First Chapters booklist

First Chapters

Books for kids who are ready
to move beyond 1st and 2nd grade readers

These books are shelved alphabetically by the author's last name in the
Juvenile Fiction, Juvenile Mysteries or Juvenile Science Fiction sections.
Ask library staff for help in finding these or other good books!

Click for: the complete list (a printer-friendly version)

Mysteries | Science Fiction & Fantasy

Fiction

Christopher, Matt.
The Spy on Third Base
A 3rd baseman worries if he should help his team by using his knack for knowing where the batter is going to hit the ball.

Dadey, Debbie.
Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (The Adventures of the Bailey School kids, #1)
The kids in the 3rd grade at Bailey Elementary are so hard to handle that all their teachers have quit. The new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, has just moved from the Transylvanian Alps and seems to have some strange powers that help her deal with mischief-makers.

Grimes, Nikki.
Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel (Dyamonde Daniel, #1)
Spunky 3rd-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood, but when she befriends a boy named Free, another new student, she finally starts to feel at home.

Haas, Jessie.
A Blue for Beware
Lily and her friend Mandy compete against each other in a horse show for the first time.

Hannigan, Katherine
Emmaline and the Bunny
Everyone and everything in the town of Neatasapin is tidy, except Emmaline who likes to dig dirt and jump in puddles, and wants to adopt an untidy bunny.

Hermes, Patricia.
Westward to Home: Joshua's Diary (My America series)
In 1848, 9-year-old Joshua Martin McCullough writes a journal of his family's journey from Missouri to Oregon in a covered wagon.

Landry, Leo.
Grin and Bear It
Will stage fright prevent a very funny bear from becoming a stand-up comedian?

Lowry, Lois.
Gooney Bird Greene (Gooney Bird Greene, #1)
A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her teacher and fellow second graders by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name.

Miles, Ellen.
Goldie (The Puppy Place, #1)
Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They want a puppy of their own more than just about anything. They know dogs are a lot of work. But their Mom still doesn't think their family is ready for a puppy. Then, Goldie arrives. She is a sweet golden retriever who needs a home. Goldie is very young. She doesn't know how to be a good puppy yet. Will Charles and Lizzie be able to help her?

Park, Barbara.
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (Junie B. Jones series, #1)
Remember when it was scary to go to school because it was your first day and you didn't know anything? Meet Junie B. Jones, kindergartner. She's so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it's time to go home, she doesn't.

Pennypacker, Sara.
Clementine (Clementine series, #1)
While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, 8-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.

Stilton, Geronimo.
Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton, #1)
When Geronimo's sister, Thea, discovers an old, mysterious map showing a secret treasure hidden on a faraway island, the gang of the "Rodent's Gazette" is dragged into a treasure hunt.

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Adventures of Laura and Jack (Little House Chapter Books: Laura, #1)
Laura and her beloved bulldog Jack share some wild adventures as the Wilder family moves from Wisconsin to Kansas and later to Minnesota.

Mysteries

Cronin, Doreen.
The Trouble with Chickens (J. J. Tully Mystery, #1)
A hard-bitten former search-and-rescue dog helps solve a complicated missing chicken case.

Roy, Ron.
January Joker (Calendar Mysteries, #1)
Seven-year-olds Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy make observations and gather clues that convince them that their older siblings, cousin, and animals have been captured by hungry space aliens.

Torrey, Michelle.
The Case of the Gasping Garbage (Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives, #1)
Fourth-graders Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey combine their detective and scientific investigation skills to solve a variety of cases, involving a noisy garbage can, endangered frogs, a stuck truck, and a mysterious love letter. Includes a section of scientific experiments and activities.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Meadows, Daisy.
Ruby, the Red Fairy (Rainbow Magic, #1)
Rainbow Fairies Rachel and Kirsty must find the other Rainbow Fairies in order to prevent Fairyland from losing its colors and turning gray forever.

Osbourne, Mary Pope.
Dinosaurs Before Dark (The Magic Tree House series, #1)
Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic treehouse, which whisks them back to an ancient time zone where they see live dinosaurs.

