Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Meet a puppet maker who builds every show by hand - but what happens when the wrong backdrop drops a fancy Rich Lady straight into a jungle with a hungry tiger? Will she panic, run, or do something nobody expects? With a calm doctor puppet, a confused tiger, and an audience leaning in close, tonight’s show might not go exactly as planned. This decodable reader practices prefixes in words like ‘pretend,’ ’explain,’ ’nonstop,’ and ‘design.’

Ned is hungry, and rabbit stew sounds just perfect - but what happens when you shoot at a field of fluffy bunnies? The Book warns him to stop, yet Ned just can’t resist one more shot. Will the little rabbits hop away safely, or is something much bigger and scarier watching from the tall grass? Can Ned find a kinder way to fill his stomach? This decodable reader practices le/al/el/il words such as ’little,’ ‘middle,’ ‘wiggle,’ ‘settle,’ and ’trouble.’

Birds swoop, dragonflies dart, and butterflies drift past on fancy yellow wings - but what about kids without feathers? Could you climb onto a soft cloud and float away at sunset? Could a kite carry you upwards over forests and valleys? Three brilliant friends are determined to find out, even if a silly mistake or two might send them tumbling! This decodable reader practices VC/CV syllables in words like ‘rabbit,’ ‘sunset,’ ‘yellow,’ ‘mountains,’ and ‘until.’

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 practices 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! Mom’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 practices 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 practices 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 Mom’s rainy-day soup, what magic will the rain leave behind? A decodable reader practicing 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 practices 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 practices 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 practices 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 practices compound words such as ‘backpack,’ ‘daybreak,’ ’nightfall,’ and ‘sunshine.’