Read Aloud Third Grade Chapter Books
[1]
The One and Only Ivan
illus. Castelao, Patricia
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Winner of the Newberry medal. Do I even need to review it. Sadly, I like about half of the recent medals, and the other half are adult books. Ivan is a gorilla who is loosely based on a actual cage confined gorilla who paints pictures. There is one scene the parent reader might want to edit out: when Ivan tells how his gorilla troop was killed, there is a graphic description of gorilla heads and hands being chopped off. Otherwise the book is great for young impressionable minds.
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[2]
Poppy
illus. Floca, Brian
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
An animal story where animals act true to their nature. A group of mice live under the dictatorship of an owl, who occasionally eats the mice.
[3]
The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy (Series)
illus. Gilpin, Stephen
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
The hero is an ordinary boy (no superpowers) in a world where everyone is literally a superhero. The book is written with a lot of educational points and is enjoyable, though the plot is a little bit weak.
[4]
The Name of this Book is Secret (Series)
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
audiobook CD
An entertaining adventure series. Two kids investigate the disappearance of several people, leading them to the classic evil-want-to-live-forever-villains. The narrator is very funny, though sometimes a little obtrusive. However, the narrator sort of gives a lesson on how to write fiction, pointing on various plot twits and pitfalls. All in all, this book is quite original and with a teacher or parent as a guide, many lessons on writing can be learned.
[5]
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society (Series)
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
I think the title pretty much says it all. Nerds save the day. The book starts out with the main character, Jackson, as the most popular kid in school. He mercilessly torments the school nerds until unfortunate circumstances turn him into a nerd. But these NERDS are cool, working to save the world. The writing is flawless and extremely funny.
[6]
Frindle
illus. Selznick, Brian
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
This is one of those read aloud books that can be enjoyed on various levels. The six year old will enjoy it, the 12 year old, and most of all the adult. The book shows the power of an idea, and how in America, an idea can be worth a million bucks, even when it comes from a kid. Also, the book explains the rudiments of linguistics, how words are formed in an interesting and practical approach. Finally, the book shows us the ideal teacher. The amazing thing is that with all this non-fiction stuff, the book is actually really fun to read.
[7]
Artemis Fowl (Series)
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Don't expect Artemis Fowl to be Harry Potter's younger brother. In fact, Artemis is a young evil genius. Though Artemis does not have magical talents, his intellect is almost magical. Magic does come into the book by way of a very untraditional representation of fairies and elves. At parts, the book is hilarious, and witty. I would give the first book a try.
[8]
Bud, Not Buddy
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Curtis is a really great author. I would rank him up there with Samuel Clemens. In fact, his stories remind me of Huck Finn. Bud is a young black boy growing up during the depression, searching for his father after running away from an orphanage.
[9]
Elijah Of Buxton
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
See also the review for Bud, Not Buddy. Before the Civil War, there was a town in Canada founded by former slaves. Elijah is the first free born freeman.
[10]
Because of Winn-Dixie
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
This is a story of a little girl, growing up with her father, after her mother abandoned them. Winn-Dixie is a stray, friendly dog who helps her make new friends. With this subject matter, it is not surprising that this book is so emotional.
[11]
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
illus. Ibatouline, Bagram
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Edward is a porcelain rabbit, who can not move, but has thoughts and emotions. He gets swept through time (the story lasts around one generation) and touches the lives of various people. I judge a book by its ending, mostly. This one has a good ending.
[12]
The Tale of Despereaux
illus. Ering, Timothy Basil
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Most people hate books where the narrater is obtrusive. Not so with this book. The narrater makes a complicated story accessible to a young listener. Despereaux is a young mouse who is in love with a princess. It sounds absurd, but it really is a neat story.
[13]
Mockingbird
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
Warning: the parent or teacher should read this book in full before reading it aloud to the child. This is one of those great books that may be a little hard to digest. The main characters are a child with Asperger's syndrome, and her father. Two years ago the mother died of cancer, and now, the older brother just died in a random school shooting. The book doesn't describe the shooting in much detail; rather, how the child and father deal with the loss of the brother. It is a great book for introducing autism, but the school shooting component might be too troubling for a young child.
[14]
Operation Redwood
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
Ever since I have read Lord Of the Rings, I have loved trees. Redwoods are especially fascinating, living over 2000 years and being the tallest trees of the world. This realistic fictional story shows how a group of determined kids could save an old growth redwood grove from logging. For more on the subject, see non-fiction work: The Wild Trees, by Richard Preston, an excellent book and author.
