Funny Books for 2nd Graders

What happens when a girl decides she’s a tree and trees absolutely, positively do NOT take naps? With leaf-hair dancing in the breeze, she zooms past bushes, bosses a whole row of trees around, and hides from Dad in the sneakiest spots. But what happens when the path disappears and her legs start feeling oh-so-heavy? This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words like ‘fraction,’ ‘attention,’ ‘sensation,’ ‘mission,’ and ‘motionless.’

Kojo has a big reading test on Friday, and his stomach is full of bees! But when he sounds out the first word, something very strange happens - the word leaps right off the page! Can Kojo read his way to a whole crew of friends before the test? What magical creature might pop out next? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words like ‘cosy,’ ‘frozen,’ ‘open,’ and ’tiny.’

When Skel’s house gets too crowded for a skeleton to catch a quiet nap, Zom offers a deal: go on a trip, and he’ll build an amazing add-on while pet-sitting Bones and Starfang. But can a grumpy spider learn to trust a new room? And will Zom really finish the whole house, or just the spookiest entrance ever seen? This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables in words such as ‘quiet,’ ‘create,’ ‘giant,’ ‘ruin,’ and ’triumph.’

When a cheeky gust of wind lifts Bub clean off the park bench - with the kite string still in her hand - who will hold on tight enough to bring her back down? Pup grabs her foot, Tim grabs Pup, Kim grabs Tim, and soon the whole family is dangling like a wobbly kite tail. Will Mum even notice before they float away? This decodable reader practises prefixes in words like ’nonstop,’ ‘unfair,’ ‘dismay,’ ‘return,’ and ‘unroll.’

Beth’s cosy nest has one empty spot, and only the perfect flower will do. But every bloom she spies seems to belong to somebody else - a fussy butterfly, busy bees, and a spider with a web to protect! Will Beth ever find a flower she’s allowed to pick? And what will her mother say when she finally flies home? This decodable reader practises words with prefixes, including ’explore,’ ‘dislike,’ ‘redo,’ ‘replace,’ and ‘return.’

Can you cook and clean and ride a bike all in one day? One little helper is bursting with big plans and wants Mum to see every single thing they can do - from mixing lunch in the bowl to hanging clothes in a row and even pedalling a shiny bike. But will the bravest trick of all go to plan, or will something surprise them both? This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ phonogram in words like ‘bowl,’ ‘down,’ ‘grow,’ and ‘wow.’

Dr. Can Do’s workshop is a disaster - you can’t even see the floor! Can one very grumpy inventor actually tidy up without getting distracted? When he spots a huge pile of stone he’ll never use, he hatches a wild plan involving lava, redstone, and a clever disposal device. But will tidying really stick, or will the mess creep back? This decodable reader practises the ‘ow’ sound with lesson words like ‘blow,’ ‘glow,’ ‘scowl,’ ‘howl,’ and ’throw.’

When Dr Can Do’s golden carrots run out, he dreams up a wild plan: grab a giant cactus from the desert and turn it into bone meal forever! But have you ever tried to hug a plant covered in needles? Ouch! Can one brave inventor and a wobbly donkey really make it home in one piece? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ‘doughnut,’ ‘paper,’ ‘open,’ and ‘giant.’

Skel keeps his brick house sparkling clean, but Zom and Jack would rather flop in the grass than lift a mop. When Skel finally marches out the door, the two slackers think they’ve won - no chores, no fuss, just sunshine and naps. But what happens when the muck piles up and strange little legs start skittering through the shadows? Can the pests be stopped? This decodable reader practises the ‘igh’ phonogram in words like ‘bright,’ ‘fight,’ ’night,’ and ‘might.’

When Deb’s cat Jack leads her to a deep hole in the yard, what could possibly be hiding at the bottom? A crab with snapping claws, that’s what - and soon one hungry visitor becomes a whole scuttling family! Can Deb catch the tiny babies before they vanish into the sand, or will her garden turn into a crab playground? This decodable reader practises the ‘ie’ phonogram in words like ‘cries,’ ‘flies,’ ‘shield,’ ‘spied,’ and ’tries.’