Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Beat it with a good heart and a feast appears from nowhere, but when a greedy merchant steals the Oba’s magic drum and runs north with it, who will chase him down? Ten year old Remi knows the drum’s secret, and only a giving heart can call the food to come. Can she reach it before the thief ruins everything? This Bookbot level practises the /ɔɪ/ sound with words like ‘joy’, ‘voice’, ’noise’, ‘point’, and ‘spoil’.

The Karoo desert is so dark that children cry out in fear and hunters lose their way. But when clever /Kaggen the Mantis loses his glowing sandal to the night sky, something extraordinary begins. Can a trickster’s mistake become the greatest gift the desert has ever known? What is that pale white curve rising over the sand? Read on to discover how light finds a way. This Bookbot level practises the ‘ou’ sound with words like ‘ground’, ‘round’, ‘cloud’, ‘found’, and ’loud’.

Kaggen can spin moonlight from a sandal, but there is one thing he cannot make. Fire. And fire belongs to the Ostrich, who hides it under his wing and never lets anyone near. Can a clever little insect outwit a huge, guarded bird? What plan could a mantis dream up, and what happens when the flame finally breaks free? This warm folktale rewards patience, cleverness, and courage. This Bookbot level practises words like ‘solution’, ‘situation’, ‘question’, and ‘action’.

The fish of Lake Victoria have vanished, and no one knows why. When young Opiyo hides in his father’s canoe and sneaks out onto the deep, dark water at night, a strange glow rises from below. What could be scaring the fish away? And why does it seem to be listening when Opiyo begins to sing? This gentle Bookbot adventure practises the ‘ou’ sound with lesson words like ’loud’, ‘found’, ‘round’, ‘sound’, and ‘proud’.

Don has finally found the perfect blue cap at the market - but what happens when a sneaky gust of wind snatches it right off his head? The cap sails over the bushes, gets stuck in the branches, and lands somewhere Don never expected. Can he ever get it back, or has his treasure been claimed by someone much bigger and brighter? A warm, funny story about letting go and finding new friends. This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘bushes,’ ‘branches,’ ‘catches,’ and ‘wishes.’

The Tokoloshe is coming. In the dark of night, something small, wet, and very cheeky is tipping over pots, pinching toes, and terrorising a girl named Nomsa’s home. Can Nomsa outwit a water-sprite that cannot climb but keeps stealing her every plan? With one brick left and her little brother in danger, she must think fast and think smart. This Bookbot book practises reading longer words of three or more syllables, like ‘suddenly’, ‘absolutely’, ‘grandmother’, and ‘afternoon’.

Hippo rules the great river bend, and when any thirsty animal creeps near, one enormous splash sends them fleeing. But clever old Tortoise has a wager: keep your mouth shut from moonrise to moonrise, and the river stays yours. Can a slow tortoise really outwit a mighty hippo who never breaks a promise? This Level ES story practises two-syllable ’es’ plurals with lesson words like ‘watches’, ‘branches’, ‘crashes’, ‘rushes’, and ‘splashes’.

Meet one very proud cat who knows - without a single doubt - that this cosy house belongs to him, not the noisy kids, the splashing dog, or the cheeky mouse sneaking across the kitchen tiles. Will he catch that crumb-stealing mouse? Will he show the mean boy next door who’s really in charge? And what happens when night falls and the whole household settles down together? This decodable reader practises the ‘ou’ sound in words like ‘mouse,’ ‘pounce,’ ‘proud,’ and ‘shout.’

Have you ever heard of mooshrooms - cows with mushrooms growing right out of their heads? When Fig Pig returns from his expedition with this wild news, Brat Cat packs her boat and sets off on a mission to find them. But what happens when one kind handful of wheat turns into a very big commotion? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words like ‘mission,’ ‘commotion,’ ‘delicious,’ and ‘determination.’

Ted is heading to Ava’s birthday party, and he knows every step of the way - even though he cannot see. But when his neighbour Kim follows closely behind, worrying about every puddle and barking dog, can Ted show her that smells, sounds, and a trusty cane are all he needs? How does he find his way so boldly? Step along and find out! This decodable reader practises suffixes in words such as ‘boldly,’ ‘calmly,’ ‘proudly,’ ‘friendship,’ and ‘roughness.’