Children's Books for 2nd Graders

Poor Caterpillar has lost his favorite shoe, and with so many feet to cover, one bare foot just will not do! Was it stolen? Did it wiggle away on its own? He asks Frog, Grasshopper, and Crab for help, but every shoe they offer is wrong in a new and wobbly way. Will he ever find the perfect fit? This decodable reader practices 3+ syllable words such as “caterpillar,” “yesterday,” “fortunately,” and “butterfly.”

Dr Can Do has built the grandest windmill the town has ever seen - but when morning comes, the sails lie smashed across the lawn! There’s no wind, no storm, no clouds in the sky, so who could have wrecked it? As Doc and Jill rebuild plank by plank, a strange howl rises in the night and the sails begin to spin. Will Doc catch the sneaky culprit in the act? This decodable reader practices the ‘ow’ sound in words like ‘frown,’ ‘growl,’ ‘howl,’ and ‘brown.’

Long, long ago, before your grandmother’s grandmother was born, the Sun and the Moon lived on the earth in the finest house on the plain, with a door that was ’never’ closed. So when their oldest friend Water finally comes to visit, what happens when a whole ocean of creatures pours through the doorway? Can Sun and Moon climb high enough to escape? This Bookbot Level S4 book practices two-syllable words split between consonants, with lesson words like ‘welcome’, ‘absurd’, ‘mountain’, ‘follows’, and ‘shining’.

Why is Tortoise flying through the sky with the birds, and what happens when he just can’t hold his tongue? Long ago, Tortoise had a smooth, perfect shell and a mouth that never stopped. When a drought sends the birds north to a great feast, clever Tortoise finds a way to join them high above the veld, if only he can stay silent. Will he manage it? This Bookbot EE level practices the /iː/ sound in words like ‘flee’, ’trees’, ‘speed’, ‘keep’ and ‘feels’.

Tik the mouse has found the perfect house - quiet, cozy, and empty. But when he tugs on a strange rubbery rope, something squeaks back! Who is this tiny round creature with big ears and a cord for a tail? Can it really be a mouse too? And when a huge cat comes padding through the door, will these two very different mice find a way to scare it off? This decodable reader practices the ‘ou’ sound in words like ’loud,’ ‘pounce,’ ‘shouts,’ and ‘proud.’

Zom the zombie has a brilliant plan - he’s going to march right up to the husks and make brand new friends! Surely they’ll love his big wave, his cactus gift, and his very cool camel, right? But when the husks suddenly react and race toward the beach, Zom discovers something awful waiting in the sand. Can one small zombie face eight husks alone? This decodable reader practices vowel team syllables in words such as ‘biome,’ ‘chaos,’ ‘quiet,’ ‘react,’ and ’triumph.’

Anansi is caught, and Leopard means to eat him at dusk. But how does one small spider outwit a hungry leopard guarding the only way out? When Anansi finds a bundle of fiery pepper in the den, a clever idea begins to spin. Can a whisper about seasoning and a leopard’s proud reputation buy enough time to escape? This Bookbot book practices reading longer words of three or more syllables, like ‘unfortunate’, ‘reputation’, ‘magnificent’, and ‘satisfaction’.

Dog has found a mysterious tin sitting in the middle of the floor - but what could be inside? A treat? A toy? When Dog tips it over, yellow paint goes everywhere, and soon Cat is splattered too! Can two very messy pets sneak past Pam on Art Day without ruining her beautiful blank canvas, or is disaster about to strike? This decodable reader practices suffixes through words like ‘gladly,’ ‘proudly,’ ‘swiftly,’ ‘breathless,’ and ‘painter.’

Zom has spent weeks telling Jack and Skel about the amazing dolphin city beneath the waves - coral towers, shell-paved streets, and dolphins doing backflips through seaweed hoops. But when the three friends finally dive down to see it, something is terribly wrong. Why is one dolphin lying exhausted on the ocean floor? What are those spiny green creatures tearing the reef apart? Can Zom and his friends save the city before it’s lost forever? This decodable reader practices 2-syllable open words such as ‘about,’ ‘begin,’ ‘over,’ and ‘ocean.’

It’s harvest day, and every single mango matters! Can you help balance the baskets, climb the trees, and keep the fruit safe from hungry insects and wobbly cousins? From the farm to the picnic blanket to the busy market, golden mangoes roll and tumble everywhere - but whatever you do, don’t drop that mango! Will every last one make it safely into the truck? This decodable reader practices VC/CV syllables in words like ‘basket,’ ‘mango,’ ‘picnic,’ and ‘farmer.’