SEL Books for 2nd Graders
Where's My Fire?!
Dragon is sure he’s a natural. Why practice for the big fire test when he could lounge on a sunny hillside with a basket of tasty snacks? But when the day arrives, only puffs of grey smoke come out - and everyone is watching! Can a strange little chilli plant with a spicy red pepper help Dragon find his missing flame before it’s too late? This decodable reader practises VC/CV syllables in words like ‘basket,’ ‘sunset,’ ‘pepper,’ and ‘hillside.’
Get Out of My Yard!
Dog and Cat were the very best of friends - napping under the big tree, sharing meals, and batting their little ball back and forth. But when the people scoop Cat up to live inside the house, Dog is left alone in the yard. Can two friends find their way back to each other after angry words drive them apart? This decodable reader practises prefixes in words such as ‘dislike,’ ‘indoors,’ ‘retreat,’ ‘undone,’ and ‘unfair.’
I Don't Fit!
The Tire is tired of the bumpy road, the heavy boxes, and all the crashes! Could a truck be a better home? Maybe a bike? Or a cart with wooden wheels? Poor Tire rolls past bushes and ditches, making wishes for a place where he truly fits - but where could that be? This decodable reader practises es plurals in words like ‘bushes,’ ‘crashes,’ ‘ditches,’ and ‘wishes.’
The Cloud Above Diane
Diane is the proudest litterbug around - until she wakes up one morning to find a stinking cloud of rubbish hovering right above her bed! Flies buzz, wrappers swirl, and the cloud follows her everywhere she goes. Can Diane figure out how to make her smelly shadow disappear? Will anyone want to sit with her at lunch, or is a small grey rat her only friend now? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ‘about,’ ‘open,’ ’even,’ and ‘only.’
Frog, Don't Jump!
Frog gazes up at the glowing stars every night and dreams of holding just one. But when his short arms and tallest hills aren’t enough, he spots a giant palm tree - could climbing to the very top finally bring him close to those shining lights? And what are those tiny golden glimmers twinkling in the pond far below? Join Frog on a brave, starry adventure! This decodable reader practises vowel team syllables through words like ‘giant,’ ’lion,’ ‘quiet,’ and ‘ruin.’
No Pals? No Lunch!
Tiger thinks being alone is simply blissful - no noisy pals, no messy friends, just warm sun and peaceful quiet. But when every mouse, fawn, and bird bolts the moment she twitches an ear, her tummy starts to grumble louder and louder. Can a lone hunter really hunt with nobody around? And what happens when the forest goes completely silent? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘blissful,’ ‘proudly,’ ’tightly,’ and ’loudly.’
A Load on My Back
Wiwit woke up with a big, squeezing tummy ache - and worse, a heavy monkey clinging to her back! Everywhere she goes, he goes too, weighing her down like a sack of rice. With the village dance only days away, how will Wiwit ever spin and jump with a monkey on her shoulders? Can she find the courage to face the thing that scares her most? This decodable reader practises the oa phonogram in words such as ‘groan,’ ’load,’ ‘road,’ and ‘float.’
Too Much Honey, Ned!
Ned has built the most beautiful beehive in the neighbourhood, and the honey is truly the best thing he has ever tasted! But what happens when Ned eats spoonful after spoonful, day after day? Can his wise magic book convince him to slow down before his tummy turns awful - or will it take a very strange dream to teach him a lesson? This decodable reader practises suffixes in words like ‘proudly,’ ‘spoonful,’ ‘hopeful,’ and ‘swiftly.’
Who Painted My House?!
The Great Village Parade is only three days away, and Pep the painter has ENORMOUS plans. But when his paint buckets tip over, the swirling colours give him a wild idea - why stop at one little float when he could paint the WHOLE village? Will the animals love his rainbow makeover, or chase him up the hill with brushes waving? This decodable reader practises 2-syllable open words such as ’lemon,’ ‘only,’ ‘over,’ and ’even.’
No Room for Pokey!
Poor Pokey just wants a warm, dry spot to curl up for the night - but every bed on the street is taken! A box full of grumpy cats, a trash can with glowing eyes, and now cold rain splatting on his head. Will Pokey ever find somewhere safe to sleep? And when a storm turns scary, what will he do about the cats who said no room for him? This decodable reader practises the aw/au phonogram in words like ‘claws,’ ‘crawl,’ ‘pause,’ and ‘yawn.’