Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Ned is DONE with fighting monsters - from now on, he’s a man of peace who bakes magnificent cakes! But cakes need milk, and milk needs cows, and cows need a pen… so what happens when darkness falls before the fence is finished? Can Ned bravely protect his new herd through a long, sleepless night? This decodable reader practises words with suffixes such as ‘bravely,’ ’tightly,’ ‘hopeful,’ ‘golden,’ and ’thankful.’

Jan’s birthday is today, and it’s going to be the best one ever - if everyone can pull off the surprise in time! Mum’s baking, Dad’s puffing up balloons, Grandma’s stitching, and Grandpa has something extra special waiting. But when it’s Tim’s turn to carry the gifts, will he wobble? Will he tumble? Can he make it to the party room without dropping a thing? This decodable reader practises the ‘oo’ sound in words like ‘soon,’ ’look,’ ‘zoom,’ and ‘smooth.’

Bam’s flute plays the sweetest tune on the beach - so sweet that even Bird is dozing in the air! But what happens when he plays just a tiny bit louder? Why does the ground start to shake, and whose golden eyes are rising from the waves? Can one small boy and his flute calm a very grumpy sea beast before the whole bay washes away? This decodable reader practises the ’ea’ phonogram in words like ‘beast,’ ‘gleam,’ ‘scream,’ and ‘feast.’

Drip, drop! Have you ever tipped your face up to the sky and let the rain tickle your cheeks? When a sudden shower turns the garden into a world of sparkle, one little girl races outside to catch every drop. From a peacock on the path to Mum’s rainy-day soup, what magic will the rain leave behind? A decodable reader practising the le/al/el/il endings in words like ’little,’ ‘sparkle,’ ‘gentle,’ ‘signal,’ and ‘crystal.’

Zom the farmer is losing chickens, and a sneaky fox is to blame! He hammers planks, builds a mighty gate, and even practises his scariest growl - but nothing seems to stop her. Why does this clever fox keep slipping past every trap? Can Zom outwit her before his whole flock disappears? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘bravely,’ ‘swiftly,’ ‘farmer,’ ‘harder,’ and ‘smarter.’

Dr. Can Do has built the coolest machine ever - smooth blocks, shiny tools, and rows of bamboo shoots ready to feed his stove. But wait, who is that pecking at his beautiful invention? A sneaky little hen keeps breaking the rules, no matter how many times Jill scoots her back to the coop! Can Dr. Can Do figure out how she keeps escaping? This decodable reader practises the ‘oo’ phonogram in words like ‘cool,’ ’tool,’ ‘scoop,’ ‘roof,’ and ‘bloom.’

The Orange Cats are squished into a tiny dirt hut, and enough is enough! Can they pack up their gear, march out at daybreak, and build a real home before nightfall sneaks up on them? With spiders in the grass and witches lurking nearby, every sunrise brings a new adventure and every sunset brings a new worry. This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘backpack,’ ‘daybreak,’ ’nightfall,’ and ‘sunshine.’

Meet the squad - five kids, one dog, and zero chance of losing! At least, that’s what they tell everyone before the big championship match. But when the other team’s bus pulls up and out steps the biggest, tallest, most serious-looking squad ever, can our heroes really back up their big talk? With a speedy runner, a tricky dribbler, and a header who practises every lunchtime, this team has skills - but will teamwork be enough? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘dashes,’ ‘rushes,’ ‘catches,’ and ‘matches.’

Paul has a special talent - he loves to draw, but he also loves to play a guessing game! He starts with simple shapes: a big circle, two little ones on top, then a box. Is it a frog? An owl? A car with eyes? Every time you guess, Paul just shakes his head and keeps drawing. Can you work out what Paul’s picture will be before he finishes? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘sketches,’ ‘rushes,’ ’lashes,’ and ‘dashes.’

Pillagers on the hilltop! Crossbows at the ready! Can one brave hero, an iron golem, and two very loyal dogs hold off wave after wave of raiders? Just when things start looking up, something ENORMOUS snorts out from behind the trees - grey as a storm cloud, with tusks like battering rams. Will a golden axe be enough to save the village? This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, such as ‘defend,’ ‘invade,’ ‘retreat,’ ‘rebuild,’ and ‘unfair.’