9 Fictional Chapter Book Recommendations for Third Grade Boys
When my son was ready to transition to chapter books with more complex storylines, less pictures, and increased length to 100 pages per book, it took a while to find books that would sparkle his interests. Surely, neither of the girlie books was on his list so we focused on fantasy and superhero. Roadl Dahl was highly recommended by various resources but each book was like pulling teeth to beg him to finish. After a book or two, the rest of the series was out of the question. However, after couple of visits to various local libraries, we’ve tried and read through various genre of books. Below is our recommendation for graders that can take ATOS 3.0-3.9 and needless to say, show interests in superhero, sports and/or imaginary monsters.
These books have length up to 100 pages with heavily illustration in nearly every page. Those illustrations are to guide the children as they mentally visualize the storylines as they read along. Each chapter is short to allow readers to stop and resume if their attention spans are not long enough.
If you have advanced readers on your hands, check out these recommended books for fourth graders.
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1. Mercy Watson – ATOS 2.6 – 3.2
A series of chapter books written by Kate DiCamillo about a fictional pig, Mercy Watson, having different kinds of “adventures” known to pigs. Each story is funny and heart-warming with full-colored detailed pictures of the characters and the settings. Both my kids laughed and enjoyed the crazy and ridiculous adventures taken by this porcine wonder with her owners, Mrs. And Mr. Watson. If at the end of the series, you still cannot get enough, there’s also an extended series about the neighbors in the same street Mercy lives on, Tales from Deckawoo Drive.
2. Eerie Elementary – ATOS 3.3 – 3.6
Total 10 books, this series is about a 3rd grader, Sam Graves, finding out that the school comes alive with evil plans in mind and it’s up to Sam and his best friends to protect themselves against those and the master brain behind all the schemes. Not much humor from the story and the monsters are mainly stuff you see from the school, like desks or lockers. The illustrations are also on the spooky side so this series may not be suitable for kids that are not comfortable with monsters and definitely steer away if they get nightmares. However, once they are comfortable, this is a great series to keep onto the shelf. My son stopped after volume 1 because after reading, he hid his face after our couch pillow. But, he resumed and finished couple of books from the rest of the series after a few months.
3. Notebook of Doom – ATOS 3.3 – 3.6
The story is about Alexander, a boy that became a monster fighter after discovering a notebook, A.K.A. Notebook of Doom, that includes all detailed information on every monster he encounters. Under Scholastic Branches line for independent readers, the plots are easy to read and fast paced. The entire series with stories has 13 books with black and white illustrations and there is the actual Notebook of Doom with colorful illustration and information on every monster. Admittedly, I did hesitate and wanted my son to stop reading the series because of the terrifying covers. But, the stories actually have full of humor and the weird looking monsters actually are much less intimidating.
4. Binder of Doom – ATOS 3.5 – 4.0
This is a continuation to Notebook of Doom for those that cannot get enough of the spookiness. This series is packed with even more monsters but instead of doing alone, Alexander now has a monster fighting club with his best friends. The Super Secret Monster Patrol teams up defend themselves against the monsters that were once cleared out of the town. With black and white guided illustration and adrenaline rushing storyline, these are perfect for independent readers who enjoy spooky stories and want to know if Alexander and his friends can once again protect the town from the evil.
5. Flat Stanley – ATOS 3.2 – 3.9
Honestly, who doesn’t love a flattened out boy that can fit inside a large envelop and mail himself out to another country? Nobody! Flat Stanley has always been our favorite since level 2 reading and naturally, we continued on with the chapter series that offered more complex storyline and longer reading length. The series under the Original Adventures, such as Magic Lamp, In Space, Invisible, Flat Again, Amazing Mexican Secret are suitable for 3rd graders. Once those are completed, move onto Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventure for the next grade. Each book include a different adventure Stanley take. Either it’s traveling globally or crazy journeys to outer space to save aliens, every story is filled with excitement and humor. You, and I mean the adults, will enjoy reading these as much as your kiddos.
6. Magic Tree House – ATOS 3.0-3.9
Back in 2nd grade, my son wasn’t into any of this 30-year old classic. He has tried reading a few that are rated for 2nd graders but ended up losing interest before finished. However, once he got to 3rd grade, something clicked and he couldn’t get his hands off from reading more and more of the series. In two months, he has already finished 15 books. Tigers at Twilight, Pirates Past Noon, and Soccer on Sunday are just among the few. A little background on the series. Magic Tree House is about this young sibling, Jack and Annie Smith, who transport via their magic tree house to different parts of the world and even different historic eras. Despite the historical background, the vivid storytelling with dabs of magic and fantasy stirred curiosity and attract to the young readers. Up to date there are 37 books, and counting, in the series.
7. Kickers – ATOS 3.7-4.2
This is a perfect beginning reading series for those soccer fanatics. Written by Rich Wallace, who was once an athlete himself and worked as newspaper sportswriter for many years, the series captures various situations of the games and mindsets of the newbies. His storyline also delivers the values of working as a team and good sportsmanship. When my son started this, he was in the soccer league himself so every detail of the game resonated with him. There are only 4 books in this series but if you want to continue with other sports, try another series by the same author, Winning Season aiming for 4th graders.
8. Captain Awesome – ATOS 3.8 – 4.3
Meet Eugene McGillicudy and his alter ego, Captain Awesome. Together, they protect the town of Sunnyview with best friend, Nacho Cheese Man, and sidekick, Turbo the hamster. Love the story and the imaginary bad guys. Filled with humor, the books are in large prints and easy to under plots. Great selection to read and enjoy the laugh with the kids. Total of 25 books in the entire series and each book has its own adventure so there’s no need to read all in order.
9. The Chicken Squad – ATOS 3.2 – 4.2
The Chicken Squad is formed by four chicks, Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie, who may look flurry and cute but they definitely have some major plans in mind, to solve the mysteries and fighting crimes. This series from Dorren Cronin has been my son’s favorite. The stories are funny, in large fonts, guided graphics, and short chapters. The four books labeled for 3rd graders are great for beginning readers that need to expand their vocabularies and enjoy the fun at the same time. Then continue with the rest of the series, rated under 4th grade level, with longer book length and increased word count per page. These books include Dark Shadows: Yes, Another Misadventure, Gimme Shelter: Misadventures and Misinformation, and Bear Country: Bearly a Misadventure.
