Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Anansi the spider bites his way into Farmer Kofi’s prize melon for a cool, sweet snack, but he eats so much he cannot get back out. When Elephant strolls past, Anansi has a wild idea: what if the melon could talk? Soon the whole town believes it, and the King himself calls the melon to court. Will a talking melon fool everyone, or is Anansi in over his head? This Bookbot level practices 2-syllable compound words like ‘inside’, ‘outside’, ‘daybreak’, and ‘footsteps’.

Deep in the cold sea lives the fastest, sneakiest cod on the coast - and every fisherman has given up trying to catch it. Every one, that is, except Steve. But Steve has no rod, no net, and no boat. How on earth will he catch a fish with his bare hands? And when the tide washes something unexpected onto the shore, could Steve finally have a chance? This decodable reader practices vowel team syllables in words such as ‘diet,’ ‘quiet,’ ’naive,’ ‘reacts,’ and ’triumph.’

Jill has twelve bones and a big plan - tame a wolf from the glade! But this cheeky little white wolf keeps snatching bones and bolting into the trees. Can Jill outsmart a wolf who seems to be playing her own game? Will there be any bones left by sundown, or will she walk home empty-handed? This decodable reader builds confidence with 3+ syllable words such as ‘afternoon,’ ‘caterpillar,’ ’eleven,’ and ‘honestly.’

Ned has a shiny new shed, a magic book, and a brand new shovel - but what happens when his shovel clangs against something hard and golden deep in the ground? Can a clever tool crack open stone, and what treasures might be hiding beneath Ned’s feet? Join Ned as he digs, builds, and dreams up his next big adventure! This decodable reader practices compound words such as ‘hillside,’ ‘pickaxe,’ ‘daylight,’ and ‘cobweb.’

It’s Khushi’s tenth birthday, and she’s dreaming of the biggest, shiniest presents ever - so when Dad hands her a stubborn little clay donkey bank, she can’t hide her disappointment. But what happens when her sister begs to borrow a coin? And when she meets a new friend at school who needs help more than Khushi needs a phone, what will she choose? This decodable reader practices the ’ew’ sound in words like ‘drew,’ ‘knew,’ ‘flew,’ ‘grew,’ and ‘phew.’

Ned has spotted a bee buzzing across his farm, and now he simply must find out where it lives - and whether it might share some of that sweet golden honey. But bees don’t love being chopped at with axes, and a hungry bear is eyeing the same prize. Can Ned and The Book find a cleverer way to get their treat? This decodable reader practices suffixes in words like ‘boldly,’ ‘softly,’ ‘kindly,’ and ‘swiftly.’

Blue Train loves racing under the stars faster than anything in the world - but what happens when he zooms so far that he doesn’t know the way home? Lost among scowling trees and staring at a purple elephant, can a boy with a flute help him find his courage again? A heartwarming adventure about being brave even when you’re scared. This decodable reader practices 3+ syllable words such as “elephant,” “dangerous,” “terrified,” and “everywhere.”

Alex the miner is ready for a big adventure, but has she packed the right things? When she digs down, down, DOWN into a dark pit, something rattles in the shadows - and one wrong step sends her tumbling! Can a brave miner with only a pickaxe find her way back? Will she remember the one rule every miner must follow: don’t look down? This decodable reader practices the ’ee’ phonogram in words like ‘deep,’ ‘creep,’ ‘feet,’ ‘peek,’ and ‘sleep.’

Lila the artist is ready to paint something magical, but poor Yellow the paint tube is quaking on his tiny ladder! All the other tubes have been squeezed flat, and Yellow is afraid he’ll be next. Can Lila convince him that sharing his vivid color is worth one little squeeze? Will Yellow be brave enough to help finish her masterpiece? This decodable reader practices 2-syllable open words such as ‘begin,’ ‘famous,’ ‘open,’ and ’tiny.’

Jill’s the best miner in the village, but what happens when she takes a vacation? Dr Can Do has a worrying thought, and soon Tom and the Mage are on a special mission deep underground, chasing something tougher than iron. Rivers of lava, ancient caverns, and one very patient lesson in mining later, a strange purple stone changes everything. Will their obsidian survive the Mage’s next big question? Practice ‘ancient’, ‘patient’, ‘special’, ‘mission’ and ‘vacation’ in this fiery phonics adventure.