Fantasy Books for 2nd Graders

When every golem in Canville vanishes overnight, the Mischievous Mage knows the village is in serious trouble. Without them, what will stop the zombies and skeletons creeping in after dark? The only answer is pumpkins - but no one has ever seen one growing nearby. Can the Mage and his friends track some down before nightfall, or will their search lead somewhere far more surprising? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words such as ‘ancient,’ ‘mission,’ ‘patience,’ and ‘delicious.’

Deep in the Ashanti forest lives Mmoatia, a fairy no bigger than your thumb, who owns a magical stirring-spoon that fills any pot with food. When greedy Anansi the spider snatches it away, why won’t the spoon work in his hands? Can a hungry trickster ever learn the secret hidden inside a giving heart? A warm West African tale about sharing something ‘precious’. This Bookbot story practises the /sh/ sound with words like ‘portion’, ’especially’, ’nutritious’, and ‘gracious’.

Anansi has a plan so big it makes all eight of his eyes shine: he’ll gather every scrap of wisdom in the world and lock it inside one pot, so everyone must come to him for answers. But how do you carry something that heavy up a tall, smooth tree? And what happens when his own small son, watching quietly from a rock nearby, offers an idea that isn’t in the pot at all? This Bookbot level practises ’es’ plurals with words like ’teaches’, ‘watches’, ‘wishes’, ‘branches’, and ‘splashes’.

Bam’s flute plays the sweetest tune on the beach - so sweet that even Bird is dozing in the air! But what happens when he plays just a tiny bit louder? Why does the ground start to shake, and whose golden eyes are rising from the waves? Can one small boy and his flute calm a very grumpy sea beast before the whole bay washes away? This decodable reader practises the ’ea’ phonogram in words like ‘beast,’ ‘gleam,’ ‘scream,’ and ‘feast.’

The Orange Cats are squished into a tiny dirt hut, and enough is enough! Can they pack up their gear, march out at daybreak, and build a real home before nightfall sneaks up on them? With spiders in the grass and witches lurking nearby, every sunrise brings a new adventure and every sunset brings a new worry. This decodable reader practises compound words such as ‘backpack,’ ‘daybreak,’ ’nightfall,’ and ‘sunshine.’

Kintu lives all alone on the wide green hills with only his cow for company, longing for something he cannot yet name. When a kind sky-god’s daughter climbs down through the clouds to meet him, will her father let them be together? What impossible test awaits, and what happens when a tiny bee walks a slow circle across his hand? A warm African folk tale about love, loss, and the power of the smallest deed. This Bookbot story practises the /ʃ/ sound with words like ‘action’, ‘special’, ‘patient’, and ‘question’.

Aidan has saved every coin for his very first wand - but the only one he can afford is old, crooked, and a little bit grumpy. When he aims it at the sky and shouts for a toy train, ribbons fly everywhere, sweets rain down, and a real storm rolls in! Can Aidan figure out how to make this strange old wand actually listen? A playful decodable reader practising ai/ay words such as ‘day,’ ‘play,’ ’train,’ ‘sails,’ and ‘spray.’

Tom the Baker makes the best pies in Canville - but when something smashes the village guards to bits, is a sneaky thief to blame? As brutes creep through the night, Tom grieves for his cosy shop and wonders if anything can keep the village safe. Can a great stone wall save Tom’s pies before disaster strikes again? This decodable reader practises the ‘ie’ sound in words like ‘cried,’ ‘field,’ ’thief,’ and ‘pies.’

Ned used to hide under his blankets when the monsters came out at night. But not tonight! Tonight, Ned has a shiny sword, a brave heart, and a plan to stand his ground. Can one small farmer really take on a zombie, a sneaky skeleton, and a giant spider all by himself? What will he find waiting when the shadows grow long? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘crashes,’ ‘crouches,’ ‘dashes,’ ‘hisses,’ and ‘flashes.’

Skel has a list of chores longer than his arm, and rest is the very last thing on his mind. But when the sun sinks low and shadows stretch across the field, something with glowing eyes is watching from the clouds. What happens to those who refuse to sleep? Can Skel and Bones make it home before the phantoms swoop? This decodable reader practises the ‘ie’ phonogram in words like ’tied,’ ‘spied,’ ‘shield,’ ‘shriek,’ and ‘cries.’