13 Thrilling Read Aloud Chapter Books for Third Grade

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is an endearing classic and the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. The novel follows four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. When Lucy stumbles upon a magic wardrobe, the children are transported to an unfamiliar land stuck in an eternal winter by the evil White Witch. Can the children help Aslan, the noble and powerful lion, restore peace and bring back springtime?

There are many opinions regarding what order to read the Chronicles of Narnia series. Although this is the second book, we think that it is the best book to begin the series in order to gauge interest in the series and because it is complete on its own.

Nick Allen is an inventive fifth grader who loves to stir things up at school. When he learns how words are created, he decides to make one up on his own – “Frindle,” a replacement for the word pen. As the word begins to take a life of its own, one person is not amused, Nick’s strict language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger. In the battle of words, who will win? This humorous and clever novel highlights the creativity of students and the power of words. After completing this book, don’t be surprised when your own children are on a mission to create their own special words.

Suzy Smith is unexpectedly swept away one night by a magical train, where the laws of physics don’t apply. This extraordinary train, which is crewed by trolls, delivers packages across the Union of Impossible Places. When Suzy becomes the newest postal worker, she is quickly put to the test when she finds a boy trapped in a magical orb begging for her help. Filled with magic, mystery, danger, and imaginative creatures, children will be quickly swept away by this fast-paced fantasy adventure.

Isaiah is no ordinary mouse. Being raised inside a laboratory, he learned to read, write, talk to humans, and has also taken on a shade of bright blue. After escaping the lab where he was being experimented on, Isaiah befriends a compassionate girl named Hailey. Together, they plan a daring mission to rescue the rest of Isaiah’s family and help them escape. With themes of friendship, kindness, courage, and acceptance, this story may give you a newfound appreciation for rodents.

When a cargo ship sinks at sea, robot ROZZUM 7134, aka Roz, finds herself washed up on a remote island. With only animal inhabitants around, Roz begins to observe and mimic the local wildlife to survive. She has no memory of who she was designed to be but soon finds real purpose when she makes the decision to raise Brightbill, an orphaned gosling. Can Roz navigate and thrive in this new world or will her past come back to haunt her?

The Wild Robot is also now an animated film. It is wonderfully done, but like most book to movie transitions, we think it’s better to enjoy the book series first.

Told in poetic language, Odder follows a young otter off the coast of California. Known for her adventurous spirit and love of exploring, Odder finds herself in trouble when she is attacked by a shark. Rescued by workers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, flashbacks reveal that this is not her first time that humans have had to intervene to help her. This story touches on real marine conservation efforts and highlights the complexities of survival, rehabilitation, and the bond between humans and animals.

The story begins when a pilot crashes in the desert and meets the Little Prince, from asteroid B-612. Conversations unfold between the two and a bond is created. Through his previous adventures, the Little Prince questions many absurdities in adult thinking that will leave both adult and children pondering how to see clearly with the heart. One of my personal favorite books as a child, this short, but lovely story explores important lessons on love, friendship, childhood, and what truly matters.

Kyle Keeley is a game-loving kid who wins a chance to play the coolest game of his life – a competition to find a secret way out of an ultra-high-tech, puzzled filled library. Although initially there’s a desire to win individually, the kids find that by working together, they are better able to solve the complex clues, puzzles, and riddles that each challenge puts forth. If you have a reader who also enjoys escape-room like scenarios, they will especially love this fun and imaginative adventure story.

August Pullman, lovingly known as Auggie, is a 10-year-old boy who was born with a genetic condition called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Due to his condition, Auggie was homeschooled for his whole life, but that changes when he enters the fifth grade at Beecher Prep. This book is told through multiple perspectives and touches on the victories and challenges that Auggie faces during this transition. With themes of empathy, acceptance, bullying and the importance of kindness, we believe that this is a must-read story for all students.

The story is told from the perspective of a young girl, whose mother is in charge of running the church’s annual Christmas pageant. Following the same format year after year, it should be easy, but this year is different. This year, the Herdman children volunteer, or rather take over, the main roles in the nativity story. Being rude, wild, and out of control, the congregation is horrified. How could kids like the Herdmans possibly understand the sacred story of Jesus’ birth? A humorous take on an annual tradition, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is actually deeply moving and grasps the real spirit of Christmas.

*This book is part of the Christmas School collection.