Children's Books for 2nd Graders
We believe every child deserves access to quality reading materials that nurture a lifelong love of learning. Find kids books online designed for 2nd graders ages 6-7. Our children’s books feature digraphs, syllable patterns, and longer stories. Explore picture books, storybooks, and read aloud stories that build fluency for second grade readers.
I Love My Mom
Meet a little kid who loves their mom more than anything! Mom knows how to do so many amazing things - from cooking yummy lunches to growing beautiful plants and even riding bikes. Every day brings a new adventure and something new to learn together. But what special skills will this child discover along the way? And what will make Mom the proudest of all?
In the Deep
Anika wants to explore the sea, but she’s a little scared. With encouragement from her mum, she takes a deep breath and ducks her head underwater. What begins as a nervous first try soon becomes an incredible adventure! She discovers floating algae, a baby turtle, and even a flying fish. When she finds a colorful reef full of amazing creatures, Anika can hardly believe her eyes. What other surprises are waiting for her in the deep?
A Tall Tale
The girl in the story is made out of air and is mostly invisible. One day, she decides to go to school and starts to draw, scaring a boy half to death. The boy decides to paint her face so that he can see her better.
Bird in a Cage
The boy, Ben, loves birds and his dad gets him a new one each day. One day, Ben notices that his new birds don’t want to sing and he feels sad. He asks his dad to let the birds go and they do.
Farmer Ned Starts Off
Ned has just built a brand new house with help from his magical Book, but now he wants something more—he wants to grow his own food! The Book tells him he’ll need seeds, tools, and water to make it happen. But farming is hard work! Ned must craft a hoe, clear the land, and carry heavy buckets of water from the beach. Can Ned turn dry, dusty dirt into a real farm?
Girl of the Forest
I live in a hut in the forest with my parents. I see a white deer and follow it into the trees, where I also see a pangolin and a bear. We then see an elephant and hide in a cave to keep dry.
He Can Draw
Paul loves to draw! Every day after school, he creates amazing pictures in his big art books. Today, he starts with three circles - one big and two small. Then he adds a box shape, some legs, and a big smile. What could he be drawing? Follow along as Paul builds his mystery picture shape by shape. Can you guess what it will be before he finishes?
Magnet Magic!
Rin discovers a mysterious black block in her brother’s desk drawer that makes objects stick to it! She tests it on everything around her—pens, staplers, rulers, and even the family cat. What is this magical object, and why does it only work on some things? Join Rin on her exciting journey of discovery!
Make it Rain
Kaa lives in a dry land where nothing grows. His special job is to walk from place to place, singing songs to call the clouds and rain. One day, he hears a mysterious thumping sound behind him. When he turns around, he discovers a dinosaur who loves his music! Together, they sing to the sky. Will their song be powerful enough to bring the rain and change their dry land forever?
Pumpkin Hunt
When the Mage wakes up at dawn, there’s trouble in the square - mobs are lurking and there are no golems to protect everyone! The only way to make more golems is to find pumpkins, but there aren’t any left. The Mage and his pals Jill and Dr Can Do set off on an urgent pumpkin hunt. Flying high like a hawk, the Mage spots something promising. Will they find enough pumpkins to save their home from the mobs?
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a 2nd grader be reading?
By second grade, most children are moving from ’learning to read’ toward ‘reading to learn’ — what Jeanne Chall’s Stages of Reading Development (1983) calls the ‘confirmation and fluency’ stage. They should be practising with texts that include digraphs, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and multi-syllable words while building speed and expression. Our scope and sequence shows how these skills are organised.
How do decodable books help 2nd graders build fluency?
Decodable books give 2nd graders practice with words they can genuinely sound out, which builds the automatic word recognition that underlies fluent reading. A meta-analysis by Ehri et al. (2001) found that systematic phonics instruction produces significant reading gains through sixth grade — and decodable books are the bridge between phonics lessons and real reading. Learn more about what decodable books are.
Are these 2nd grade books free?
Many books are available on the Bookbot website, with a number of titles free to read online. Select books also offer PDF downloads or read-aloud features with word-by-word highlighting.
How do I choose the right reading level for my 2nd grader?
Listen to your child read aloud — if they can decode most words accurately but still encounter a few that require effort, the level is about right. Stanovich (1986) showed that children who read at the right level of challenge develop vocabulary and comprehension faster than those reading material that is too easy or too hard. You can filter by grade and reading level to narrow down the options.
What topics are available for 2nd grade readers?
The collection includes stories across adventure, animals, science, fantasy, friendship, sports, and many more topics. Offering a variety of subjects is important because children read more when the content interests them — see our tips on engaging reluctant readers for more strategies.