Teacher Recommended: Second Grade Books
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Looking for some great books for your 2nd grader to read? This list of teacher recommended second grade books is a great starting point! We polled second grade teachers and these were the top favorites. I hope your find your new favorite!
Second grade is about the time when kids take off from reading early readers and picture books to start reading early chapter books. Kids’ reading level advances quickly during elementary school, and especially between 1st grade and 2nd grade! and they being to see that reading can be fun, not just something you have to do for school.
Teacher Recommended: Second Grade Books
Katie Woo and Pedro Books by Fran Manushkin and Tammie Lyon
There are so many Katie Woo and Pedro books; it’s hard to choose my favorites! Teachers love these short books with dynamic and diverse characters.
The Katie series has expanded to include her best friend Pedro in his own titles. Check out Cartwheel Katie Woo as Katie explores gymnastics. Pedro goes the science route inPedro Goes Buggy with his bug collection. Enjoy the dozens of titles available for second grade readers.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan
When a book can become a global project, you know you have a winner! Read the story of Flat Stanley and have your students make their own flat paper character. They can send it around the globe (to a friend or relative that lives in a place the student would like to explore).
The recipient will take pictures with the flat student and then send them back with notes and photographs from their travels. Kids and teachers love the Flat Stanley series!
The Treehouse Books by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton
From 13 stories to 39, Andy and Terry (named after the author and illustrator) are building a treehouse that is unlike any other. Anything your students can imagine will eventually be in this extraordinary treehouse. From a bowling alley to an anti-gravity chamber, this treehouse is out of this world. Your students may want to design their own treehouses after reading the books, making this a perfect opportunity for creative writing and even design!
Amelia Bedelia Books by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril
These books are always such a fun read! The lovable housekeeper Amelia Bedelia probably delighted you as a young reader. Now, you can introduce Amelia Bedelia as a young student to your own classes.
Each book is around 150 pages, so for readers not quite ready for longer chapter books, these make excellent read alouds. New vocabulary and word parts are introduced in this fascinating series.
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up by Melissa Thomson
Whoops! Keena is in a new class for second grade, and her teacher thinks it’s her birthday. What will Keena do? This is an excellent text primary readers to discover dialogue and conflict in a longer text. Share it with your second graders!
A Few of My Personal Favorite 2nd Grade Books:
Depending on the level of your reader, these may be best for read-alouds, or for later in the school year when they are a bit more advanced in their reading abilities.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Mr. Poppers Penguins by Richard Atwater
Billy and Blaze books by C.W. Anderson
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace
And if you ask my second grader, he would highly recommend:
Bad Kitty books by Nick Bruel
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot by Ricky Ricotta
Captain Awesome books by Stan Kirby
Galaxy Zach books by Ray O’Ryan
These teacher recommended books for second grade will be some of your new favorites for your independent readers or to read aloud in your classroom. Try out the series books or individual texts in your class today!
See my other book lists:
