Chapter books with colour illustrations
As a bridge between picture books and longer fiction (or non-fiction), chapter books are crucial for nurturing a love of reading.
Whether the child can read them themselves or prefer to share them with an adult, chapter books, or 'young fiction', are often funny, exciting and full of action. They usually have short chapters or several mini stories in one volume, so that the child can see their progression.
Here is a selection of chapter books with brilliant colour illustrations. (This does not include comic books or graphic novels - see here for young graphic novels.)
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Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories
Author: Jarvis
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 5+
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Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories
Author: Jarvis
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 5+
Bear and Bird are best friends, and, like many friends, sometimes one or the other of them makes a mistake or gets cross or jealou…
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Princess Minna: The Enchanted Forest
Author: Kirsty Applebaum Illustrator: Sahar Haghgoo
Interest level: 7-8
Reading age: 6-8
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Princess Minna: The Enchanted Forest
Author: Kirsty Applebaum Illustrator: Sahar Haghgoo
Interest level: 7-8
Reading age: 6-8
When Princess Minna learns that her neighbour, Prince Welling-Tunboot, has fallen under a sleeping spell cast by a bad fairy, she …
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Watts & Whiskerton: Buried Bones and Troublesome Treasure
Author: Meg McLaren
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Watts & Whiskerton: Buried Bones and Troublesome Treasure
Author: Meg McLaren
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
Watts the dog and Pearl Whiskerton the cat investigate the mystery of the bones buried at Whiskerton Manor. Will they save the day…
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Croaky: Search for the Sasquatch
Author: Matty Long
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Croaky: Search for the Sasquatch
Author: Matty Long
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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 …
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Huxley and Flapjack Race to the Rescue
Author: Alan Macdonald Illustrator: Francesca Gambatesa
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Huxley and Flapjack Race to the Rescue
Author: Alan Macdonald Illustrator: Francesca Gambatesa
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
Meet Huxley the irrepressible koala and Flapjack the cautious penguin. Together, they have lots of adventures, but can they catch …
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Unicorns in Uniforms: Dragon Inferno
Author: Tracy Curran Illustrator: Steve Wood
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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Unicorns in Uniforms: Dragon Inferno
Author: Tracy Curran Illustrator: Steve Wood
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
When two young dragons accidentally set Witchy Wood alight, fire-fighting unicorn Blaze and her cheeky fire engine Quench race to …
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Claude in the City
Author: Alex T Smith
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 7+
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Claude in the City
Author: Alex T Smith
Interest level: 7+
Reading age: 7+
Claude is no ordinary dog - he leads an extraordinary life! When Mr and Mrs Shinyshoes set off for work, Claude heads for the city…
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Tiny Dogs: Bea’s Secret Friends
Author: Rose Lihou
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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Tiny Dogs: Bea’s Secret Friends
Author: Rose Lihou
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
Shy Bea meets four cute miniature dogs! Can she protect their garden and keep them secret? A delightful young chapter book for new…
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Midnight Magic
Author: Michelle Harrison Illustrator: Elissa Elwick
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 6+
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Midnight Magic
Author: Michelle Harrison Illustrator: Elissa Elwick
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 6+
A fabulous and fully illustrated rhyming story about a magical kitten and the family who adopt her. Ideal for newly independent re…
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Squishy McFluff: the Invisible Cat!
Author: Pip Jones Illustrator: Ella Okstad
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 6+
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Squishy McFluff: the Invisible Cat!
