Fantasy Books for 2nd Graders

Dragons have been part of stories for thousands of years, and European tales are full of these amazing creatures! From fire-breathing beasts who guard piles of gold to sneaky little dragons called puks, there are so many kinds to discover. Some dragons have wings, some live in the sea, and some are even part bird or cat! Did you know there are dragon shapes hiding in the stars above us? What kind of dragon would YOU want to meet?

Ella is on an adventure through the wilderness, but she’s lost! Armed with her map and courage, she must navigate through forests, past angry bugs, and across obstacles. What mysterious creatures will she encounter along the way? Join Ella as she discovers that the forest holds both challenges and surprises!

Eloise loves the water more than anything! Starting in her bathtub with a rubber duck, she dreams of finding bigger places to swim. When she ventures to the backyard pool, something magical happens - her toy duck comes to life! As Eloise discovers larger bodies of water, more toy friends join her adventure. From pools to rivers and beyond, each new place holds exciting surprises. But what will happen when Eloise finally reaches the vast open sea?

When Cam closes his eyes after a long day, something magical happens - suddenly he’s floating, soaring past treetops and waving at birds! But what happens when an eagle warns him to hold on tight, and there’s nothing to hold on to? How high can one boy fly before the stars start to shake? Will Cam find his way back before morning? This decodable reader practices the igh phonogram in words like ‘bright,’ ‘flight,’ ’night,’ and ’tight.’

Ned has a pointy hat, an enchanting table, and a very bossy talking book - so he’s almost a wizard! But first, Mister Book insists Ned craft dozens of normal books, which means collecting leather, growing sugar cane, and battling monsters after sunset. Can Ned handle the hard work without making a single mistake? And will this strange lesson finally turn him into a real wizard? This decodable reader practices VC/CV syllables in words like ‘after,’ ‘better,’ ’lesson,’ ‘problem,’ and ‘sunset.’

The Boy Who Became a Bird is the story of Kola, a small, quiet boy who notices what everyone else walks past. When a caged sunbird with a chest like fire refuses to eat until Kola returns, what will he give up to set it free? And when his own secret song starts to change something deep inside him, will he sing it all the way through? A warm tale of being seen. This Bookbot ES story practices two-syllable plurals: ‘watches’, ‘branches’, ‘presses’, ‘reaches’, and ‘crosses’.

Deep in an old forest lives a woodland spirit who keeps careful watch over all he protects. When young hunter Ayo wanders into the sacred grove at dawn, will he follow the ancient rules, or take without asking? And when he meets a greedy hunter who ignores the forest’s warnings, what will the spirit do? A gentle tale of respect, promises, and giving back. This story practices the /ɔː/ sound with lesson words like ‘dawn’, ‘awe’, ‘draws’, ‘hauls’, and ’laws’.

Beat it with a good heart and a feast appears from nowhere, but when a greedy merchant steals the Oba’s magic drum and runs north with it, who will chase him down? Ten year old Remi knows the drum’s secret, and only a giving heart can call the food to come. Can she reach it before the thief ruins everything? This Bookbot level practices the /ɔɪ/ sound with words like ‘joy’, ‘voice’, ’noise’, ‘point’, and ‘spoil’.

The Karoo desert is so dark that children cry out in fear and hunters lose their way. But when clever /Kaggen the Mantis loses his glowing sandal to the night sky, something extraordinary begins. Can a trickster’s mistake become the greatest gift the desert has ever known? What is that pale white curve rising over the sand? Read on to discover how light finds a way. This Bookbot level practices the ‘ou’ sound with words like ‘ground’, ‘round’, ‘cloud’, ‘found’, and ’loud’.

Kaggen can spin moonlight from a sandal, but there is one thing he cannot make. Fire. And fire belongs to the Ostrich, who hides it under his wing and never lets anyone near. Can a clever little insect outwit a huge, guarded bird? What plan could a mantis dream up, and what happens when the flame finally breaks free? This warm folktale rewards patience, cleverness, and courage. This Bookbot level practices words like ‘solution’, ‘situation’, ‘question’, and ‘action’.