2nd Grade Book Recommendations

 

As you know, I love to read.  There are thousands upon thousands of books, and going into a bookstore or library can be daunting for some.  As I read books and find ones that I believe would interest second graders, I will add it to this list with a brief summary so that you can make the ultimate decision about whether or not you want to read.  Please send me recommendations that I can read and put on this list as well.  Happy Reading!

 

 

The Captain Underpants Series

By Dav Pilkey

 

 

Captain Underpants is a series that my students introduced to me this year.  I had never heard of it or read one of these books, but my students were hysterical while reading them.  By the title, you can tell that this series has a lot of "potty" humor and is certainly silly.  As a teacher, I loved that it was the perfect transition book for students who want to read chapter books but do not have the stamina to read 5-15 page chapters.  There are also many pictures and excellent vocabulary.  There are breaks throughout the books with comics and "Flip-o-Ramas" (comics where you have to move the pictures and it looks animated) which are also entertaining.  Overall, I would recommend this book to all second graders, as long as you do not mind the constant talk about underwear, toilets, or disgusting cafeteria food.

 

 

The Time Warp Trio

By Jon Scieszka

 

The Time Warp Trio books have been around since I was in  fourth grade and are still going strong!  In these chapter books, three boys (Joe, Fred, and Sam) find a magical book that transports them across time and space.  They have to solve mysteries and go on adventures during that time period before they can return to present time.  Scieszka is a hysterical author that makes even adults laugh so there is a lot of humor throughout these novels.  I enjoy them not only for the comedy, but that students are learning about different periods in time as well.  The chapters are short and there are many pictures for another perfect transition into chapter books.  An excellent book for the end of second graders or for those that want a challenge.

 

 

Frog and Toad

By Arnold Lobel

 

Frog and Toad stories are classics that have been around since the 1970's.  The characters are simple and lovable.  The stories have very short chapters with pictures on every page.  These are excellent books for second graders because there are many in the series (so if students like one, they can pick up a bunch more to read) and have a more complex plot than some of the stories they were used to in first grade.  Students will be motivated to read these longer stories and have enough stamina to read the entire book.

 

 

Henry and Mudge series

By Cynthia Rylant

 

 

Just like Frog and Toad, Henry and Mudge is an excellent first chapter book for beginning readers.  The chapters are only a few pages long, there are pictures on every page, yet the plot is more entertaining and complex for readers at this age.  Both of the characters, Henry and Mudge, are kind and go on cute adventures.  Many of the stories involve problems that students of this age would encounter and they learn lessons from their experiences.

 

 

Matilda

By Roald Dahl

 

 

Matilda is a timeless tale that keeps getting remade generation after generation.  Even though the movie is decades old, students now still enjoy watching it and have maybe even seen the Broadway play in New York City.  The story of a little girl who loves to read and the horrible Trunchbull who despises children is funny and bewildering at the same time.  Readers root for Miss Honey and Matilda while secretly hoping something nasty happens to the Trunchbull.  Add a little magic and this story is perfect!  This book may be difficult for second graders to read on their own, but it is an excellent read aloud, especially since there is a lot of discussion that can come about while being read together.  When reading this to my second grade class, we had to discuss how the use of the words "stupid" or "dumb" that are written in the book are inappropriate to call other people, however we understood why Roald Dahl made his characters say these words based on what we learned about their personalities.  This is a wonderful conversation to have while reading this book, especially since they will encounter hurtful words throughout their life while reading and allows students to analyze the author's word choice which is a higher level skill.

 

 

Geronimo Stilton series

By Elisabetta Dami

 

 

 

Geronimo Stilton is a fabulous transition book for second graders who are bored or ready to move on from the easy readers and want more of a challenge.  Geronimo is a mouse who is a reporter for The Rodent's Gazette.  In order to write his stories, Geronimo has to go on adventures to find worthwhile topics to research.  These adventures lead to a lot of action, mystery, and excitement.  There is also an interesting and unique cast of friends that help Geronimo during his missions.  I find that these are excellent "transition books for second graders" because even though they are thicker and have different chapters, there are many pictures to aid with comprehension.  Additionally, the author illustrated some words so that if your child did not know what they mean or had difficulty figuring it out through context, the illustration may help them.  For example, the word "icy" is written in blue with icicles hanging from the words.  Finally, if your child is interested in reading this series of books but is still having a difficult time, grab the audiobook!  It is thrilling to listen to because there are many voices that go along with each character, but your child can still follow along with the story using the text.

 

 

My Weird School series

By Dan Gutman

 

 

 

Dan Gutman is a wonderful children's author who has written numerous series and stand-alone stories that intrique students of all ages.  Second graders love the My Weird School series because it is silly, adventurous and easy-to-read.  Even though there are chapters, they are short and include a large font.  There are also pictures to help aid comprehension.  The premise of the series revolves around a school with a strange faculty.  The staff members include Miss Daisy who is crazy, Mr. Klutz who is nuts, and Mrs. Roopy who is loopy.  Students can build their confidence reading a longer, more complex plot, as well as read the entire series at a faster pace.  This series includes books for almost every holiday and Dan Gutman is constantly writing more.  Our school had the pleasure of having him visit and his outgoing personality was enjoyed by everyone in attendance.  If your child says that they want to begin to read chapter books, I would point them to this series first!