Chapter books with colour illustrations

Carrie devises an elaborate roller-skating routine to perform at her school assembly, but she’s never roller-skated before and it’s much trickier than she thought. This delightful, illustrated chapter book about friendship and perseverance is ideal for dyslexic or reluctant readers. 

Shy Bea meets four cute miniature dogs! Can she protect their garden and keep them secret? A delightful young chapter book for newly confident readers, with gorgeous colour illustrations.  

Croaky Hopper is a frog who’s keen for adventure. So he’s thrilled to go on a Woggle Scouts camping trip. But will they find the mysterious Sasquatch? Colourful, funny and full of action. 

Henry has a secret and doesn’t want to tell anyone about it. Luckily, Grandad can relate, and gives Henry a special hat where he has kept all his secrets over the years. But when all of Grandad’s wishes (written on luggage labels) escape, he and Henry go looking for them in all the places where they were made. In doing so, Grandad tells Henry the wonderful stories behind his secrets – ending with something very close to both of their hearts.

Isadora Moon is unique: she has a vampire father and a fairy mother. So what kind of show will she put on at the annual vampire ball? This charming, funny chapter book celebrates individuality and explores issues like overcoming fears and wanting to fit in. 

After storming off to bed upset and in a terrible mood, Erika wakes up in the most incredible place ever: there are rainbow-coloured trees, super bouncy grass and waterfalls that flow up instead of down. But she’s in danger of being trapped there… can she find her way home?

Watts the dog and Pearl Whiskerton the cat investigate the mystery of the bones buried at Whiskerton Manor. Will they save the day?

This hilarious gem from Pippa Curnick is her debut as both author and illustrator, and it’s completely brilliant, immersing the reader in magic and a lovely brother-sister relationship.

Sohal’s worries dominate his life – so much so that he has to carry them around in his school bag to avoid them being seen! A light-hearted tale tackling the subject of anxiety in an accessible, encouraging way.

Meet Huxley the irrepressible koala and Flapjack the cautious penguin. Together, they have lots of adventures, but can they catch a thief? A fun chapter book packed with energy and brilliant colour illustrations.

Class One have all made paper lanterns shaped like clocks to celebrate the shortest day of the year, and the days becoming longer. A dyslexia-friendly, accessible book with striking illustrations.

When Pedro the mouse meets the Adventuremice, he has a chance to prove his bravery. Can they stop an otter from terrorising the Mouse Islands? A delightful bite-size adventure vibrantly illustrated in full colour.

This illustrated early reader is fast paced with an inspiring Black superhero and plenty of adventure for young readers just making the transition from picture books, or kids that really love books with dynamic illustrations.

There’s always something going on at Wigglesbottom Primary! Children looking for silly chapter books with lots of pictures will love these zany stories.

Gentle Bear wakes up early from hibernation one day and decides to build a snowman. Grumpy, know-it-all Rabbit comes along, and then Wolf, too. A beautiful modern classic about friends and sharing.

Bear and Bird are best friends, and, like many friends, sometimes one or the other of them makes a mistake or gets cross or jealous of the other. Luckily, though, they’re good enough friends to get past any hiccups or mishaps they might encounter, and get on with the important stuff: enjoying each other’s company and being a bit silly, now and again.

This quirky, imaginative tale is full of unexpected twists and turns, and is sure to engage young children. Distinctive, full-colour illustrations provide humour and visual interest, while the short chapters are ideal for newly-independent readers.

When Princess Minna learns that her neighbour, Prince Welling-Tunboot, has fallen under a sleeping spell cast by a bad fairy, she is keen to help. He must be woken before sunset, or he will never wake again. Princess Minna summons her dragon Lorenzo, and flies to the enchanted forest to rescue the prince. But with several distractions along the way, will she arrive in time?

This hilarious, contemporary interpretation of a traditional fairy tale is hugely entertaining. With short chapters and vibrant, full-page illustrations, it is ideal for children who are transitioning from picture books to early readers.

Claude is no ordinary dog – he leads an extraordinary life! When Mr and Mrs Shinyshoes set off for work, Claude heads for the city, where pigeons, beret shops and robberies await.