Graphic novels and early chapter books for Grade 2/3 French Immersion

This list also includes graphic/comic style novels because that’s what the kids love. Some of the suggestions are also a bit of a hybrid or a journal model where it isn’t full out chapters. I have these books in my 2/3 classroom and not everyone can read them, that’s ok! It’s also very normal for them to be able to read their English version, but not the French. The tricky things is that when they’re translated, it’s not always is a kid friendly language. It’s also just a lot of text for many of our young readers. So, take it with a grain of salt and since you know your students best, you’ll be able to decide what’s right for them.

Every book on this list is part of a series, and I don’t necessarily have the whole collection so this is just an example. If you’re interested in a series, have a quick Google and you’ll find all the options.

Through this list I’ll give you a glimpse into what they look like on the inside because let’s face it…you can’t tell much just from the cover.

Ti-Bou (Owly)
These graphic novels feature an owl and follow him on his adventures. My librarian turned us on to these last year during a book tasting event and my students were all over them.

2. Hibou Hebdo (Owl Diaries)

This is a journal style series that features short bursts of text so it’s not too overwhelming.

3. Mercy Watson (Mercy Watson)

This is the most chapter-like book on the list. The chapters are short and there isn’t a ton of packed in text on each page. There are also tons of pictures to help with the understanding of the story. I did one of the books as a French novel study with my class and they loved it! There is a whole series, I just have two of them.

4. Narval (Narwal)

Easy to follow stories with a graphic/comic style.

5. Licorne et Yeti (Unicorn and Yeti)

Simple, easy to follow stories in a comic format. Reminds me a bit of Elephant and Piggie books, with more words.

6. Zig Zag (Fly Guy)

These stories have three relatively short chapters with language that definitely suits our French learners. The stories are silly and funny and they can get through a book pretty quickly.

7. Les Méchants (Bad Guys)

These have been popular for several years, especially in English. They check them out of the library like there’s no tomorrow! They are a graphic/comic style novel.

8. Super Chien & Mini Chat (Dog Man & Cat Kid)

The grip these books have on the students at our school is wild. Though if I look back at my own elementary days, this author had a grip on many of my peers as well. Both these series have a comic style.

9. Méchant Minou (Bad Kitty)

Méchant Minou also has picture books that are well loved by my students. This particular series fluctuates between passages (such as the one shown) to a more short, comic style throughout the book. Since it fluctuates so much I’d suggest having a look inside the whole book to decide if it’s a good fit.