Great picks for 2nd graders
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Books for 2nd Graders
Readers are a great transition to chapter books. Many readers are meant for independent readers, not just beginners. These readers are also great for building confidence, shared reading sessions, and expanding vocabulary.
Amelia Bedelia (series) by Peggy Parish
Get ready to laugh out loud at the antics of this literal-minded but charming housekeeper who never fails to confound the Rogers family. After all, who knows better than Amelia Bedelia what "dust the furniture" and "dress a chicken" really mean!
Minnie and Moo (series) by Denys Cazet
Funny adventures of two best friend cows . . . who often accidentally get in trouble! This is a great collection for readers who like fast-moving plots. The series introduces some great vocabulary with longer paragraphs and sentences.
Monkey & Robot by Peter Catalanotto
Monkey and Robot are friends—the best kind. They simply belong together, and it never matters that silly Monkey is furry, or that gentle Robot can rust. What matters is their sharing: movies and popcorn, games of hide-and-seek, a fish tank for…a hippopotamus?
Pearl and Wagner (series) by Kate McMullan
These two best friends have a lot of everyday adventures in a recognizable classroom setting. A great piece for kids who want to read about things that happen to them, too.
Pony Scouts (series) by Cathy Hapka
No one loves horses more than Meg. She has pony books, pony toys, and even a pony rug, but no real ponies. Then, her family moves to the country and Meg makes a new friend — a friend who lives on a horse farm! These books make reading a galloping good time!
Other Readers
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa (series) by Erica Silverman
Frog and Toad (series) by Arnold Lobel
Henry and Mudge (series) by Cynthia Rylant
Young Cam Jansen by David Adler
Chapter Books with fun illustrations, less complex plots, and are easily read out of order.
Billie B. Brown (seris) by Sally Rippin
Meet Billie B. Brown, brave, brilliant, bold, and bound to become your best friend! Brand-new readers will readily relate to this series of stand-alone, everyday adventures.
Bink & Gollie (series) by Kate Dicamillo
Meet Bink and Gollie, two precocious little girls — one tiny, one tall, and both utterly irrepressible.
Kung Pow Chicken (series) by Cyndi Marko
Kung Pow Chicken is the superhero everyone has been waiting for!
Monkey Me (series) by Timothy Roland
Clyde is an energetic student who just can't sit still. After eating a banana that has been zapped by lasers on his class field trip to the science museum Clyde starts to feel weird. Now every time he gets excited, he transforms into a monkey!
Mrs. Noodlekugel (series) by Daniel Pinkwater
Nick and Maxine live in a tall building with one apartment on top of another. So when they look out their window and see a little house they never knew was there, of course they must visit (especially when their parents tell them not to!). Enter the zany and sweet babysitter every kid wishes could be theirs!
Poppy the Pirate Dog (series) by Liz Kessler
To be a pirate dog, Poppy must find her perfect pirate ship. Unfortunately, boats bob up and down a lot and waves splash over the side. Will she manage to find her pirate ship before the family heads back home?
Ricky Vargas: the funniest kid in the world (serise) by Alan Katz
Second-grader Ricky excels at making people laugh, but learns that being funny at school is not always a good idea.
The World According to Humphrey (series) by Betty Birney
You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That's what Humphrey was told when he was first brought to Room 26. And boy is it true! There are always adventures in the classroom and each weekend he gets to sleep over with different students.
Zigzag Kids (series) by Patricia Reilly Giff
This series kicks off with a spunky introduction to the students at Zelda A. Zigzag School. Mitchell and his sister, Angel, are the new kids. He's not too sure about some of his schoolmates or the Afternoon Center that they attend, but he's sure about one thing: he wants to win a medal on prize day.
Other chapter books
Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith
The Littles (series) by John Peterson
Missy’s Super Duper Royal Deluxe (series) by Susan Nees
Nate the Great (series) by Marjorie Sharmat
Ramona the Pest (series) by Beverly Cleary