Animal Books for 2nd Graders
In the Deep
Anika stands at the water’s edge, clutching her snorkel and feeling very unsure about this whole ocean thing. What if it tastes like pickles? What if something with tentacles is waiting? But once she dips below the waves, a secret world of glowing specks, baby turtles, flying fish and a color-changing octopus opens up. Will Anika find her courage in the deep blue? This decodable reader practices prefixes in words like ‘inhale,’ ’explore,’ ‘detect,’ ‘retreat’ and ‘debrief.’
It's All the Cat's Fault!
What happens when one mischievous cat gets stuck up a tree - and refuses to come down? One small rescue turns into the wildest day ever, with a broken ladder, a crying baby, a sneaky monkey in the kitchen, and a hungry dog chasing a pot of curry down the street. Could one furry troublemaker really cause all this trouble? A decodable reader practising VC/CV syllables in words such as ‘borrow,’ ‘problem,’ ‘pepper,’ and ‘villain.’
A Big Day for Butter
Bon’s summer holiday is off to a terrible start - Mum is busy, Dad has gone to work, and Su won’t even look up from her paper folding. Could the most boring summer in history be about to begin? Just when Bon is ready to give up, a wild idea starts to float into his head, and it involves Butter, the family parrot! This decodable reader focuses on the ‘oa’ sound in words like ‘float,’ ‘groan,’ ‘road,’ ‘oak,’ and ‘oats.’
Jack's Cat
Jack is brilliant at scaring crows and carving pumpkins, but caring for a cat? That’s brand new! Meow just stares with big round eyes, refusing every snack Jack offers - seeds, berries, even fancy salad. What does this mysterious little hunter actually want to eat? Can Jack solve the puzzle before Meow lives on bugs forever? Join him on a food-finding adventure full of surprises. This decodable reader practices ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words such as ‘attention,’ ‘mission,’ ‘passion,’ ‘patience,’ and ‘satisfaction.’
Just a Haircut!
Ned has built a cosy shed, but there’s one big problem - he has no bed! Can a magic book really teach him how to make one? When Ned learns he needs wool from the shyest sheep on the hillside, his plan to shout “Free haircuts!” might not go quite the way he hopes. Will Ned ever get to sleep? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘haircut,’ ‘hillside,’ ‘sunshine,’ and ‘bedtime.’
Kip Jumps
Can Kip make it past a mob of hungry crocs snapping in the mud? With a big pond blocking his path and a very important place to be, Kip will need fast feet, brave legs, and one enormous jump! Will the crocs catch him, or will Kip soar over the frogs and fish to reach his surprise? Leap along and find out! This decodable reader practises the ai/ay phonogram in words like ‘play,’ ’trail,’ ‘sails,’ ‘wail,’ and ‘stray.’
Let Go!
When a hungry frog snaps up one little wasp for breakfast, he thinks he’s found the perfect snack - but what happens when a snake grabs the frog, a mongoose grabs the snake, and an eagle grabs them all? Can one tiny wasp possibly save this dangling chain of trouble from becoming lunch? Hold on tight for a wild ride through the sky! A decodable reader practising le/al/el/il words such as ’little,’ ’tangle,’ ’tremble,’ ‘humble,’ and ’eagle.’
Let Go of Crab!
Turtle has a plan - a sunny nap on the warm sandy beach - but Crab has other ideas! Down on the bustling reef, where fish dazzle among the coral and seahorses drift in a gentle row, Crab just cannot stop pinching. What strange, red-armed creature is curled around that dark rock? And what happens when Crab gives it one little pinch? This decodable reader practises the le/al/el/il phonogram in words like ‘gentle,’ ‘sparkle,’ ’little,’ ‘signal,’ and ’tangle.’
Let's Bee Friends
Zom the zombie is tired of his neighbours who only want to shuffle, groan, and moan about brains. Isn’t there someone more fun out there? When a gentle buzzing leads him to a busy beehive full of potential new pals, Zom is thrilled - but will the bees want to be friends with a clumsy zombie? And what happens when his big idea for saying hello goes very, very wrong? This decodable reader practises le/al/el/il words such as ‘gentle,’ ’little,’ ‘cattle,’ ‘bundle,’ and ‘stumbles.’
Me First!
Rabbit has a big plan: he’s going to be FIRST at everything in his new class! First to settle in, first in the race, first to finish his painting, first at sums - easy, right? But somehow Bee, Turtle, Dog, and Owl keep beating him to it. Poor Rabbit starts to tremble. Could there be something special he’s first at after all? This decodable reader practises the le/al/el/il sound in words such as ‘gentle,’ ’turtle,’ ‘sparkle,’ ‘pencil,’ and ‘people.’