Chess Obsessions + Kids Books

I know Chilli Heeler would have us all wait until kids are older to teach them a game as complicated as chess. But some kids are super keen on the game and desperately want to learn it. I happen to have one of those on my hands. My 5-year-old, Toby, often wants to play and once told me that he’s getting good at it. Quote: “I’m really good at chess. I beat Harvey and John.” Harvey is his cousin whom Toby had taught chess to that day, and John is his toy teddy.

It’s always good to capitalise on fads or obsessions as opportunities to engage kids with reading. There are plenty of books about playing chess, learning the game etc. There are very few fiction books that have chess as a theme.

Below are a couple of books you might like to access to augment and expand your child’s interest in chess.

The Usborne Chess Book, by Usborne

If you’ve got a serious wannabe chess champion on your hands, then this book provides a great jump into that puzzling world. It starts at the basic level, introduces the pieces and the board, and progresses to strategy. There are challenges along the way (which thankfully there are answers to in the back of the book) to help young ones test their understanding of the rules and concepts of chess. There are also stickers – STICKERS!

I’ve said it before, the clever folks at the Usborne non-fiction department do a fantastic job of breaking down complex things for kids. While I had to read it with my 5 year old, many kids 8 yrs and older would be able to handle the information independently.

The King’s Chessboard, by David Birch and Devis Grebu

This ancient fable is retold here with an Indian King promises to reward a wise man with rice. The wise man asks that on the first day the King give him one grain of rice, and for every day after he should double the reward. Until he has given a reward for every square on the chessboard. The king agrees and soon things get out of hand.

This story could be used to help kids understand exponential growth, or it could be enjoyed as a story that helps parents and children connect with each other in the moment. (Thanks Chilli.)

The Eleventh Hour, by Graeme Base

Not only does the Australian classic feature chess, but the puzzle element of the book will also appeal to kids who are into chess. This book from my childhood is one my kids have poured over trying to glimpse every detail of the illustrations as they try to collect clues and solve the mystery. The poetic text, the intricate images and the mystery are a wonderful combination to delight young readers.

If you were an Aussie kid in the 1980s or 1990s, share this with your primary schoolers soon. It is still as good as you remember and switched on kiddos are sure to love it.

Check Mates, by Stewart Foster

This fiction book really went down well with the current chess obsession going on in our house. Jude whipped his way through it. The story is about a tween boy who is getting into trouble at school. He can’t concentrate in class and it’s begging to become a serious problem. But spending time with his grandfather playing chess could be just what the doctor (or teacher) ordered.

The Strangers, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Jude’s not always keen on novels I suggest. He really does judge a book by its cover. He was very skeptical about this one. But once he saw that one of the main characters was named Chess, he was intrigued, and made it through to the end of the book, keen to read the rest of the series. Sometimes it takes just one little thing to get a kid hooked.