The Best Books for 2nd Graders

My Father's Dragon

This is one of the best early chapter books for a child who enjoys fantasy stories. This magical book is the first in a trilogy that tells the adventures of a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who goes to Wild Island to rescue a flying baby Dragon. Along the way, Elmer has lots of close calls with wild animals and has to be creative with the tools in his backpack to survive. The illustrations are simple black and white and are the perfect fit to this enchanting narrative. This book, along with its sequel, Elmer, and the Dragon, and the third volume, The Dragons of Blueland, have been around since the 1940's.

If you have a child that enjoys adventures, humor, and fun, this is the series to read.

Recommended for: Kids that love the fantasy world

Make Way for Ducklings

Children and parents alike have been reading this classic since the 1940's and there's a good reason why. Robert McCloskey shares a beautiful story where Mr. and Mrs. Mallard search for the perfect place in Boston to have their ducklings. They find a little island in a lake in a beautiful park. Once the ducklings have hatched, the parents teach them how to swim and navigate life in the big city. There is a gentle kindness in the story that leaves the reader feeling safe and secure. The story also brings to life the city of Boston and gives children the chance to learn about this stately old town. When our family visited Boston years later, our teenaged children loved seeing Robert McCloskey's ducklings immortalized as bronze statues in Boston's Public Gardens. It brought back wonderful memories of this book and our reading together.

The soft, brown-toned, Caldecott-winning illustrations are unique and the perfect complement to this heart warming story.

Recommended for: Kids that enjoy reading the classics...

Frog and Toad Together

The Frog and Toad books are some of the best children's literature you will find. These stories tell about the wacky adventures of these best friends. In the short chapters of Frog and Toad Together, you will find these two friends baking together, planting a garden together, and testing their bravery together. Not only is this book entertaining, but it gives children a model of what true friendship looks like. If your child likes this book, be sure to check out all the books in the series. They are perfect for young readers or read aloud time.

Recommended for: Kids that enjoy books about friendship

Ira Sleeps Over

This humorous children's book actually tackles the childhood angst that some children experience when going to a sleepover, especially their first one. When Ira's friend, Reggie, invites him for his first sleepover, he is thrilled--until his sister asks about his teddy bear, the one that Ira sleeps with every night. So he has a dilemma: he's never slept without his teddy bear, but what will Reggie think if he knew that Ira sleeps with a teddy bear? And what would he think if he knew that his bear's name is Tah Tah? Reggie's sister says "Reggie will laugh"; his parents say "He won't laugh." Ira finally decides for himself. Read this delightful book and find out whether he made the right decision.

This is a fantastic read-aloud book for parents because the characters provide the chance for different 'voices' and styles as the parents and Ira's sister give Ira their opinions.

Recommended for: Kids that love to read stories with humor

Cherries and Cherry Pits

This artful and imaginative book actually tells several stories within a story. Bedemmi, a young creative girl, loves to draw with colored markers and tell stories, each one starting with the word THIS. She tells tales as she brings them to life with her vivid drawings. All her stories introduce the reader to interesting people, all 'eating cherries and spitting out the pits.' She ultimately leads the reader to a place where she has a plan for all those cherry pits. And a glorious plan it is.

This book is a gem that encourages creativity and imaginative thinking. Our favorite way to read this book was sitting on the couch with a bowl of cherries (and an extra bowl so we could spit out the pits).

Recommended for: Kids that love to use their imagination