Dyslexia Month: Fantasy Books
October is dyslexia month! In this post I want to share some of my favorite FANTASY chapter books for struggling readers. I like all of these books because they are not graphic novels. I don’t have a problem with graphic novels, as there are some amazing stories available. But it’s nice to add diversity to a child’s reading selection. Plus, I think reading chapter books can bring a sense of confidence to a struggling reader.
While you can order MANY books in a larger print, these books add the additional benefit of a dyslexic friendly format. They are easy to grab right off the shelf of a bookstore or library and don’t need to be special ordered.
1. The One and Only Ivan; The One and Only Ruby; and The One and Only Bob all by the brilliant author Katherine Applegate (Lexile 570L)
The books have short sentences and paragraphs. They often have space in between paragraphs. They are engaging and the right length. A child with reading struggles won’t feel like it’s taking them forever to get through the book. It’s easy to feel like you are making headway.
2. The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman (Lexile 740L)
This book has nice large print with graphics scattered throughout. It is a chapter book and not a graphic novel. The size of the book and the graphic placements make it a nice read for struggling readers. Plus there’s also a book 2, The Golden Swift!
3. The Search for WondLa by Tony Diterlizzi (Lexile 760L)
Now this book has more pages than the previous two suggestions. But again, lots of pictures amongst the text make it a great chapter read for a preteen or teen.
4. Timeless Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar (Lexile 650L)
Beautiful color photos fill the pages of this book! Adding lots of visual engagement to the story. A larger book at 607 pages but the pictures help you feel like you are zooming through!
Chapter books can build confidence, but they can also damage a child’s self-esteem if the book is above their reading level. It helps to find books that are the right reading level in topics engaging to your child. Every time a struggling reader finish a chapter book it’s time for a celebration.