When connecting with books, most kids look for a character they identify with, or aim to be. Images help to tell the stories, and so does the first-person point of view. Reading a story from a child’s point of view makes kids feel a closer part of the book, and the fiction genre’s subcategory of Journal-themed books helps kids related on an even closer level: the narrator is bringing the reader their inner most thoughts and secrets.
Many of the books listed, below, mix reading and illustrations, some more heavily towards reading, others rely on images to tell the story. Most of the books are rated for elementary children, but be sure to note the recommended age prior to purchasing.
Note, while nearly all of these books is available for digital download, not all books will work on every e-reader. We’re a family of Kindles and have found the books with more illustrations do not work well on the lesser Kindles. If you have a tablet-like reader (Kindle Fire, Nook HD, or a tablet like an iPad, Galaxy, Yoga or others, with a reader-app) downloads should be fine. Of course, the hard- or paper-back book will always work well.)
A new genre that kids love reading: Journal-themed books
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
The Notebook of Doom #1: Rise of the Balloon Goons
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (Dear Dumb Diary, No. 1)
My Life as a Book
Rumblewick’s Diary #1: My Unwilling Witch Goes to Ballet School
Lucy Rose: Big on Plans
Journal of a Schoolyard Bully: Cyberbully
Big Nate: In a Class by Himself
© 2014, Julie Meyers Pron. All rights reserved.
These look really great, Julie! My 10-year-old loves these types of books and even started writing one of her own.
My 9yo loves this type of book, and I remember loving these as a child, too!
My 2nd grader and 4th grader are into some of these series. I’ve been thinking about getting a Kindle for reading though I hesitated because the younger kids didn’t want to read books on the iPad. I think my ds10 who is a voracious reader would get more out of the Kindle. Maybe I’ll surprise them with one for Easter, along with some ebooks!
I don’t like reading on my ipad, either. And neither do my kids… except the Who? Comics app that Big LOVES. It’s a series of biographies written in comic book form. Priciest app I ever paid for (and I got it discounted for a sponsored post), but well worth it.
But, anyway. Before purchasing the Kindles, check out the books your kids are liking right now and make sure they’ll be available for download. Middle hasn’t used his in about 2 months. His books just aren’t there yet. (Though he is loving Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief now so I’m pretty sure he’s about to jump back into Kindle world.)