Animal Books for 2nd Graders

Jack wants a pet of his very own - something spectacular, something nobody else has. But when his search leads him across snow and ice to a lonely little polar bear cub, has he finally found the perfect friend? Or is something much, much bigger watching from the cliffs? Can Jack figure out the clues before it’s too late? This decodable reader practises prefix words such as ‘depend,’ ‘rename,’ ‘retreat,’ ‘decode,’ and ‘return.’

Ting the mouse sneaks into houses to read books - but his little brother Tang would rather eat them! Can Ting teach Tang to love reading before the sleeping cat wakes up? And what happens when one tiny sneeze shakes the whole house? Grab a book, tiptoe quietly, and find out if two small mice can outsmart one very big cat. This decodable reader practises oi/oy words such as ‘joy,’ ’noise,’ ‘hoist,’ and ‘choice.’

Tim is the world’s worst bird at not stopping. Show him a butterfly, a shiny bug, or a pretty cloud, and off he drifts into another daydream - while his flock zooms away without him! Now night is falling, Bird Catchers are creeping through the wildflowers, and Tim is all alone. Can one very distractible little bird keep his eyes on the sky until sunrise? This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘daydream,’ ‘firefly,’ ‘sunshine,’ ‘without,’ and ‘daybreak.’

Kalulu the Hare is the smallest animal in the whole woodland, and everybody keeps telling him he is too little to matter. So when the mighty Ngombe the Buffalo seizes the field everyone planted together, who could possibly challenge him? Kalulu can. With a clay pot of ash and a clever plan, this tiny hare dares a buffalo to a sunrise race. But how can small feet ever beat big hooves? This Bookbot book practises long words of three or more syllables, like ‘buffalo’, ’everybody’, ‘suddenly’, and ’together’.

Turtle has a plan - a sunny nap on the warm sandy beach - but Crab has other ideas! Down on the bustling reef, where fish dazzle among the coral and seahorses drift in a gentle row, Crab just cannot stop pinching. What strange, red-armed creature is curled around that dark rock? And what happens when Crab gives it one little pinch? This decodable reader practises the le/al/el/il phonogram in words like ‘gentle,’ ‘sparkle,’ ’little,’ ‘signal,’ and ’tangle.’

Rabbit has a big plan: he’s going to be FIRST at everything in his new class! First to settle in, first in the race, first to finish his painting, first at sums - easy, right? But somehow Bee, Turtle, Dog, and Owl keep beating him to it. Poor Rabbit starts to tremble. Could there be something special he’s first at after all? This decodable reader practises the le/al/el/il sound in words such as ‘gentle,’ ’turtle,’ ‘sparkle,’ ‘pencil,’ and ‘people.’

Bop has been waiting ALL YEAR for the Bantengan parade, and he’s ready to learn every dance move before he gets there. But what happens when his wrists wobble, his knees buckle, and his feet simply refuse to listen? Can Big Brother help him find the secret to dancing smooth as water? A warm, funny story about trying too hard - and learning to let go. This decodable reader practises the oa phonogram in words like ‘float,’ ‘groan,’ ‘road,’ and ‘soak.’

Dora the duckling takes her big red umbrella everywhere - to breakfast, to the park, even to the bath! But one rainy morning, her favourite item has vanished. Where could it be? Can a squirrel up above, a frog with a lily pad, or a mouse with a tin can help her before she gets completely soaked? A decodable reader focused on 2-syllable open words including ‘above,’ ’lily,’ ‘future,’ and ‘item.’

Otter Mum has a LOT to teach her wiggly pups today - swimming, hiding, napping, and finally the big one: fishing! But the river is full of surprises, from sneaky nets to snapping traps to a crocodile with its jaws wide open. Can four bouncing pups sit still long enough to learn? And when they finally dive for a fish, will those slippery swimmers be easier to catch than they look? This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including ‘depend,’ ‘retreat,’ ‘inside,’ ‘protest,’ and ‘improve.’

At dawn, Fig Pig is ready to sail the seas and find the bravest crew ever - but will any fish, polar bear, or frog actually want to join him? From islands of giant red plants to lands of ice and sharp claws, Fig Pig’s trotters carry him through one wild adventure after another. Who will finally hop aboard his little boat? This decodable reader practises the ‘aw/au’ sound in words like ‘dawn,’ ‘hauled,’ ‘claws,’ ‘paws,’ and ‘yawn.’