Hi Annette,
My DS just turned 4 and he is independently opting to read 1st/2nd grade story books on his own (not chapter ones usually but picture type) just starting recently (despite having been technically able to for at least a year.) The Mr Putter series is at the upward edge of what he'll read on his own, or abridged type Winnie the Pooh, easy picture books.
He independently read non-fiction in areas of interest earlier, around 3 maybe although I forget exactly when, very long ago now -- adult level non-fiction coffee table type books, guides and encyclopedias (but mainly bolded text, side-notes, picture captions, not lengthy small text). Also around then started mid-elementary age non-fiction. Prefers an adult to read those too but around late 3s much more willing to do it on his own, such as spontaneously in the car or when the parents look busy.
Anything like a fiction chapter book he still much prefers an adult to read. If it's a long story we have to stop part way in to act it all out and then lots of variations on the story line to the point there is little resemblence to the original... finally returning to the actual book possibly weeks later. So I choose shorter ones, as I get frustrated with not ever finishing the books. DS doesn't seem to need them finished.
In addition to what you've mentioned to read to them, DS likes the Andrew Lost series, also liked The End of the Beginning, The Complete Winnie the Pooh stories (not abridged).
I think for DS stories are a time of feeling connected to a parent, a passive entertained or cuddled feeling. Because of that I have tried hard not to push him to read on his own -- it's difficult not to when I know he can easily do it, there are a lot of moments when I could get a lot done if he was reading a long book.
Other things that get in the way of him reading long books are interest in pictures (spends as much time looking at the pictures as reading the text), and a tendency to re-read a line or jump down 2 lines instead of one when he reaches the right hand side of the page and has to start again at the left, especially with small print.
I wish there were more long stories out there with detailed pictures on most pages, with lots of text but more visually broken up into segments.
Polly