Scieszka, Jon.
Knights of the Kitchen Table (The Time Warp Trio, #1)
With the help of a book from Joe's magician uncle, Joe, Fred and Sam travel through time and make Camelot safe from a very smelly giant.

Click for: the complete list (a printer-friendly version)

11/22/11
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802

	Christopher, Matt. The Spy on Third Base A 3rd baseman worries if he should help his team by using his knack for knowing where the batter is going to hit the ball.
	Dadey, Debbie. Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (The Adventures of the Bailey School kids, #1) The kids in the 3rd grade at Bailey Elementary are so hard to handle that all their teachers have quit. The new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, has just moved from the Transylvanian Alps and seems to have some strange powers that help her deal with mischief-makers.
	Grimes, Nikki. Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel (Dyamonde Daniel, #1) Spunky 3rd-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood, but when she befriends a boy named Free, another new student, she finally starts to feel at home.
	Haas, Jessie. A Blue for Beware Lily and her friend Mandy compete against each other in a horse show for the first time.
	Hannigan, Katherine Emmaline and the Bunny Everyone and everything in the town of Neatasapin is tidy, except Emmaline who likes to dig dirt and jump in puddles, and wants to adopt an untidy bunny.
	Hermes, Patricia. Westward to Home: Joshua's Diary (My America series) In 1848, 9-year-old Joshua Martin McCullough writes a journal of his family's journey from Missouri to Oregon in a covered wagon.
	Landry, Leo. Grin and Bear It Will stage fright prevent a very funny bear from becoming a stand-up comedian?
	Lowry, Lois. Gooney Bird Greene (Gooney Bird Greene, #1) A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her teacher and fellow second graders by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name.
	Miles, Ellen. Goldie (The Puppy Place, #1) Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They want a puppy of their own more than just about anything. They know dogs are a lot of work. But their Mom still doesn't think their family is ready for a puppy. Then, Goldie arrives. She is a sweet golden retriever who needs a home. Goldie is very young. She doesn't know how to be a good puppy yet. Will Charles and Lizzie be able to help her?
	Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (Junie B. Jones series, #1) Remember when it was scary to go to school because it was your first day and you didn't know anything? Meet Junie B. Jones, kindergartner. She's so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it's time to go home, she doesn't.
	Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine (Clementine series, #1) While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, 8-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.
	Stilton, Geronimo. Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton, #1) When Geronimo's sister, Thea, discovers an old, mysterious map showing a secret treasure hidden on a faraway island, the gang of the "Rodent's Gazette" is dragged into a treasure hunt.
	Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Adventures of Laura and Jack (Little House Chapter Books: Laura, #1) Laura and her beloved bulldog Jack share some wild adventures as the Wilder family moves from Wisconsin to Kansas and later to Minnesota.

	Cronin, Doreen. The Trouble with Chickens (J. J. Tully Mystery, #1) A hard-bitten former search-and-rescue dog helps solve a complicated missing chicken case.
	Roy, Ron. January Joker (Calendar Mysteries, #1) Seven-year-olds Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy make observations and gather clues that convince them that their older siblings, cousin, and animals have been captured by hungry space aliens.
	Torrey, Michelle. The Case of the Gasping Garbage (Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives, #1) Fourth-graders Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey combine their detective and scientific investigation skills to solve a variety of cases, involving a noisy garbage can, endangered frogs, a stuck truck, and a mysterious love letter. Includes a section of scientific experiments and activities.

	Meadows, Daisy. Ruby, the Red Fairy (Rainbow Magic, #1) Rainbow Fairies Rachel and Kirsty must find the other Rainbow Fairies in order to prevent Fairyland from losing its colors and turning gray forever.
	Osbourne, Mary Pope. Dinosaurs Before Dark (The Magic Tree House series, #1) Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic treehouse, which whisks them back to an ancient time zone where they see live dinosaurs.
	Scieszka, Jon. Knights of the Kitchen Table (The Time Warp Trio, #1) With the help of a book from Joe's magician uncle, Joe, Fred and Sam travel through time and make Camelot safe from a very smelly giant.