for early readers. The books also introduce kids to different genres, such as mystery and science fiction.
Geronimo Stilton
The Geronimo Stilton series is perfect for reluctant readers! The books are full of adventure, humor, and mystery. If you want to introduce students to graphic novels, try Geronimo Stilton! You’ll be able to use these books to teach kids about different genres, such as history and science.
And once they fall in love with Geronimo, they will likely want to read Thea Stilton books, too!
The Flat Stanley Series
The Flat Stanley series is a great way to introduce adventure stories. The books follow a boy who is flattened by a bulletin board and can now travel by mail. Early readers love Flat Stanley!
To extend this, you can always have students create their own “flat” character to mail to friends and family to have his/her own adventures!
Overall, series books are a great way to get young reluctant readers interested in reading. They can help to develop a love for reading and a lifelong habit.
Series books can also be a great way to create consistency and community in your classroom. So don’t hesitate to pick up a series book to read to or share with your students! It’ll get your students excited about these characters and stories and they’ll be motivated to read on their own!
Do you have any favorite series to share with your students? Leave a comment and let me know!
