I read dozens of chapter books each year thanks to my book clubs. Here’s a round-up of my favourites from last year. Interestingly, in 2022, there were only three chapter books I really loved. This year, there are ten! Most of these are book club reads, so they’re books children have enjoyed reading too!
Gobi Goes Viral
I love Vibha Batra’s sense of humour, and that’s why Gobi Goes Viral is one of the first books we’ll be reading at the February 2024 edition of my book club! A story about friendship, music, and determination, it’s about embracing and understanding difference in the most matter-of-fact way. It is both silly and profound, funny and serious. If you haven’t read it yet, pick it up!
Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu
I’m always skeptical of books that draw on beloved characters from my childhood. For instance, I remember coming across “fake” (as I called them) Enid Blytons and being most upset with them. I postponed reading the Little Shambu series because I was afraid I would be disappointed. Quite the contrary! I loved the simplicity and humour of all the stories in the series. They’re true to the original characters, making the books delightful reading.
The Canary Caper
Another book that we will read during the February 2024 edition of my book club, The Canary Caper is the third of the A to Z Mysteries. I remember reading The Absent Author with my book club in 2021 and one of the children who read it with me loved it so much that she read the rest of the series too. That’s the joy of a series, isn’t it? When any book in a series hooks a reader and makes them long for more, the book has my heart.
Trunk Call for Ajju
It’s only as I write this post that I realise that many of my favourites are going to be part of the February 2024 edition of my book club! Trunk Call for Ajju is another delightful story, which celebrates the very special bond that exists between animals and children. Ajju is determined to save an elephant in Zimbabwe. Somehow, with or without the help of the adults in his life, he will find a way to do so! Another story about childlike determination and the desire to make a difference, Trunk Call for Ajju is a lovely read!
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
I read Ottoline and the Yellow Cat with my book club in April last year, and it was such a treat! Richly illustrated and solemnly humorous, it is a ridiculous tale presented in a way that urges us to believe that everything that occurs in the story is perfectly normal. Ottoline and Mr Monroe are endearing characters, drawing us in with their ingenuity and sense of independence. Just like The Canary Caper, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is a book that makes you hunt for and devour the rest of the series!
Gupshup Goes to Prison
Often, many of my favourite chapter books are hOle books, but this time, there’s just one on my list. Gupshup Goes to Prison is an unusual story that raises many questions about our preconceptions about criminals and jails, all while telling a fun story. A detective story, humour, and a gentle commentary on prisons all come together in this deceptively simple story for seven-year-olds.
Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild
Amelia Bedelia is a gem of a character. Her unfailing optimism and inexhaustible creativity make her such an unexpected character full of wacky ideas. Best of all, I love the way Herman Parish plays with the idiosyncrasies of the English language as we look at idioms and proverbs through Amelia’s eyes. For instance, what does “sick as a dog” even mean? Are dogs always sick? Funny and ridiculous, Amelia Bedelia’s stories are a treat–and yes, once more, a single book in the series, and you’re hooked to the rest!
Talon the Falcon
I read Talon the Falcon with nine- and ten-year-olds, but it works perfectly with younger readers too. A slim book in full colour, it’s part of the gorgeous Feather Tales series by Deepak Dalal. Each book in the series focuses on a different bird, but we meet all the regular characters too – a sunbird, a bulbul, a drongo, lovebirds … The best part (apart from the story itself)? By the end of the book, readers can identify so many birds in the world around us!
By Royal Appointment
By Royal Appointment by Jeffrey Archer is the oldest book on my list. Published in 1980, I came across this new edition (published 2020), and I loved it! Priya Kuriyan’s illustrations make a fun book even more fun.
Who doesn’t love a story about an underdog? I won’t give anything away, but the car with square wheels has my heart, and everyone else’s too. By Royal Appointment heart-warming tale about winning more than just a race.
Sad Animal Facts
Sad Animal Facts is last on this list only because it isn’t quite a chapter book. It’s a nonfiction comic book that I thoroughly enjoyed, one that I keep going back to just to flip through the pages and learn some more perfectly random things about animals I may never see. Witty, informative and ever so delightful, Sad Animal Facts was another birthday gift I received that I will treasure!
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