SEL Books for 2nd Graders

Tiger thinks being alone is simply blissful - no noisy pals, no messy friends, just warm sun and peaceful quiet. But when every mouse, fawn, and bird bolts the moment she twitches an ear, her tummy starts to grumble louder and louder. Can a lone hunter really hunt with nobody around? And what happens when the forest goes completely silent? This decodable reader practices suffixes in words like ‘blissful,’ ‘proudly,’ ’tightly,’ and ’loudly.’

Wiwit woke up with a big, squeezing tummy ache - and worse, a heavy monkey clinging to her back! Everywhere she goes, he goes too, weighing her down like a sack of rice. With the village dance only days away, how will Wiwit ever spin and jump with a monkey on her shoulders? Can she find the courage to face the thing that scares her most? This decodable reader practices the oa phonogram in words such as ‘groan,’ ’load,’ ‘road,’ and ‘float.’

Ned has built the most beautiful beehive in the neighborhood, and the honey is truly the best thing he has ever tasted! But what happens when Ned eats spoonful after spoonful, day after day? Can his wise magic book convince him to slow down before his tummy turns awful - or will it take a very strange dream to teach him a lesson? This decodable reader practices suffixes in words like ‘proudly,’ ‘spoonful,’ ‘hopeful,’ and ‘swiftly.’

The Great Village Parade is only three days away, and Pep the painter has ENORMOUS plans. But when his paint buckets tip over, the swirling colors give him a wild idea - why stop at one little float when he could paint the WHOLE village? Will the animals love his rainbow makeover, or chase him up the hill with brushes waving? This decodable reader practices 2-syllable open words such as ’lemon,’ ‘only,’ ‘over,’ and ’even.’

Poor Pokey just wants a warm, dry spot to curl up for the night - but every bed on the street is taken! A box full of grumpy cats, a trash can with glowing eyes, and now cold rain splatting on his head. Will Pokey ever find somewhere safe to sleep? And when a storm turns scary, what will he do about the cats who said no room for him? This decodable reader practices the aw/au phonogram in words like ‘claws,’ ‘crawl,’ ‘pause,’ and ‘yawn.’

When a sad tune drifts from a girl’s window and makes the clouds cry, who will follow the song to find her? Brown Rabbit twitches his ears, Bee buzzes into the sky, and Bird soars between raindrops - but can a garden full of critters mend such deep sadness? This decodable reader practices VC/CV syllables in words like ‘rabbit,’ ‘garden,’ ‘sunny,’ ‘problem,’ and ‘until.’

Have you ever felt worried or had big feelings that were hard to handle? Mindfulness might be just what you need! This book introduces a special way to check in with your body and brain. You’ll discover how to notice what’s happening around you and inside you. But what happens when bad thoughts try to take over like weeds in a garden? And how can watching your breath help you feel better? Open this book to learn simple exercises you can try anywhere!

Ted is the new kid at the park, and he’s not very nice. He uses his slingshot to pelt rocks and trash, and he won’t let anyone have fun on the slides or swings. When Ted keeps ruining their games, the kids come up with a clever plan to get him to leave. Will their trick work, and what will happen next?