SEL Books for 2nd Graders
Min on Her Own!
It’s Min’s very first day of school, and her shiny new shirt is waiting on the bed - but how on earth do these tricky buttons work? Mum is baking, Dad is busy with the hens, and Pop is heading down the hill with the big brown cow. Will anyone stop to help in time? When Min decides to try it all on her own, things get a little bit wobbly! This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ sound in words like ‘cow,’ ‘brown,’ ‘down,’ and ‘wow.’
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.’
The Cloud Above Diane
Diane is the proudest litterbug around - until she wakes up one morning to find a stinking cloud of rubbish hovering right above her bed! Flies buzz, wrappers swirl, and the cloud follows her everywhere she goes. Can Diane figure out how to make her smelly shadow disappear? Will anyone want to sit with her at lunch, or is a small grey rat her only friend now? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ‘about,’ ‘open,’ ’even,’ and ‘only.’
Lost in the Dark
Drew is sure he can race to the brook and back before dinner - easy! But when the wind picks up, the mist rolls in, and the forest turns dark and full of strange snaps and cracks, will a quick shortcut turn into a scary night up an old elm tree? Can a warm golden glow lead four friends safely home? This decodable reader practises the ’ew’ sound in words like ‘drew,’ ‘blew,’ ‘knew,’ ‘flew,’ and ‘phew.’
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.’
My Comb
On a sunny morning at the farm, a boy spots Rooster’s magnificent red comb gleaming like a royal crown - and suddenly he wants one too! But Rooster says no, Peacock struts away, and even Heron refuses to share. Will anyone give him a crown of his very own? When nobody will help, what clever idea might save the day? This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ sound through words such as ‘crown,’ ‘down,’ ‘frown,’ ‘show,’ and ’now.’
My Feet Moan and Groan!
Bop has been waiting ALL YEAR for the Bantengan parade, and he’s ready to learn every dance move before he gets there. But what happens when his wrists wobble, his knees buckle, and his feet simply refuse to listen? Can Big Brother help him find the secret to dancing smooth as water? A warm, funny story about trying too hard - and learning to let go. This decodable reader practises the oa phonogram in words like ‘float,’ ‘groan,’ ‘road,’ and ‘soak.’
A New Driver In Town!
Meet one speedy ambulance who is tired, oh so tired, of driving slowly with kind Mr. Chow! When a bold new driver hops in and hits the gas, will zooming through town be everything our little ambulance dreamed of? Or could going too fast lead to a very bumpy surprise? Buckle up for a wild ride full of sirens, splashes, and a runaway wheel! This decodable reader practises the ow phonogram in words like ‘cow,’ ‘down,’ ‘frown,’ ‘howl,’ and ’town.’
No Pals? No Lunch!
Tiger thinks being alone is simply blissful - no noisy pals, no messy friends, just warm sun and peaceful quiet. But when every mouse, fawn, and bird bolts the moment she twitches an ear, her tummy starts to grumble louder and louder. Can a lone hunter really hunt with nobody around? And what happens when the forest goes completely silent? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘blissful,’ ‘proudly,’ ’tightly,’ and ’loudly.’
Not That Kind of Fan!
Fish has decided he is done being a fish. Swimming is boring, bubbles are boring, and being wet all the time feels deeply unfair! So when a grinning cat by the shore claims to be his biggest fan, Fish can hardly believe his luck. But is this cat really the friend he’s been hoping for, or is something fishy going on? This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including “dislike,” “misfit,” “pretend,” “return,” and “unsure.”