[15]
Old Yeller
illus. Polson, Steven
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Probably one of the best children's books I have ever read. It is the coming of age story of a boy, and his dog. Just to warn you, before you read it aloud, you and your child will probably cry for the last 30 pages. I could read about people dying, but it is not half as affecting as when this dog dies. It is really a magical book.
[16]
Have Space Suit Will Travel
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
I learned about this book from my favorite author, George R.R. Martin. When he was a kid, this book opened his eyes to the universe. It starts small, a boy wins a space suit and wants to go to the moon. By the time it is over, the fate of the human race is at stake. Heinlein is great for learning real science. Did you know he was the official commentator when men first walked on the moon. Books like his can really make young kids interested in science. It is a shame that today kids are only interested in Harry Potter.
[17]
Scat
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
The characters in this books are unforgettable and very original. My favorite is Wendell Waxmo, a substitute teacher who, every Monday, only teaches a certain page of the textbook, no matter the subject. The story, a mystery, centers around the endangered Florida panther.
[18]
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat
illus. Bean, Jonathan
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
audiobook CD
A rat with the ability to shrink people helps Emmy escape from a witch-like nanny.
[19]
Charmed Life
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
audiobook CD
What should you read after finishing Harry Pottter? Charmed Life is a good choice. It is the story of two orphans (a boy and his sister) in a magical, parallel world.
[20]
A Wrinkle in Time
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
If a star could talk, what would it say? This is a book about good and evil, a war, that takes place on the galactic level. The good guys are the entities that want to bring light to the universe, while the bad guys want only darkness. A good book for those smart kids who don't fit in so well.
[21]
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
audiobook CD
A child goes on a fairy tell adventure, rescuing a dragon along the way, with the hope of finding the Old Man of the Moon (a personification of destiny); set in the far east in the distant past.
[22]
Gossamer
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
I liked this book but it is a little on the abstract side for a young child. Gossamer is a dream giver, a tiny creature whose purpose is to give people good, healing dreams. The book deals with child abuse.
[23]
Number The Stars
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
There are not all that many introductory fictional books about the Holocaust suitable to read to a third grader. This is one of them. Why? Because it takes place in Denmark, and not Poland. In other words, it tells the story of how the people of Denmark and Sweden saved many of their Jewish citizens. The book also explains the concept of courage to a really young child. Lowry is a great author. Her classic, The Giver, is a great read for an adult or young adult, NOT FOR CHILDREN.
[24]
Moon Pie
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
This ultra modern story explores what happens when a young child's only guardian, in this case, a father, starts to lose his mind as he suffers from mental illness. The writing is poignant, yet simple and clear.
[25]
Shiloh
illus. Moser, Barry
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
This is a great introduction to the subject of abuse; whether it be child abuse or animal abuse. Both are dealt with here. A child develops a bond with a beagle who is mistreated and tries his hardest, even though he must break some laws, to protect the dog.
[26]
A Single Shard
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
Magic Tree house is a great series to teach basic history, but books like A single Shard go three times as deep into the subject. Taking place in the 1200s, in Korea, it tells the story of a young orphan with a love for pottery.
[27]
Hatchet
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
This extremely popular book is based on the true story of a teenager who survives a plane crash, and then survives on his own in the Canadian Rockies, all thanks to his hatchet.
[28]
Harry Potter (Series)
illus. GrandPre, Mary
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
audiobook CD
While it is true that Harry Potter is a boy wizard, it is not what makes the book good. This is apparent by the multitude of new young adult fantasy books recently published. Harry Potter is good because it is witty, well written, emotional, strongly plot driven, and most of all: because so many of the characters are so lovable.
[29]
Holes
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
audiobook CD
Holes is a really neat, original book. A young teenager gets sent to a juvenile detention camp after being falsely convicted of steeling a pair of used sneakers. At camp, they must, in the hot dessert, dig a 5 foot diameter, 5 foot deep, hole each day.
[30]
The Little Prince
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
You will read this and only understand between a quarter and a half. Don't feel bad. I read it to a four year old, and I think the four year old understood it better than me. But no matter, it is a worthwhile read.
[31]
A Series of Unfortunate Events
illus. Helquist, Brett
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
The book starts off with a three siblings who find out they have just been orphaned. In a humorous and exaggerated Harry Potter sort of way, they are mistreated by their foster father, who plots to steal their family fortune. Though there was no magic in the first book, it does have a fantasy feel to it. The narrator constantly defines vocabulary words, which makes it a little annoying for an older reader, but great for young ones.
[32]
Fourth Grade Rats
chapter book
read-aloud third grade and up
highly recommended
Usually coming of age stories deal with the boundary between childhood and adulthood. Fourth Grade Rats details the experiences of two boys as they mature in, fourth grade, from immaturity to a little more mature. Well written and poignant
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