Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Sam and his sister are the greatest monster slayers in the whole entire world - no question! But what happens when a new kind of monster creeps in, one that hides inside Sam’s head like a fog and won’t budge, no matter how loudly you shout? Can a broom, a bucket, and a whole lot of love help bring the real Sam back? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘crushes,’ ‘wishes,’ ‘pushes,’ ‘searches,’ and ‘inches.’

Zom is bored while Skel is out hunting, so he decides to try something brand new - becoming a farmer! He digs plots in his backyard, gathers seeds by moonlight, and dreams of giant pumpkins by daybreak. But what happens when wild chickens stomp in? And why do his animals keep turning a funny shade of green? Can teamwork save Zom’s biggest daydream yet? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘backyard,’ ‘daydream,’ ‘moonlight,’ ’nightfall,’ and ’teamwork.’

Bird has waited three long weeks for her eggs to hatch, but when hunger pulls her off the nest, a curious dog comes sniffing around the leaves. Will she make it back in time? And what will her chicks do when they tumble out and meet the wrong mum first? This decodable reader practises le/al/el/il words such as ’little,’ ‘gobbles,’ ’tremble,’ and ‘huddle.’

When Zom and Skel race to the top of a giant hill, Skel wins in triumph - but what has Zom found down below? A strange, glowing egg sits quietly in the dirt, humming with blue and white light. Is it a bird’s? A fish’s? A dragon’s? Will anyone claim this odd egg before Zom turns it into his next snack? This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables in words like ‘diet,’ ‘giant,’ ‘quiet,’ ‘ruins,’ and ’triumph.’

Pendo can tell truth from lies just by watching faces, but when a powerful merchant accuses her father of stealing his cloth, who will believe a girl with no proof? Then, in a warm tide pool at the beach, her fingers close around a strange singing shell. What secret does it hold, and can it help her father before it is too late? This Bookbot EA book practises the ’ea’ sound with words like ‘sea’, ‘speak’, ‘beach’, ‘please’, and ‘real’.

On a red-sand ridge above the sea, one ancient baobab has grown alone for longer than anyone can remember. When the village well suddenly runs dry and the grown-ups only argue, brave young Nuru climbs the hill to ask the wisest thing she knows: the tree itself. Could a tree really know where the water went? And will anyone believe a ten-year-old? This Bookbot level practises the ‘ou’ sound in words like ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘found’, ’loud’, and ‘shout’.

Ants! Hundreds of them, marching in a long brown row straight across the yard. Where are they all going, and what are they hunting for? One curious kid bends down low to watch the tiny army at work, following them from the grass to the skates, past a pile of treats, and right into the kitchen. How much can one little ant carry, anyway? This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ sound in words like ‘brown,’ ‘down,’ ‘crowd,’ ‘slow,’ and ‘wow.’

Ned has a magic book, a cosy farm, and bunches of golden wheat - but when the sun sinks, monsters creep out of the dark! Every night he hides under the covers while zombies groan and creepers hiss outside his door. Can Ned find the courage to stop running? Could a glowing furnace and a lump of iron change everything? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘crashes,’ ‘wishes,’ ‘flashes,’ ’latches,’ and ’torches.’

Rose the sheep is heading home after a sunny summer on the hill - but wait, what’s this? A tiny new gate, and Rose is far too woolly to squeeze through! Yoga, running, swimming… her friends have ALL the advice. Can bendy poses or splashy laps really shrink a big, round sheep? Or is Rose thinking about this problem in completely the wrong way? This decodable reader practises the ai/ay phonogram through words like ‘day,’ ‘stay,’ ‘rain,’ ’nail,’ and ’trail.’

A noodle-eating contest at the street fair? Yes please! Our hero knows she can out-slurp anyone in town - thick noodles, thin noodles, saucy noodles, she loves them all. But when tough-talking Tim signs up too, the race to train is ON. Can she chomp her way to victory, or will Tim’s secret practice give him the edge? This lively decodable reader practises the aw/au phonogram in words such as ‘jaw,’ ‘draws,’ ‘haul,’ ‘pause,’ and ‘sauce.’