Author: Pip Jones Illustrator: Ella Okstad
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 6+
Squishy McFluff is Ava's best friend. He may be invisible, but that doesn't stop them having all kinds of fun together - and you w…
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Dixie O'Day: In the Fast Lane
Author: Shirley Hughes Illustrator: Clara Vulliamy
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
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Dixie O'Day: In the Fast Lane
Author: Shirley Hughes Illustrator: Clara Vulliamy
Interest level: 5+
Reading age: 7+
Mother and daughter Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy have teamed up for the first time for this sweet story, the first in a serie…
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Mango & Bambang – Tiny Tapir Trouble
Author: Polly Faber Illustrator: Clara Vulliamy
Interest level: 6+
Reading age: 7+
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Mango & Bambang – Tiny Tapir Trouble
Author: Polly Faber Illustrator: Clara Vulliamy
Interest level: 6+
Reading age: 7+
Four funny adventures featuring Mango and her brave, loyal pet tapir, Bambang.
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The Hat Full of Secrets
Author: Karl Newson Illustrator: Wazza Pink
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6-8
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The Hat Full of Secrets
Author: Karl Newson Illustrator: Wazza Pink
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6-8
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 h…
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Carnival of the Clocks
Author: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Carnival of the Clocks
Author: Nick Sharratt
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
Class One have all made paper lanterns shaped like clocks to celebrate the shortest day of the year, and the days becoming longer.…
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AdventureMice: Otter Chaos!
Author: Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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AdventureMice: Otter Chaos!
Author: Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
When Pedro the mouse meets the Adventuremice, he has a chance to prove his bravery. Can they stop an otter from terrorising the Mo…
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Isadora Moon Puts on a Show
Author: Harriet Muncaster
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Isadora Moon Puts on a Show
Author: Harriet Muncaster
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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 ba…
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Carrie and the Roller Boots
Author: Lisa Thompson Illustrator: Jess Rose
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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Carrie and the Roller Boots
Author: Lisa Thompson Illustrator: Jess Rose
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
Carrie devises an elaborate roller-skating routine to perform at her school assembly, but she’s never roller-skated before and it’…
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Rabbit's Bad Habits
Author: Julian Gough Illustrator: Jim Field
Interest level: 6-7
Reading age: 6-7
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Rabbit's Bad Habits
Author: Julian Gough Illustrator: Jim Field
Interest level: 6-7
Reading age: 6-7
Gentle Bear wakes up early from hibernation one day and decides to build a snowman. Grumpy, know-it-all Rabbit comes along, and th…
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Indigo Wilde and the Creatures at Jellybean Crescent
Author: Pippa Curnick
Interest level: 6-9
Reading age: 7+
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Indigo Wilde and the Creatures at Jellybean Crescent
Author: Pippa Curnick
Interest level: 6-9
Reading age: 7+
This hilarious gem from Pippa Curnick is her debut as both author and illustrator, and it’s completely brilliant, immersing t…
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Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-Time Bunnies
Author: Pamela Butchart Illustrator: Becka Moor
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-Time Bunnies
Author: Pamela Butchart Illustrator: Becka Moor
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
There's always something going on at Wigglesbottom Primary! Children looking for silly chapter books with lots of pictures will lo…
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Marv and the Mega Robot
Author: Alex Falase-Koya Illustrator: Paula Bowles
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Marv and the Mega Robot
Author: Alex Falase-Koya Illustrator: Paula Bowles
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
This illustrated early reader is fast paced with an inspiring Black superhero and plenty of adventure for young readers just makin…
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The Worries: Sohal Finds A Friend
Author: Jion Sheibani
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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The Worries: Sohal Finds A Friend
Author: Jion Sheibani
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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 ligh…
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Dream Defenders: Erika and the Angermare
Author: Tom Percival
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
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Dream Defenders: Erika and the Angermare
Author: Tom Percival
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 6+
After storming off to bed upset and in a terrible mood, Erika wakes up in the most incredible place ever: there are rainbow-colour…
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Mike Falls Up
Author: Candy Gourlay Illustrator: Carles Ballesteros
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
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Mike Falls Up
Author: Candy Gourlay Illustrator: Carles Ballesteros
Interest level: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
This quirky, imaginative tale is full of unexpected twists and turns, and is sure to engage young children. Distinctive, full-colo…
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