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ABOUTReady for new 2025 chapter books? I have some good choices for your readers, from fantasy to realistic, adventure to mystery.
Chapter books range from upper first-grade reading level to about third-grade reading level, but how do you know which ones are right for your reader? Flip through a sample of these new 2025 chapter books and notice the size of the text, the amount of illustrations, and finally, the actual words on the page. That will give you a hint of what age the book is geared for. But, to pick an actual just-right book, see if your reader can read a random page and be able to read most of the words.
I’ve added the books on this list to my book lists by age and grade if that is helpful for selecting which might work for your reader.
Books for 6 Year Olds, First Graders
Books for 7 Year Olds, Second Graders
Books for 8 Year Olds, Third Graders
10 Notable New Chapter Books, March 2025
Monti and Leo A Mystery in Pocketville written and illustrated by Sylvie Kantorovitz 
MYSTERY GRAPHIC NOVEL
In this sweet story of friendship and false accusations, Monti and Leo admire Mrs. Sheep’s collections of figurines as do all the villagers who begin their own collections. Then, one day, one of Mrs. Sheep’s figurines goes missing. Even worse, people accuse Monti of taking it. Leo is so worried about his friend, he investigates to clear Monti’s name– and finds out a thieving bird stole the figurine. After apologizing, the collectors continue collecting and all is well. Cartoon panel art with lots of personality.,
Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet written by Julie Murphy
REALISTIC / NEURODIVERSITY
I loved this heartfelt story of a girl who is physically different (she’s half-cat) and worries her differences will make it too hard for her to start 3rd grade at a regular school. She tries to remember the rules (no scratching, hissing, or biting), but the laser pointer makes her pounce on the classroom map, and when someone steps on her tail, she bites. Even the noisy bus ride is difficult! But her mom shares her diary of stories to help Catty remember it’s okay to have bad days if you “land on her feet”, plus two new school friends embrace Catty’s uniqueness.
Unicornia: A Magical Birthday written by Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo
FANTASY
Turquoise colored pages and illustrations help tell the story of three best friends in Unicornia, one of whom is having a birthday. But their special plans are canceled when Pippa’s parents can’t make it home for her birthday celebration. Sara and Claudia decide to rescue the day with plans for the theme park and lots of cheer-up-Pippa fun. The birthday turns into a magical experience with a happy ending. I like the interactive multiple-choice questions throughout the story, adding extra excitement about what’s going to happen next.
Princess Minna The Unicorn Mix-Up written by Kirsty Applebaum, illustrated by Sahar Haghgoo
FANTASY
Adorable! Princess Minna’s special skills are all mixed up because she isn’t sleeping well at night. She tries to fix all the problems in the kingdom, but she fights a unicorn instead of taming it and kisses a dragon instead of fighting it. Oh dear! Will the dragon eat her? And how will she get a good night’s sleep? Readers will love this sweet magical adventure.
Book Two: Princess Minna The Enchanted Forest
Casey’s Cases The Mysterious New Girl written and illustrated by Kay Healy
MYSTERY GRAPHIC NOVEL
Casey, a dramatic and adorable main character, considers EVERYTHING a “case” because she is a detective and detectives detect. From the case of the new girl to the case of the lost cat and the case of Will-Jan-Make-the-Kickball-Team, Casey investigates everything. This is an enjoyable graphic novel where all the characters have triangle heads, but my only question is: why in the world would the author name a character BJ? Other than that, I recommend it.
Ratnip Lost and Found in the City written by Cam Higgins, illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
ADVENTURE
A treasure-hunting rat finds something strange. (A phone.) But it belongs to someone else, and it’s against Ratnip’s treasure-hunting rules to keep it. Ratnip and his animal friends work hard to return the phone to its owner, but there’s a lot of problem-solving involved in carrying such a heavy, awkward item and figuring out who it belongs to and where that person lives. Cute and engaging.
Book Two: Pizza Dreams Do Come True,
Coral Keepers Search for the Silver Shell written by Robin Yardi, illustrated by Paul Kellam
FANTASY
An underwater adventure about a princess mermaid whose magic isn’t working. But she has to figure out how to stop the evil magician named Rozaro who may have hurt her father and is trying to overthrow the Queen. Princess Finn and her two friends must find the special Silver Shell and use its powers to stop Rozaro.
Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship written by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
REALISTIC
Newly immigrated from Syria, Amina thinks of making friends at her new school like a scientific formula she can solve. She’s earnest and brave, but her theories aren’t working for her. Soon, she learns that some experiments about subjects like friendship can’t be controlled. This is a sweet story about change, valuing yourself and others, and making friends.
Cruise Life Queen of the Sea written and illustrated by Reese Eschmann
REALISTIC
Well-written and interesting, this feels atmospheric and gentle without high-stakes drama and action, which is perfect for so many readers. Caitlin and her brother get to spend the summer on a cruise ship where their dad is the doctor. She even gets to bring her pet bearded dragon! They make friends and learn the ropes in their new home away from home.
Squirlish: Central Park Ghost written by Ellen Potter, illustrated by Sara Cristofori
ADVENTURE / MYSTERY
If you like heartwarming stories that are filled with kid heroes, kindness, New York landmarks, and care for animals, you will love this sweet story. When her rat friend, Benton, tells Cordelia what the sea lions at the zoo are saying, Cordelia and her friend Issac learn that the sea lions are scared of a monster on the loose. Yikes! They piece together clues and realize that it’s not a monster at all. But it is an animal who needs their help. Funny, tender, and a delight to read, this is perfect for any growing reader ages 6 to 9. (While this is the third book in the series, it easily can be read on its own.)
