Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Memphis, TN

Chapter books are like the last great jump for young readers.  You start out with the board books, move on to picture books and before you know it, your kid is sitting through the entire Harry Potter series.

OK.  So maybe Harry Potter is a bit advanced for the earliest of readers but you get the idea.

One thing that makes reading so magical is that it gives you a chance to expose your kids to the books that you loved as a child - the books that you find yourself picking up when you're in the children's section of your favorite bookstore.

One of my favorites was The Horse That Came to Breakfast.  I got it at a book fair in first grade and I still have that book.  I specifically remember my mom and me reading it before bed.

That's what books do for kids - they create memories.

Here are some books for the smallest of readers for you to buy, read and enjoy.

Any of the choose your own adventure books by Marcia Leonard.  You might have to check second hand book stores - Burke's Book Store has a lot of them.

Frog and Toad Are Friends - A classic series that you can get in hardcover from Amazon starting under $3.  The suggested reading age starts at age four but some kids might be ready for it earlier.

The Junie B Jones books - Great series with a suggested age starting at four.  There are tons of these books so you won't run out for a while.

The Captain Underpants series - A new classic that really appeals to boys.

Encyclopedia Brown books - These books are absolute favorites with kids right now.  While they might be at the upper age range of what you might usually consider, most young kids will still enjoy the books if they're read by an energetic parent.

If you can think of chapter books from your childhood that I should add to this list then leave a comment and I'll get it added.

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