SEL Books for 2nd Graders

Meet Hope, a girl who wants to learn exciting new things like riding a bike and swimming. But learning isn’t always easy! She falls down, gets scared, and sometimes wants to give up. The world seems full of frightening things - dark rooms, creepy crawlies, and booming thunder. How will Hope find the courage to face her fears? Can she discover the secret to being brave?

Do you wish you had more money for the things you want? Join Bookbot as you discover the secrets of saving, earning, and managing your money like a pro! Learn clever ways to grow your piggy bank and make smart choices about spending. What amazing things could you buy if you saved up?

Pang the cicada has been picked to conduct the biggest concert of the year - and absolutely nothing can go wrong! But what happens when the choir sings the wrong notes, his stomach does somersaults, and raindrops start falling at a DRY season concert? Can one nervous little conductor save the show before everything falls apart? This decodable reader practices 3+ syllable words such as ‘conductor,’ ‘cicada,’ ‘calendar,’ ‘caterpillar,’ and ‘magnificent.’

The big tree feeds the whole town, dropping sweet pods for the village children each year. But then a greedy hyena named Fisi comes prowling up the ridge, determined to grab every last pod for himself. Can a clever girl and a wise old tree teach him that you can’t steal what is given freely? What will it take for Fisi to finally change his ways? This Bookbot EE level practices the ’ee’ sound with words like ’tree’, ‘feeds’, ‘sweet’, ‘green’, and ‘free’.

At the edge of the great dry plain, the mighty Tembo stomps up to the only cool waterhole and declares it his alone. Every thirsty animal must wait in the blazing sun, until tiny Sungura the Hare steps forward with a clever plan. How can one small hare hope to move a giant who will not budge? Will his daring trick save the waterhole for everyone? This Bookbot book practices the ‘ai’/‘ay’ sound with words like ‘plain’, ‘day’, ‘play’, ‘wait’, and ‘says’.

Deep in the rainforest, a careless giant Elephant tramples a tiny weaver bird’s nest and laughs, sure that nothing small could ever matter to him. But Pili is not so easily beaten. Can one little bird, with a clever plan and two unlikely friends, teach the largest creature in the forest a lesson he will never forget? A warm tale of courage and respect. This Bookbot book practices two-syllable words split between vowels, like ‘giant’, ‘being’, ’trio’, ‘chaos’, and ‘quiet’.

Far from town, in a little hut in the woods, Cam has a tiny lamp with the warmest glow. Every night it helps him catch frogs, read his book, and chase away the dark - until a bright new electric light arrives and Cam forgets all about his small friend. Can a little lamp still matter when everything around it shines brighter? This decodable reader practices the ow phonogram in words like ‘blows,’ ‘down,’ ‘glow,’ ’now,’ and ’town.’

On the wide southern veld, big Elephant tramples every garden and boasts that he is the greatest, while the small animals watch their beans and sweet ‘potatoes’ vanish under his feet. Clever Hare has a plan. But how can one little hare teach a giant some manners, and could a flooded river hold the answer? Will Elephant ever learn to be kind? This Bookbot story practices open syllables in words like ‘giant’, ‘moment’, ‘behind’, ‘over’ and ’evening’.

On the slopes of Kĩrĩnyaga, greedy Gĩcere the hyena eats everyone’s food before it is even cooked. But clever Mwĩrĩ the rabbit has a plan and a sealed pot with one strange rule: one pot, one rule, one meal. Will Gĩcere finally learn to wait his turn? Or will his greed land him in trouble? This Bookbot OA level practices the /oʊ/ sound with words like ‘coat’, ‘float’, ‘goat’, ‘moan’, and ‘road’.

In a highland town where a merchant’s kitchen fills the air with the smell of lamb stew, poor Habtamu is dragged to court for the crime of simply breathing it in. Can a smell truly be stolen? And when the judge names Habtamu guilty, what clever twist might turn the whole courtroom into a ‘riot’ of laughter? A warm tale about fairness, pride, and ‘being’ true. This Bookbot story practices splitting two-syllable words with ‘quiet’, ‘giant’, ’trial’, and ‘ruin’.