The start of a new school year is an ideal time to introduce readers to a variety of series they might be interested in but aren’t familiar with yet. Building reading habits and relationships with books during the transition back into the classroom and school routines gives them the opportunity to meet new characters and explore new settings. They might also decide to revisit old friends and places through newer stories.
Younger readers can practice their reading with confidence as books in series build on each other, requiring them to acquire new vocabulary while enjoying the author’s sentence structure and overall writing style. They can become emotionally invested in the characters’ experiences, as they relate to the personal challenges and tribulations they face in each installment of the series.
Seasoned readers will be excited to pick up where they left off as new installments (or spin-offs and prequels) will keep them interested and motivated to read. The ability to return to a beloved character or a comforting setting offers the assurance that the world is as it should be.
Whether fantasy or historical fiction, cozy mysteries or graphic nonfiction, books in series provide support to readers in building reading confidence and fluency while constructing opportunities for the practice of comprehension skills, such as inference, prediction, and questioning.
A different approach to readers’ advisory, a “Book Tasting” is a fun and engaging way to introduce students to different books and authors in a brief period. Like a food sampling event, students can “taste” different books you’ve selected and write down their own “tasting notes” about each one. They can decide which book(s) they enjoyed the most and why, and then have a new favorite series to jump right into after the event.
Our free Book Tasting resource can help you implement your own tasting event and introduce different books in series to your students throughout the school year. We also have some notes of our own to share about potential series you might want to include on a curated menu.
Sample Book Tasting Menu
I Really Want a Bigger Piece by Harriet Ziefert and Travis Foster (Red Comet Press)
The A Really Bird Story series uses simple, engaging speech bubbles and bright, cartoonish illustrations to help emergent readers quickly connect with characters and participate in the story. This book is ideal for teaching students to retell stories, including key details, and understand central messages or lessons. The accessible format encourages both reading enjoyment and essential comprehension skills.
Hank the Pet Sitter #1: Otis the Very Large Dog by Claudia Harrington and Anoosha Syed (ABDO)
The Hank the Pet Sitter series is instantly relatable — a boy starts his own pet-sitting business — making it an engaging read for many young readers. As a beginning chapter book, it’s easy to quickly get a feel for the story by scanning the table of contents. Plus, the book features fun and engaging illustrations that are sure to capture their attention.
What’s Cooking, Arlo? Happy Pudding by Kimberly Gee (Capstone)
The first story in the What’s Cooking, Arlo? series introduces Arlo and the cast of animal characters who support each other through difficult times. The cute characters and their individual personalities will give readers the opportunity to discuss and explore how to deal with feelings. At the end of each chapter, readers will find instructions on recreating the characters’ experiences in the story.
Bone Vol #1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
Join the adventures of the three Bone cousins as they escape Boneville, only to find themselves dealing with wild creatures and other dangerous situations. The expressive dialogue, which highlights the personalities of each of the cousins, will have readers laughing out loud. Little do the cousins know that their adventures will span nine volumes in this hilarious series.
Cici: A Fairy’s Tale: Book 1: Believe Your Eyes by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page (Lerner)
“Believe Your Eyes” immediately draws students in with its vibrant artwork and expressive characters, making the story both visually compelling and easy to follow. As readers watch Cici grow wings, their curiosity is piqued, leaving them eager to discover more. This engaging experience will have them invested not just in this book, but throughout the entire series.
Emma and Violette by Jérôme Hamon and Lena Sayaphoum (Europe Comics)
Emma and Violette’s manageable 54-page length makes it an appealing, non-intimidating read. Readers will connect with the relatable characters and familiar settings, including scenes at a dance studio, within families, and at school. This first installment will leave readers eager to follow the characters’ continued development and future challenges throughout the series.
Gargoyles #1 by Greg Weisman and George Kambadais (Dynamite)
Mythological gargoyles of the past, betrayed and turned into stone by humans, find themselves alive in modern-day Manhattan, New York. Full of adventure and mystery, readers will enjoy the fast pace of this action-packed story as the “defenders of the night” learn to bond as a clan through perilous acts and selfless sacrifices, in both the main series and its spin-offs, “Quest” and “Dark Ages.”
Resident Alien Volume 1: Welcome to Earth! By Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse (Dark Horse)
“Welcome to Earth!” is a compelling blend of sci-fi, mystery, and engaging visual storytelling, making it an excellent choice for students who enjoy these genres, or are fans of the popular TV adaptation. The unique portrayal of Harry, the alien protagonist, and the artist’s expressive style effectively sparks student interest and encourages further reading of the entire series.
Ismyre by B. Mure (Avery Hill)
Ismyre is a fantastical story of friendship, trust, and endurance. The anthropomorphized characters of Ed, the sculptor, who struggles with his creativity, and his new friend, Faustine, who is searching for the actual reason behind Ed’s missing small sculptures, create a touching storyline for the series. Mure’s beautiful watercolor illustrations convey as much as their imaginative words.
Vickie Blankenship and Stella Bromley are Engagement Specialists for LibraryPass, as well as school librarians and educators with extensive experience in librarianship at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Both bring expertise in professional development and educator training, working with school districts nationwide. They have presented locally, regionally, and nationally on best practices for collection development, library programming, and classroom pedagogy. Active members of their state library associations, they are dedicated to fostering a love of reading in students and educators alike. They share a passion for connecting readers with the “just-right” book and believe that reading takes many forms, whether it’s traditional print books, comics, graphic novels, or manga; as long as readers are engaged with a book, their love for reading will grow.
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