Children's Books for 2nd Graders
Pendo Sees the Cloth
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 practices the ’ea’ sound with words like ‘sea’, ‘speak’, ‘beach’, ‘please’, and ‘real’.
Nuru and the Dry Well
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 practices the ‘ou’ sound in words like ‘ground’, ‘proud’, ‘found’, ’loud’, and ‘shout’.
There Are Ants!
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 practices the ‘ow’ sound in words like ‘brown,’ ‘down,’ ‘crowd,’ ‘slow,’ and ‘wow.’
Tonight, I Fight!
Ned has a magic book, a cozy 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 practices es plurals in words like ‘crashes,’ ‘wishes,’ ‘flashes,’ ’latches,’ and ’torches.’
Too Big? Think Bigger!
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 practices the ai/ay phonogram through words like ‘day,’ ‘stay,’ ‘rain,’ ’nail,’ and ’trail.’
Sauce on My Jaw!
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 practices the aw/au phonogram in words such as ‘jaw,’ ‘draws,’ ‘haul,’ ‘pause,’ and ‘sauce.’
Jack Creates Chaos
A stranger arrives at the farm with a kiosk full of rare wares. One glowing thing hums quiet and bright - but the Trader says it carries a curse. Why would Jack grab it and run? What happens when chaos creeps into a quiet room? Can the duo undo the ruin before the whole house turns to watermelon? This decodable reader practices vowel team syllables in words like ‘chaos,’ ‘kiosk,’ ’neon,’ and ‘ruin.’
Where's My Fire?!
Dragon is sure he’s a natural. Why practice for the big fire test when he could lounge on a sunny hillside with a basket of tasty snacks? But when the day arrives, only puffs of gray smoke come out - and everyone is watching! Can a strange little chili plant with a spicy red pepper help Dragon find his missing flame before it’s too late? This decodable reader practices VC/CV syllables in words like ‘basket,’ ‘sunset,’ ‘pepper,’ and ‘hillside.’
Kale Catches a Thief!
Something took a giant bite out of the ripest guava on the tree, and Kina and Kale are on the case! Was it a tiny caterpillar? A hopping grasshopper? A sneaky pixie with sharp little teeth? As the sun goes down and the yard grows dark, the two detectives set up camp under the branches to catch the mystery muncher red-handed. Who could the guava thief be? This decodable reader practices the ‘ie’ phonogram in words like ‘cries,’ ‘flies,’ ‘spied,’ and ’thief.’
Who Drew That?
When Shawn falls asleep with a brand new box of pencils, something extraordinary begins to stir. The lid creaks open, the pencils tiptoe out, and they discover a book full of drawings - but every page is gray! Can a box of colorful pencils fix a black-and-white world before morning? And what will Shawn say when he wakes at dawn? This decodable reader practices the aw/au phonogram in words like ‘dawn,’ ‘draw,’ ‘yawn,’ and ‘fault.’