Nature Books for 2nd Graders
Drip, Drop, Don't Stop!
Drip, drop! Have you ever tipped your face up to the sky and let the rain tickle your cheeks? When a sudden shower turns the garden into a world of sparkle, one little girl races outside to catch every drop. From a peacock on the path to Mum’s rainy-day soup, what magic will the rain leave behind? A decodable reader practising the le/al/el/il endings in words like ’little,’ ‘sparkle,’ ‘gentle,’ ‘signal,’ and ‘crystal.’
Pick One, Bee!
Drew the fairy has one simple plan - pick just ONE favourite flower from her whole garden. Easy, right? But with buzzing bees pointing every which way, a crew of birds hunting worms, and a slew of roses in every shade of pink, how can anyone choose? And what happens when Drew spots a bright red bloom she’s never seen before? This decodable reader practises the ’ew’ phonogram in words like ‘drew,’ ‘crew,’ ‘flew,’ ‘knew,’ and ‘phew.’
Race to the Sea!
Have you ever wondered what happens to a raindrop once it tumbles from a cloud? High above the hills, thousands of raindrops are lined up for the greatest race in the world - first one to the sea wins! But what is the prize, and does anyone actually know the rules? Tumble, splash, and roll along for a wild ride. This decodable reader practises ci/si/ti making /sh/ in words like ‘mission,’ ’location,’ ‘vacation,’ and ‘migration.’
Indlovu and No Rain
High on the plains of KwaZulu Natal lives Indlovu, the biggest, proudest elephant of all. When she boasts that she is stronger than the rain, the sky goes silent and the water stops coming. Can one small bird help her see what真正 matters before it is too late? What will it take to bring the rain back? This Bookbot level practises two syllable words split between consonants, with lesson words like ’thunder’, ‘puddle’, ‘gallops’, ‘summit’, and ‘challenge’.
Elephant Is Too Big
Elephant crashes through every garden on the veld, sure that no one can stop him. But quiet little Hare has a plan brewing. Can a small animal really teach the biggest creature some manners? And when the river floods and the harvest is at risk, who will carry the little ones across the deep water? Find out in this clever tale of wits and kindness. This Bookbot book practises the /ɔː/ sound with lesson words like ’lawn’, ‘dawn’, ‘straw’, ‘paw’, and ‘haul’.
Owino Calls the Rain
When Adhis’s father falls ill, the village turns to her loud, boastful older brother to call the rains. But can a rainmaker command the sky, or must she learn to listen to it? As storm clouds gather over the wrong village, Adhis reads the ants, the birds, and the east wind, racing to ready her home before the water comes. Will she save the seeds in time? This Bookbot level practises two-syllable words with suffixes, including ‘speaker’, ‘older’, ‘boldly’, ‘bravely’, and ‘swiftly’.
Which Way Is Home?
Manta Ray is the greatest navigator in the sea - or so he likes to say. But when a sudden storm turns the bluish water to chaos, can the proudest ray in the ocean find his way back home? Who will help him when he finally spots that familiar neon lighthouse beam? Dive in and see! This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables in words like ‘bluish,’ ’neon,’ ‘quiet,’ and ‘react.’
Who Let the Fish Out?
What if a fish got tired of swimming in circles and decided to walk right out of the lake? Meet the climbing perch - a tiny, spiny troublemaker who munches bugs in the sunshine, hides from hungry birds, and naps in the mud when the water dries up. Can a little fish really march across the farmland on its fins? This decodable reader practises compound words like ‘sunshine,’ ‘raindrop,’ ‘footstep,’ ‘outside,’ and ‘daydream.’
Why Won't You Sing?
Ben loves the sweet song of his little pet bird so much that he begs Dad for more. Soon the house is packed with cages full of new birds - but why won’t a single one sing? Can Ben figure out what his feathered friends really need, and will the woods ever ring with music again? Open the door and find out! This decodable reader practises the ’ew’ sound in words like ‘knew,’ ‘few,’ ’threw,’ ‘flew,’ and ‘view.’
Don't Chop the Bees!
Ned has spotted a bee buzzing across his farm, and now he simply must find out where it lives - and whether it might share some of that sweet golden honey. But bees don’t love being chopped at with axes, and a hungry bear is eyeing the same prize. Can Ned and The Book find a cleverer way to get their treat? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘boldly,’ ‘softly,’ ‘kindly,’ and ‘swiftly.’