Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Anansi has cooked a feast fit for a king, and he plans to ’eat’ every last bite alone. But when a hungry, road weary Turtle knocks at the door, will clever Anansi share his ‘meal’, or trick his guest out of a single bite? And what happens when Turtle sends an invitation of his own? A tale of tricks, manners, and a lesson served at last. This Bookbot level practises the ’ea’ sound with words like ‘feast’, ’each’, ‘reach’, and ‘great’.

When a cheeky gust of wind lifts Bub clean off the park bench - with the kite string still in her hand - who will hold on tight enough to bring her back down? Pup grabs her foot, Tim grabs Pup, Kim grabs Tim, and soon the whole family is dangling like a wobbly kite tail. Will Mum even notice before they float away? This decodable reader practises prefixes in words like ’nonstop,’ ‘unfair,’ ‘dismay,’ ‘return,’ and ‘unroll.’

What happens when a brave girl sets off to walk to Grandad’s house all by herself for the very first time? The sunshine is warm, the pathway is familiar, and nothing could possibly go wrong - until a sharp YAP bursts from around the corner and her footsteps freeze. Is there a monstrous beast waiting just out of sight, or something else entirely? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘doorstep,’ ‘driveway,’ ‘pathway,’ ‘footsteps,’ and ‘sunshine.’

Beth’s cosy nest has one empty spot, and only the perfect flower will do. But every bloom she spies seems to belong to somebody else - a fussy butterfly, busy bees, and a spider with a web to protect! Will Beth ever find a flower she’s allowed to pick? And what will her mother say when she finally flies home? This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including ’explore,’ ‘dislike,’ ‘redo,’ ‘replace,’ and ‘return.’

Frog gazes up at the glowing stars every night and dreams of holding just one. But when his short arms and tallest hills aren’t enough, he spots a giant palm tree - could climbing to the very top finally bring him close to those shining lights? And what are those tiny golden glimmers twinkling in the pond far below? Join Frog on a brave, starry adventure! This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables through words like ‘giant,’ ’lion,’ ‘quiet,’ and ‘ruin.’

Jojo spots a boy juggling a football on the other side of the fence, and his feet are a total blur. Can Jojo keep up with this lightning-quick player? And why won’t the boy stop when Jojo calls for a break, no matter how loudly he shouts? When the ball rolls into the road, Jojo has to act fast. This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘bravely,’ ‘quickly,’ ‘hopeful,’ and ‘friendship.’

Leuk the Hare is the cleverest animal on the golden savanna of Senegal, but he is not the biggest or the strongest. When Bour the Lion loses his golden bracelet and offers the finest farmland to whoever finds it, everyone rushes off to search. Can a small hare who watches and listens outsmart his big, greedy neighbour Bouki? What quiet secret does Leuk know about the ridge? This Bookbot story practises two-syllable ’es’ plurals as Leuk ‘watches’, ‘wishes’, ‘catches’, and ‘reaches’.

Can you cook and clean and ride a bike all in one day? One little helper is bursting with big plans and wants Mum to see every single thing they can do - from mixing lunch in the bowl to hanging clothes in a row and even pedalling a shiny bike. But will the bravest trick of all go to plan, or will something surprise them both? This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ phonogram in words like ‘bowl,’ ‘down,’ ‘grow,’ and ‘wow.’

Jack has never caught a fish - not one, not ever - but today feels different. With a bent oak branch, a bit of string, and Meow padding beside him along the coast, he casts his line into the foam and waits. But what happens when the line yanks back hard, and the thing he pulls from the sea is definitely not a fish? This decodable reader practises the ‘oa’ sound in words like ‘boat,’ ‘coast,’ ‘foam,’ ‘oak,’ and ‘road.’

Have you ever wandered across the wide, green plains of Minecraft? Cows munch grass, pigs snuffle along, and horses gallop in every direction you can see. You might spot sunflowers swaying in the sun, or fish leaping in a quiet lake. But what happens when too many hooves trample the same patch of ground? Can a clever farmer keep the land healthy for all? This decodable reader practises the ai/ay phonogram in words such as ‘may,’ ‘plains,’ ‘stay,’ ’trail,’ and ‘raise.’