I posted another thread concerning books for middle grade students (6-8). Although I didn't get a whole lot of feedback, I'm going to try again. I also coach an elementary school chess club and the librarian there has agreed to order some books for the kids to check out. I'm looking for recommendations for books that would help with chess for students in grades 3 - 5. I appreciate all suggestions.

I am currently in 9th grade ...  I have searched the library at middle school and high school and have found not one chess book. I believe it would be great of you to try to get books for the kids ... I suggest the book Bobby Fisher teaches chess... great book and it helps a lot. Good luck getting the books :) 

Thanks, we have that same problem here. No chess books in the library. That is changing this year. Also, I agree, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess is where I learned how to really play chess.

I teach chess to elementary players and hoping to find a forum on the subject.  I just got "How to Beat your Dad at Chess," 50 deadliest CM.  Awesome book on CM patterns, for any one who doesn't know them yet.  It dedicates two open pages to each pattern with a brief paragraph or 2 intro and descrption.  It starts with the basic componants only, and then by the end of the second page it has a very clever combinations in puzzle form, with collorful, minimal comentary.  There are no epic algebraic decipherings.

I like all the Jeremy Silman books I've read.  "Play Winning Chess," I find very basic, easy to understand, and elemental.  I think it gets the reader thinking in effective terms.  It breaks it down to Force, Time, Space, and Pawn structure.  I Previously taught a highschool Class with those main themes, for four weeks, and watched the play level improve, and the talk aout the games made a lot more sense than it did at the begining.  If a student will read a chapter book about chess I think this book would be good.  For the very young, I have no idea but I'll keep looking.

Haha love that title How to beat your Dad at chess.

But yeah I have heard the Bobby Fischer teaches Chess is a great book, I'm actually getting it for Christmas.

For very young students I highly recommend "Chess-A New Introduction" by John Love.  You will have to find a used copy at Amazon.com, but it will be worth the effort. 

There is a whole teaching method especially for kids called the Steps method. It has been developed in the Netherlands (I followed all the steps and used them for teaching myself) but is available in English as well. I believe USCF sells them but you can also find them on www.chess-steps.com. Those bookse are for age 8+, but they have special ones for age 4 to 8. 

I teach chess professionally, the majority of my stundents being children and "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" is still the best teaching book around. What makes it work is that the explanations are simple. Too many instructional books rely on language too complicated for young minds. I also use excerpts from the Dummies guide, specifically, the "Dummies Guide to Openings."It gives basic opening principles that are easy to understand.

Thanks Hugh,

I've used Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess in class on a demo board and the kids loved it.