11 Wholesome Chapter Book Series Your Kids Will Love
We’ve put together a list of our top chapter book series for kids. They’re wholesome, beautiful, and your family won’t be able to put them down!
My love for reading is clearly contagious. It seems as though we cannot have enough books to satisfy in our home. Most of my kids can be found on a given afternoon or evening curled up with a great book.
One way I’ve encouraged this love for reading is to get my kids hooked on a chapter book series. You get hooked on the first one and simply can’t wait to come back for more!
Reading a series is such a great way to connect ideas and pique further interests. Plus, it is easier to trust the content of subsequent books once we have read the first one.
I’ve done some of the leg work for you to hopefully save you a bit of time in searching for the best chapter book series. Here are our top 11 favorite series. I hope your kids love them!
Table of Contents
Our Favorite Wholesome Chapter Book Series for Kids
1. Little House on the Prairie and Little Britches
I doubt the Little House series needs much explanation, but if you happen to have forgotten about it…don’t miss this opportunity to teach your children about what life was like in early America. The family values and references to God are a refreshing and welcome part of this series. Little Britches is a similar series, but perhaps with a more masculine spin. Both would make excellent family read-alouds for almost any age, which is why they are number one on our favorite Christian books for kids list.
2. All-of-a-Kind-Family
Written in the 1950s, this series is a rare find. Rich vocabulary and wholesome values are just a few of the reasons why this series is sought after. The family’s charm and adventures will captivate your heart!
3. Grandma’s Attic
In these stories, a young girl delights in the stories her grandmother tells. It’s a wonderful treasury of faith, adventure, and timeless life lessons. They are great for middle elementary-aged kids.
4. Imagination Station
Written by the folks from Adventures in Odyssey, Imagination Station promises young readers (ages 7-12) adventure and mystery. This series is much like the popular Magic Tree House series, minus the magic and wizardry. There are more than 9 volumes of excitement.
5. Moody Family Series
If you are looking for a series that makes life beautiful, the Moody Family series will not disappoint. So far, Sarah Maxwell has written 7 books detailing the pleasures of the good life…following a simple homeschooling family as they help others, learn to love God, and enjoy time as a family. This series makes a great family read-aloud or a trustworthy independent selection!
6. Cul-de-Sac Kids
Perfect for your new chapter book reader, the Cul-de-Sac Kids enchant with tales of friendship, teamwork, and faith as they explore the neighborhood. These books are short, making them perfect for building confidence.
7. Rod and Staff Chapter Books
I fell in love with Rod and Staff books at my very first homeschool convention. With books on every level, they are perfect for read-alouds or independent reading. The books share stories of simple families living lives that honor Christ. Farming, homemaking, and missions are just a few of the topics covered. My 8-year-old cannot get enough of these books, so I had to include them even though they aren’t exactly a series.
8. Sugar Creek Gang
Promising adventure and excitement, the Sugar Creek Gang has been captivating children for more than 50 years! These chapter books are relatively short, but packed with fun.
9. Sisters in Time
Another great historical fiction series told from a child’s point of view. Sisters in Time has a clearly Christian perspective as the characters rely on God for protection, grace, and provision during some of history’s most difficult times. Perfect for family read-alouds.
10. Christian Heroes Then and Now
Last, but possibly my favorite is Christian Heroes Then and Now. With over 25 volumes, there is a story for every time period and region. From your living room, you can relive the stories of the heroes of our faith as they share the gospel with the world. If you like missionary stories, here’s a list of our favorite missionary books!
11. The Kingdom Series
I may have saved the best for last. This is a chapter book series that our entire family has fallen in love with. It’s a complete allegory of the Bible set in medieval times. There are knights, sword fights, warriors, and ladies.
But even better than that, the lessons in this series as well as the other three chapter book series written by Chuck Black are inspiring and faith-building! Check out the Kingdom Series here.
Your turn –> What are your favorite chapter book series for kids? Inquiring minds want to know!
Through practical tools & Bible-based resources, Kim Sorgius is dedicated to helping your family GROW in faith so you can be Not Consumed by life’s struggles. Author of popular kid’s devotional Bible studies and practical homeschooling tools, Kim has a master’s degree in education and curriculum design coupled with over 2 decades of experience working with kids and teens. Above all, her most treasured job is mother and homeschool teacher of four amazing kiddos.
Hi Kim,
We are using your reading bingo cards this summer, and have been really enjoying the challenge of reading outside of our normal preference. Thank-you for creating and sharing those. One square says a book about music. Do you or any of your readers have suggestions? My initial thoughts are biographies of hymn writers, but I’m sure that there are other options, too.
Blessings,
Jodi
I know that this is super late. But we really love the composer is dead by snickets
Thank You Kim for this list of books for children. I enjoyed All Of A Kind Family.
