Fantasy Books for 2nd Graders

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 practises 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 practises 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 practises 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 practises 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 practises 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 practises 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 practises words like ‘solution’, ‘situation’, ‘question’, and ‘action’.

The fish of Lake Victoria have vanished, and no one knows why. When young Opiyo hides in his father’s canoe and sneaks out onto the deep, dark water at night, a strange glow rises from below. What could be scaring the fish away? And why does it seem to be listening when Opiyo begins to sing? This gentle Bookbot adventure practises the ‘ou’ sound with lesson words like ’loud’, ‘found’, ‘round’, ‘sound’, and ‘proud’.

Don has finally found the perfect blue cap at the market - but what happens when a sneaky gust of wind snatches it right off his head? The cap sails over the bushes, gets stuck in the branches, and lands somewhere Don never expected. Can he ever get it back, or has his treasure been claimed by someone much bigger and brighter? A warm, funny story about letting go and finding new friends. This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘bushes,’ ‘branches,’ ‘catches,’ and ‘wishes.’

The Tokoloshe is coming. In the dark of night, something small, wet, and very cheeky is tipping over pots, pinching toes, and terrorising a girl named Nomsa’s home. Can Nomsa outwit a water-sprite that cannot climb but keeps stealing her every plan? With one brick left and her little brother in danger, she must think fast and think smart. This Bookbot book practises reading longer words of three or more syllables, like ‘suddenly’, ‘absolutely’, ‘grandmother’, and ‘afternoon’.