Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Manta Ray is the greatest navigator in the sea - or so he likes to say. But when a sudden storm turns the bluish water to chaos, can the proudest ray in the ocean find his way back home? Who will help him when he finally spots that familiar neon lighthouse beam? Dive in and see! This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables in words like ‘bluish,’ ’neon,’ ‘quiet,’ and ‘react.’

What if a fish got tired of swimming in circles and decided to walk right out of the lake? Meet the climbing perch - a tiny, spiny troublemaker who munches bugs in the sunshine, hides from hungry birds, and naps in the mud when the water dries up. Can a little fish really march across the farmland on its fins? This decodable reader practises compound words like ‘sunshine,’ ‘raindrop,’ ‘footstep,’ ‘outside,’ and ‘daydream.’

Monkey loves bananas more than anything in the world - so when his breakfast bunch vanishes overnight, who could the sneaky thief be? Was it the buzzing honey bee, the hissing snake, or the white rabbit having a picnic at the bottom of the tree? Follow along as one very hungry monkey hunts for clues and tries to crack the case. This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘breakfast,’ ‘rabbit,’ ‘picnic,’ and ‘culprit.’

Dr Can Do has the world’s best Christmas joke saved up - but someone keeps stealing his punchlines! Will he finally get to deliver his grand finale at Christmas dinner, or will a sneaky joke thief beat him to it one more time? A warm, giggly family tale full of crackers, candles, and laughter around the table. This decodable reader practises the igh phonogram in words like ‘bright,’ ’light,’ ‘sight,’ ‘might,’ and ’tight.’

Why does Crocodile lift his armoured head and boast that he sees everything? When the dry season cracks his skin and the mud pit shrinks around him, will pride let him crawl to the cool river he needs? And when cruel baboons follow to jeer at his hiding place, how will Crocodile answer? A warm tale of patience and finding where you belong. This Bookbot level builds two-syllable words with prefixes, practising ‘declare’, ‘invite’, ‘retreat’, ‘unseen’, and ‘unwind’.

Under the deep river, two yellow eyes wait, unseen. Will Tembo find out what the deepest water tastes like—or find something with teeth? When a curious young elephant sneaks off to ’explore’ the crocodile’s dark pool, one small nose is about to change forever. A warm African tale about curiosity, family, and learning the hard way. This Bookbot level builds two-syllable words with prefixes: watch for ’explore’, ‘protest’, ‘defend’, ‘reclaim’, and ‘inhale’.

Why does Hippo beg to live in the cool river, and how can he prove to the Creator that he will keep his most difficult promise? A hungry hippo dreams of the water, but a wise Creator wants proof before he’ll say yes. Will Hippo find a clever way to earn his place in the shallows? This Bookbot EA level builds one-syllable words with the ’ea’ phonogram, practising lesson words like ’each’, ’eat’, ‘heat’, ‘please’, and ‘meal’.

Why does Hyena laugh across the African veld at night? When his greedy nose catches two feasts at once, Hyena races back and forth, unable to choose, until one bad decision leaves him stuck in a ditch with a wasps’ nest at nose level. What happens next changes his face, and his voice, forever. Can he ever go back to the way he was? This Bookbot level practises two syllable words with suffixes, like ‘anxiously’, ‘helpless’, ‘swollen’, ‘stranger’, and ‘hopelessly’.

Mosquito loves to tell tall tales, and one morning she buzzes a whopper right into Iguana’s ear. To escape her chatter, he plugs his ears with sticks and can no longer hear a thing. But when a silent Iguana walks past Python without a nod, fear ripples through the forest and the sun refuses to rise. Can one small fib really turn day into endless night? This EA reader practises the ’ea’ sound with words like ‘sea’, ‘speak’, ‘deaf’, ‘head’, and ’leaf’.

Anansi the spider is proud of his round belly, so when the great feast comes only once every seven years, why can’t he simply eat at every village at once? He ties seven ropes around his waist and waits. What happens the moment all seven villages tug at the same time? Read on to find out how this clever spider changes forever. This Bookbot level practises open syllables in longer words, with lesson words like ‘spider’, ‘seven’, ‘moment’, ‘begins’, and ’tiny’.