Marilyn
Kim there are many books on this list that appeal to me. We have The Little House On The Prairie books and have read them. The Grandma Attic books are also in our library. I will look into some of the others. Thank You for the list.
HAPPY and SAFE 4th OF JULY
Marion
Some of these are my favorites too, but you’ve give me some good new ones to try as well! Have you read the Green Ember Series? Love them! My all time childhood favorite was the Anne of Green Gables series.
Great list, love the majority of these books- they are favorites in our home. (Would like to note, as my kids are Dyslexic and so much of their ‘age appropriate reading’ is by audiobook- Little House Series, All of a Kind Family series, quite a few of the Sugar Creek Gang series and many of the Christian Heroes series, the 1st 4 Grandmas Attic and the first couple Imagination Station books are available by audiobook through libraries, Audible, etc…) The others, we are not yet familiar with but will look for. A few others for future lists (from a very picky mom) – Elsie Dinsmore (author lived through the time period of the books, making them very historically accurate.), Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Pollyanna & Pollyanna grows up, Paddington (even my 13 or old still enjoys Paddington. There is one book that has hypnotist, so you may want to pre-read that one), Bad Kitty (beware the Vet one as it portrays Kitty ‘at the pearly gates, so another to pre-read). Trailblazer Books by Dave and Neta Jackson, Cooper Kids by Frank Peretti (a little scary, though), Daughters of the Faith Series, Rush Revere series, Happy Little Family Series, Misty of Chincoteague series, Mrs Piggle Wiggle (the 1st book mentions a little about magic and her husband being a pirate, but beyond that brief mention, they are really not about anything like that- but if you are hesitant, pre-read.), Dr Doolittle. We also squeeze in some old classics here and there- Swiss Family Robinson, Robinson Carusoe, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 101 Dalmatians, Around the World in 80 Days, etc. I might add, most of my entire list has a least some of the series available in Audiobooks…
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the help in identifying and examining healthy literature for children. Based on your article I’m going to looking into Kingdom Series, and blow the dust off or our Little House on the prairie series sitting on our book shelf. Another series we like is “The Tuttle Twins” by Connor Boyack. They are a good series in between picture books and Chapter Books and teach great principles.
Oh, God bless you! I have four kiddos, 13 year old girl, 9 year old boy, 4 year old girl, 4 month old baby girl. My kiddos love to read, while searching the internet for Godly, wholesome books I ended up here, thank you so very much! The Lord Jesus bless you and your family.
Hi! So I have an almost 6 year old reading on a 4th grade level and am a little out of my zone trying to find books that are advanced enough and yet simple for her to get into. Would any of these series be simple enough for her maturity level and at the same time on a decent reading level?
Yes, definitely! I’d start with Little House on the Prairie and the Grandma’s Attic books 🙂
Star@NotConsumed
My family really enjoyed the Wingfeather saga. I highly recommend it, it’s a great fantasy written with a Christian perspective. 8 years old and up as it can be a little scary.
Thank you for the recommendations! One I wanted to mention that has been super fun for our 9, 7, and 4 year old has been The Dead Sea Squirrels series by Mike Nawrocki. Super funny and engaging and incorporates Jesus’ teachings!
I would love to know if you have this type of post for family movies. While we don’t do much screen time at all, on the weekends we do occasionally want to throw on a wholesome movie that is not animated. Thank you in advance for any guidance you have. I have searched high and low for a list of this type.
I’m sorry, Ashley, but we don’t at this time.
That looks like an amazing list! I write Christian horse-themed chapter books! He Reigns is the series with your child’s heart in mind. If you are looking to update this list check them out. They’re available on Amazon.
Hello, Wondering if by chance you have a list of Christian or considered “clean” books that we need to watch out for with hidden messages?
Hi Amanda. We don’t have a list like that, but there are resources out there. Common Sense Media is one that might be helpful!
I really really REALLY appreciate this! I just want fun, adventure type books for our son without having to worry. Thank you so much!
How about books/series for middle and high schoolers? Any suggestions?
Yes, we have several suggestions on this list! You can sign up here: https://www.notconsumed.com/homeschool-book-list-by-grade-level/. -Annie, NCM Team
Viking Quest Series by Lois Walfrid Johnson
Captivating for all ages! You will love them!
I would add the Mandie series. Loved them as a little girl.
Hello! Would you suggest any of these for a rising 9th grader? She is super smart, definitely mild ADHD. She reads great wholesome literature throughout the year. I was going to have her read Pride & Prejudice.
Some of these might be a little young for a 9th grader, but she might also really enjoy some of them such as Little Britches, Little House, and the Kingdom series! -Annie, NCM Team