I was coming in to recommend these, too. My sister, a former Kindergarten teacher, recommended them for Fang when he was 5. He loved them, and is still reading them at 7.
Little House in the Big Woods is not easy material: in second grade I reserve it for my highest readers, because understanding what’s going on requires some pretty advanced linguistic skills.
I’m personally no fan of Magic Treehouse: I think their version of history is funky and bland and uncreative. But a lot of kids like them, so they could work.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle is a little dated but could be fun.
My five year old loves the Frog and Toad books and the Little Bear books (as I did when I was a kid). I was reading Owl at Home to him the other night (also by Lobel) and he thought it hilarious. Although I heard my seven year old mutter under his breath, from the other side of the room, “That owl is really stupid.” Which, you really can’t argue with.
Ooo some ideas for what to read with my son! I was thinking of starting a thread along these lines…
Or how about Judy Bloom’s books about Fudge? He’s five in Superfudge, so he ought to be a character the kids can relate to.