2nd-Grade-Book-List
Selected titles of fiction and nonfiction for appropriate for independent reading or as read alouds for second graders.
Fiction
Fiction
Bowling Alley Bandit
Arnie the talking doughnut is delighted to be Mr. Bing's new pet "doughnut-dog," so when Mr. Bing starts rolling gutter balls during a big bowling tournament, Arnie suspects foul play and sets out to solve the mystery.
1st book in: Adventures of Arnie the doughnut series
Where to Find:
Fiction
Zac's Shark Attack
Zac has two new gadgets to test drive. Can they help him chase sharks away from swimmers?
Where to Find:
Fiction
Juana & Lucas
A spunky young girl from Colombia loves playing with her canine best friend and resists boring school activities, especially learning English, until her family tells her that a special trip is planned to an English-speaking place.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Nonfiction
Beetles: Native Pollinators
Stop! Don't step on that beetle. Many beetles are pollinators. Without them, we wouldn't have magnolia flowers, palm trees, or the fruit of the pawpaw. Beetles can be pests and also helpful. Farmers use ladybug beetles to eat insects that are eating their plants.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Fire Trucks
Blastoff! readers. Mighty machines in action series
"Relevant images match informative text in this introduction to fire trucks. Intended for students... through third grade"-- publisher.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdős
Growing up in Hungary during WWI, Erdos tried school but chafed at the rules and convinced his mother that he should study at home. He was fascinated by numbers from an early age, and by the time he was 20, he was known as the Magician from Budapest. Unable to do common tasks such as cooking, laundry, or driving, he spent his adult life flying around the world, staying with other mathematicians, and working collaboratively on solving challenging mathematical problems.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids
A humorous collection of knock-knock jokes for kids.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Who was Thomas Alva Edison?
From the popular series: Who was...?
Who was Thomas Alva Edison? Edison was a curious inventer, starting with electric lights, moving pictures and many other inventions. Also available in Spanish language.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
EMT's Tools
From the interesting series: Select to see the series: More professional tools.
"Understanding each tool is made easy with simple definitions and in-use photos that will show kids how an ambulance, gurney, defibrillator and oxygen mask works."-- publisher.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems
This title is a collection of short poems for children compiled by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Beware of the Crocodile
"There's a lot to learn about crocodiles in this captivating look at one of the world's deadliest and toothiest animals. Beware!"--Dust jacket front flap.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
The City Mayor
"What does a city mayor do? Learn about the duties of a city mayor and how the mayor serves people in the city. Descriptive main text, full-color photos, fast facts, and callout definitions work together to support understanding"-- publisher.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Tarantula vs. Scorpion
From the popular series, Who Would Win? If a Tarantula were in a battle with a Scorpion, who do you think would win?
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
From the popular Who was..series: As the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln guided the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. However, President Lincoln was tragically the first President to be assassinated. This book is available in Spanish language format.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Titanosaur: Digging up the World's Largest Dinosaur
"Through a combination of photographs and illustrations, this picture book will tell the story of the discovery of this new dinosaur, while weaving in exciting facts about what life was like for this brand new species that doesn't even have an official name yet! Chock-full of back matter like a glossary, a dinosaur time period chart, and a gatefold -- publisher.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
Elections: Why They Matter to You
Elections are part of the foundation of our democracy. Readers learn how elections work, whether its voting on local rules or electing the President of the United States. The book also highlights why voting is so very important and how kids can become involved, even when they're still years from casting their first vote.
Where to Find:
Nonfiction
To the Stars!: The First American Woman to Walk in Space
Kathy Sullivan wanted to go everywhere. She loved blueprints and maps. Kathy liked fishing and swimming; flying planes and studying science. She followed her heart and eventually became a NASA astronaut and the first woman to walk in space. Kathy wanted to see the whole world and so she did: from space
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
Audiobooks
Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs
When the first-graders' bee antennae would not stay on their heads and the drummers would not stay in their seats for the open house play, Roscoe decides to help by using the "don't-you-dare" glue. Also available in Playaway format.
