Bakken Books Review: Chapter Book Series for Reluctant Readers

Bakken Books review readers usually land here with one question: are these interest-based chapter-book packs actually worth it for a reluctant reader, or just another subscription box gathering dust on the shelf? Bakken Books (bakkenbooks.com) builds its whole catalog around themes kids already love — space, sports, survival, mystery — instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all reading list. This review breaks down the Space Bound pack, the wider series lineup, the guarantee, and who should buy in.

Who is Bakken Books, and what this Bakken Books review checked

Bakken Books is a children's publisher that has operated since 2019 and reports having sold over 2.7 million books to date. The brand's core promise is interest-based reading: instead of one generic chapter-book line, it builds separate series around themes kids already gravitate toward, such as space exploration, sports, survival, and mystery. Bakken Books also markets its books as "Made by Real Authors • No AI Used", positioning human-written storytelling as a differentiator in a market increasingly flooded with AI-generated children's content.

For parents comparing options, the pitch is straightforward: pick the interest, hand over a themed multi-book pack, and let the familiar characters and setting lower the barrier for each new book. That structure is the backbone of every product decision covered in this Bakken Books review.

Editor's Pick

Space Bound (Books 1–5)

A five-book pack built for ages 7–12, with a Lexile band of 480–540.

Check Price

Space Bound Pack One, in depth

Space Bound Pack One is Bakken Books' flagship series and the clearest example of how the brand executes its interest-based model. The pack includes five paperback books, each around 112 pages, aimed at readers ages 7–12 (roughly Grades 1–4), with a stated Lexile range of 480–540. The five titles are The Iron Heart of Mars, The Dark Side of Mercury, The Haze of Venus, The Rift of the Moon, and The Red Storm of Jupiter.

The storyline follows a Mars mission collecting elements needed for deep-space travel fuel, blending adventure pacing with light astronaut-exploration education. Because every book shares the same cast, setting, and reading level, a child who finishes book one has a strong incentive to start book two immediately — the exact mechanism that makes series packs work better than single, stand-alone titles for reluctant readers.

Best for space-obsessed readers ages 7–12

Space Bound (Books 1–5)

Books included: 5 paperbacks Age range: 7–12 (Grades 1–4) Lexile band: 480–540 Theme: Mars mission, space exploration adventure

What We Like

• Consistent Lexile band across all five books keeps comprehension steady book to book.
• A single connected storyline gives reluctant readers a reason to keep going.
• Human-authored text, per the brand's own "No AI Used" claim.

What to Consider

• The fixed reading level may feel easy for an advanced 12-year-old or hard for a struggling 7-year-old — check the Lexile band against your child's current level first.
• A themed pack only works if the child already likes the theme; a reader with no interest in space may not engage.

Space Bound is the most complete example of Bakken Books' approach: define an interest, build a multi-book arc around it, and hold the reading level steady so comprehension doesn't spike or drop between installments. For a themed gift or a first chapter-book series, it is a reasonable starting point, with the honest caveat that fit depends entirely on whether the child likes the subject matter.

Check Space Bound Pack Price

The full series catalog

Space Bound is only one of 15+ series in the Bakken Books catalog. The publisher organizes its lineup by kid interest categories — camping, fishing, gaming, history, math, racing, science, space, sports, technology, mystery, and hunting — plus separate picture-book lines for younger ages. Named series confirmed on the official catalog include Space Bound, Rescue From, SHIFT (racing), Game On! (sports/gaming), Danica Panica, Wilderness Adventures, The Math Inspectors, The Science Inspectors, The Campground Kids, The Mystery Searchers, The History Mystery Kids, Hometown Hunters, Local Legends, The Fishing Chronicles, and Milligan Creek.

This interest-first structure is arguably the strongest reason to consider Bakken Books over a generic chapter-book bundle: a parent shopping for a sports-obsessed reader can go straight to Local Legends (Books 1–6), while a kid drawn to real-world danger stories fits better with Rescue From (Books 1–5), which centers historical-disaster storylines. Readers who prefer competitive, gamer-adjacent themes have Game On! (a six-pack), and families who want survival and outdoor stakes can choose The Banded: Survival Series (Books 1–3) or The Campground Kids, which follows National Park and Great Lakes settings.

Why series reading works for reluctant readers

The case for a themed, multi-book pack isn't just a Bakken Books marketing angle — it lines up with independent literacy research. Series reading gives children a lower barrier to entry for each new book because the characters, setting, and vocabulary carry over from the last one. According to one educational library resource, children are more likely to pick up the next book in a series they already enjoy, which builds reading confidence and sustained motivation. That consistency in complexity level is exactly what supports comprehension as a reader moves through a pack like Space Bound or Local Legends.

Reading aloud together, especially with a themed series, compounds that benefit. Scholastic notes that reading aloud encourages children to read more slowly, giving them more time to process content, and that hearing words reinforces learning — one of six core strategies the organization recommends for building reading comprehension in elementary-age children.

The developmental case runs deeper than confidence alone. A meta-synthesis published in Frontiers in Psychology, synthesizing nine qualitative studies on parent-child shared book reading, found that shared reading significantly contributes to children's vocabulary growth, narrative abilities, phonological awareness, and cognitive development, while also strengthening parent-child bonding. Separately, 2025 research published in Frontiers in Psychology found that parent-child shared book reading significantly supports early literacy skills and cognitive development, with interactive techniques such as asking questions and making connections to a child's own experiences enhancing vocabulary acquisition and listening comprehension. Both bodies of research point to the same practical takeaway for parents evaluating a Bakken Books pack: quality illustrations, age-appropriate language, and a theme the child actually cares about are the real drivers of whether shared reading sticks.

How to choose the right pack

Match the theme to a real interest, not a guess

The single biggest factor in whether a Bakken Books pack gets read is whether the theme matches something the child is already curious about. A space-obsessed kid will plow through Space Bound; the same child handed Local Legends may stall on book one. Ask what shows, games, or hobbies your reader already loves before picking a series.

Check the Lexile band against your child's current level

Space Bound's stated Lexile range is 480–540, aimed at ages 7–12. If your child's school or last assessment reported a Lexile score, compare it to the pack's stated band before buying — a mismatch in either direction can undercut the confidence-building effect series reading is supposed to deliver.

Understand the guarantee before you buy

Bakken Books states a "No-Risk Money Back Guarantee" on its product pages, allowing customers who are unsatisfied to request a refund. Specific timeframes and return logistics are detailed in the site's policy footer, so it's worth reviewing that section on the product page before completing a purchase.