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
Dragons in a Bag
In Brooklyn, nine-year-old Jax joins Ma, a curmudgeonly witch who lives in his building, on a quest to deliver three baby dragons to a magical world, and along the way discovers his true calling.
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids
A humorous collection of knock-knock jokes for kids.
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
The Year of Billy Miller
Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year, he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and has learned many important lessons.
Where to Find:
Audiobooks
Dinosaurs before Dark
Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them back to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark, or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?
Where to Find:
eBooks
eBooks
Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs
When the first-graders' bee antennae would not stay on their heads and the drummers would not stay in their seats for the open house play, Roscoe decides to help by using the "don't-you-dare" glue. Also available in Playaway format.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Blast Off
Fourth-grader Zack McGee's life is turned upside-down when Amp, a tiny alien, crash-lands in his bedroom, then causes trouble at school while trying to get parts to repair his spaceship.
Where to Find:
eBooks
The School is Alive
Sam Graves discovers that his elementary school is and plotting against the students, and,as hall monitor, it is his job to protect them--but he will need some help from his friends.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Absolutely Lucy
Bobby is a shy boy until he gets a beagle puppy named Lucy, who helps him to make new friends.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Leroy Ninker Saddles Up
Tales from Deckawoo Drive series
Saddle up for this first volume in a spin-off series starring favorite characters from DiCamillo's ...Mercy Watson books. Leroy Ninker has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn't have is a horse--until he meets Maybelline, and then it's love at first sight.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Dragons in a Bag
In Brooklyn, nine-year-old Jax joins Ma, a curmudgeonly witch who lives in his building, on a quest to deliver three baby dragons to a magical world, and along the way discovers his true calling.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Dog Days
1st book in Carver Chronicles series
Gavin wants to make a good impression at Carver Elementary, where no one knows he excels at soccer and skateboarding, but an annoying big sister, a bully, and his great aunt's Pomeranian are not helping.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Who was Thomas Alva Edison?
From the popular series: Who was...?
Who was Thomas Alva Edison? Edison was a curious inventer, starting with electric lights, moving pictures and many other inventions. Also available in Spanish language.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel
Spunky third-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood, but when she befriends a boy named Free, another new student at school, she finally starts to feel at home.
Where to Find:
eBooks
The Princess in Black
Hiding her secret identity as a monster-fighting superhero, Princess Magnolia interrupts her fancy tea with the unsuspecting Duchess Wigtower to stop a big blue monster from endangering her kingdom's goats.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Dory Fantasmagory
Dory, the youngest in her family, is a girl with a very active imagination, and she spends the summer playing with her imaginary friend, pretending to be a dog, battling monsters, and generally driving her family nuts.
Where to Find:
eBooks
The Year of Billy Miller
Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year, he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and has learned many important lessons.
Where to Find:
eBooks
Dinosaurs before Dark
Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them back to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark, or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?
Where to Find:
eBooks
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
From the popular Who was..series: As the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln guided the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. However, President Lincoln was tragically the first President to be assassinated. This book is available in Spanish language format.
Where to Find:
eBooks
The Lost Stone
Eight-year-old Lucas, Prince of Wrenly, is eager to explore and Clara, daughter of the queen's seamstress, knows the kingdom well, so they team up to find a lost jewel and visit all of the land's main attractions as they search.
Where to Find:
eBooks
After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again)
After falling off the wall, Humpty Dumpty is very afraid of climbing up again, but is determined not to let fear stop him from being close to the birds.
Where to Find:
eBooks
To the Stars!: The First American Woman to Walk in Space
Kathy Sullivan wanted to go everywhere. She loved blueprints and maps. Kathy liked fishing and swimming; flying planes and studying science. She followed her heart and eventually became a NASA astronaut and the first woman to walk in space. Kathy wanted to see the whole world and so she did: from space
Where to Find: